CeraVe vs Aquaphor: Who Produces Better Ointments?

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CeraVe vs Aquaphor, which one is the king of ointments? Find out in this article…

If you’re looking for everyday occlusive, you probably have come across CeraVe and Aquaphor Healing Ointment. These two are the most recommended, all-purpose ointments out there. And that’s for a reason.

They are better than most of what’s out there. Not just in terms of price but performance.

If you’re reading this article, you probably already know that. So, what if you can’t decide between the two? Well, that’s what this article is for.

While it’s possible to just buy the two, use them, and see which one works better for you, it can be quite expensive.

It would be far better to check what the two products can offer, their pros and cons, so you can choose one that is suitable for you based on our preferences.


About the Two Products

Both ointments can be used as lip balm, ointment, occlusive, cuticle cream, moisturizer, and so on. Most people buy them for their occlusive properties.

And because they’re cheap, obtaining any of them is quite easy.

Furthermore, they can be used by both adults and young children, making them a general, multi-purpose product. For this reason, you can buy it for yourself, or for the whole family.

CeraVe vs Aquaphor: Which Is Better?

To ensure we do justice to the comparison, we’re going to separate the review of each item and then do a general comparison. This way you can see the benefits of each one and how it compares to the other.

But before that, let’s do a general comparison of both ointments:

Aquaphor & Cerave Healing Ointments Compared

Texture

Both are certainly different. The Aquaphor ointment is slick, light, and clear, due to its petrolatum base. Whereas CeraVe is creamy and thicker, and more of a heavy lotion than ointment.

Moisturizing Properties & Other Ingredients

Aquaphor is an occlusive that creates a barrier, preventing moisture from escaping from the skin.

CeraVe, on the other hand, is more of a humectant with moisturizing properties that hydrate and moisturize the skin once it’s absorbed.

CeraVe has ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which should help to soften the skin and make it more supple.

Aquaphor doesn’t have this ingredient.

Aquaphor also contains Panthenol, which is also good for skin conditioning but does not moisturize like hyaluronic acid.

Moreover, CeraVe contains paraffin, which is derived from wax, which is why it is white and waxy.

While CeraVe is a lanolin-free ointment, Aquaphor contains lanolin and alcohol. So, if you’re allergic to lanolin, best to choose CeraVe. Aquaphor is silicone-free and fragrance-free but CeraVe is not.

Price

Generally, CeraVe is more expensive than Aquaphor Healing Ointment, even though it’s only a few dollars difference.

In fact, the Aquaphor Healing Ointment is considered a direct dupe of CeraVe Ointment.

So, if you’re looking to shave some dollars from your purchase, then consider Aquaphor which is more affordable.

I checked Walmart, Amazon, and Ulta and found CeraVe to be pricier than Aquaphor on all of them.

Comparison Table for Aquaphor vs CeraVe Ointments

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

CeraVe Ointment

Cheaper & affordableMore expensive
Has a light, waxy, and thinner textureIt is creamy, thick, and heavy
Contains lanolinIt is lanolin-free
It may not be suitable for sensitive skinSuitable for sensitive skin
Fragrance- and silicone-freeIt contains silicone & fragrance
Might be a little greasierNot greasy

 


Cerave vs Aquaphor for Eczema

Both Cerave and Aquaphor Healing Ointments are great for treating and managing eczema. If you want a heavy-duty eczema cream, you may want to go for Aquaphor.

However, it may irritate eczema-prone skin, according to the National Eczema Association. But for ordinary flare-ups, CeraVe may be a good option.

The Cerave Ointment has the approval seal of the National Eczema Association. However, it may not be great for everyday eczema use because of its thickness.

This is why it’s often recommended for eczema outbreaks. To be sure of the most suitable one for your skin, try a patch test, which Mayoclinic calls “allergy skin tests“.

Aquaphor Advanced Healing Ointment

cerave vs aquaphor
CeraVe Healing Ointment

The Aquaphor Advanced Healing Ointment is a great product for the winter weather and can be used for several medicinal purposes. If you have cracked lips or eczema, you can use the product for it.

