Beauty Elixir

CeraVe · Cleanser · rinse-off

Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser pore-clogging or fungal-acne safe?

71%clean
Low concern (rinse-off)

Contains an ingredient rated 3+, but it is rinsed off within a minute, so pore-clogging risk is low.

Not fungal-acne safe

1 ingredient can feed Malassezia yeast (itchy, uniform forehead or chest bumps).

#IngredientPoresFungal acneIrritancy
15 Sodium Chloride 5/5 · Pore-clogging Safe
9 Zea Mays Oil 3/5 · Pore-clogging Trigger
1 Aqua 0/5 · Low Safe
3 Glycerin 0/5 · Low Safe
5 Niacinamide 0/5 · Low Safe
16 Salicylic Acid 0/5 · Low Safe
24 Sodium Hyaluronate 0/5 · Low Safe
Safer swaps to look for: Squalane. Browse non-comedogenic moisturisers →
20 ingredients not in our pore-clogging database

These have no published comedogenic rating in our data. Most are preservatives, fragrance, extracts or actives that are not known pore-cloggers.

cocamidopropyl hydroxysultainesodium lauroyl sarcosinategluconolactonepeg-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearatesodium methyl cocoyl taurateceramide npceramide apceramide eopcarbomercalcium gluconatesodium benzoatesodium lauroyl lactylatecholecalciferolcholesterolphenoxyethanoldisodium edtatetrasodium edtaphytosphingosinexanthan gumethylhexylglycerin

Ingredients rated 3–5 that appear after position 15 are usually present below about 1%, so they are shown as "Low amount" and do not trigger the pore-clog alert. Ratings come from the Fulton comedogenic scale (0–5) and published Malassezia research. They are a rough guide: the concentration and the whole formula matter, and everyone's skin is different.

Rinse-off product: cleansers only touch your skin for about a minute, so comedogenic ratings, which come from leave-on tests, matter far less here. Fungal-acne triggers are also less of a concern when rinsed off.

Why it was flagged

  • Zea Mays Oil, rated 3/5, is at position #9 in the list (likely a smaller amount).
  • Sodium Chloride, rated 5/5, is at position #15 in the list (likely a smaller amount).

Many people use CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser without problems. These flags matter most if you are acne-prone and have noticed small closed bumps after starting it.

Compare CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser

vs Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Watervs CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanservs CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanservs CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanservs Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanservs Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanservs COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanservs Mamaearth Vitamin C Face Wash with Vitamin C and Turmeric for Skin Illuminationvs Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Cleanservs Plum Green Tea Pore Cleansing Face Wash For Oily & Acne-Prone Skin

Full ingredient list

Aqua/Water/Eau, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Zea Mays Oil/Corn Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholecalciferol, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Tetrasodium Edta, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin

Source: official CeraVe product page, checked 27 Sep 2026. Formulas vary by country and change over time, so always check your pack.

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Frequently asked questions

Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser pore-clogging?

It contains Zea Mays Oil and Sodium Chloride, which is rated 3+ on the comedogenic scale. Because it is a rinse-off product that only stays on skin briefly, this matters much less than in a moisturiser.

Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser safe for fungal acne?

No. It contains Zea Mays Oil, which can feed Malassezia yeast.

What is the clean score of CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser?

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser scores 71% on our pore-clog and fungal-acne scan, based on 7 recognised ingredients out of 27.

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