Of course, you can use chapstick or lip balm for cracked lips. However, this is a petroleum-based product while those are wax-based.

This means the ingredient in the ointment can protect your lips from continuing to dry while the wax in those products can continue to dry the lips.

Texture & Feel

Aquaphor has a thin texture and is very transparent in color. It is also lightweight such that rubbing between your palms smoothens it out and is ready to spread on the skin.

However, it can be a little greasy. It can be affected by the weather because of the thinness. In warm weather, it can become liquid-like, making it difficult to use.

The healing/soothing properties of the Aquaphor are stronger, which is why it’s more suitable as a lip balm.

Uses of the Ointment

Aside from that, you can also use it for minor burns. This will be to protect as well as soothe them. Other uses included placing on chafed skin or dry skin caused by the winter weather.

The Ointment is non-comedogenic and you can use it as many times as you want. While it can be used anytime, it’s extremely great for use in winter.

It’s also calm and soothing too.

Finally:

It’s preservatives- and fragrance-free, which means you can use it anywhere on the face (where your nose can easily inhale any scent) and not have yourself choked from heavy fragrance.

It also shouldn’t irritate, so if you have dry sensitive skin, you can use this.

Key Ingredients

The active ingredient in the Aquaphor Ointment is petrolatum, also known as petroleum jelly.

As you can see from the name, the product is made from petroleum, which helps in sealing the skin with a moisture-protective barrier.

As a result, it’s able to keep moisture on the skin longer, resulting in supple, soft skin.

Fortunately, the ingredient is gentle on the skin. This makes it ideal for dry sensitive skin. It keeps your skin hydrated and comfortable simultaneously.

Another ingredient in the Aquaphor Healing Ointment is glycerin, which is a moisturizing agent that helps to keep the outermost layer of the skin hydrated.

When used in skincare products, glycerin helps in catching moisture and then draws to the skin.

Also, the package is small and tight so you can travel with it. It’s easily absorbed and doesn’t clog pores according to user reviews.

Scent: doesn’t have a scent, feels heavy and creamy

Benefit: can eliminate dry skin on different parts of the body, it can also be used after injuries or surgery to keep the skin hydrated


CeraVe Healing Ointment

cerave vs aquaphor
CeraVe Healing Ointment

When you have chapped, dry hands, irritated skin, blemishes, skin wounds, etc, the CeraVe Ointment promises to be a good product you can use.

Thanks to the excellent skin-repairing ingredients, using isn’t restricted to a specific part of the skin. It has strong hydrating properties, can replenish skin moisture, and is filled with rich emollients.

Feel & Texture

It isn’t too greasy or messy like Aquaphor and is thicker so it’s easy to spread. You can use it for moisturizing your legs, arms, face, hands, and feet.

It’s also an excellent eye cream and is not restricted to a specific age. Some people complained, though, that they find it greasy and therefore cannot use it during the day.

Because it is thick, it might be a bit hard to squeeze out of the tube. However, that shouldn’t take long nor does it affect the performance. The tube is bulky too, if you buy the biggest one, so it might not be as easy to carry it around.

Aside from that, the CeraVe Healing Ointment is good for protecting the skin from environmental stressors and replenishing lost moisture from the skin.

User Review

Quite a few people love CeraVe for being versatile. you can use it occasionally as an occlusive or as a cuticle cream or as a lip balm or as a mask over rashes, all depending on the weather or your condition.

You can also use it to heal up small cuts, and bruises, just like Aquaphor. Another benefit people who use CeraVe point at is the absence of lanolin content, especially for sensitive skin.

What to Know Before Buying

There are a few things you should be aware of too. As mentioned before, it comes in an unsanitary tube which can also be hard to squeeze.

Moreover, it might be more expensive than Aquaphor, but not by a long shot. It all depends on where you’re buying it from.

Compared to Aquaphor, the CeraVe Healing Ointment is packed with emollients so it’s able to reinforce the skin barrier better. The formula is equally fragrance-free.

Final Words

The CeraVe ointment is thicker than Aquaphor and might be better suited for multiple weather conditions. The price differential isn’t much, but you might be able to get Aquaphor at a lower price than CeraVe.

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