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CeraVe

Renewing SA Cleanser.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser
Cleansers

About this product

A gentle exfoliating cleanser formulated with salicylic acid, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, designed to cleanse and lightly exfoliate while maintaining skin hydration.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

75%

Yay

23 experts · Strong agreement
23Gurus
19Yay
2Mixed
2Nay

What they liked

  • Hydrating despite exfoliation
  • Fragrance and alcohol-free
  • Suitable for oily and combination skin

What they flagged

  • Not strong enough for all acne
  • Salicylic acid concentration not disclosed

What the gurus are saying

The salicylic acid here works gently enough that people with oily, combination, and even acne-prone skin can use it twice daily without over-drying, because ceramides and hydrating ingredients shield the skin barrier while the acid exfoliates. Dermatologists consistently name it as an effective starting point for breakouts, bumpy texture, and pore congestion, and note it also helps with dark spots and roughness on both face and body. The formulation earns particular praise for being approachable for sensitive and younger skin; those with very dry or rosacea-prone complexions may want to patch-test first or use it just a few times weekly.
Synthesized from 23 expert reviews · most recent take May 2026

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
Yay
"As this is a wash-off product, it's fine that it's a second ingredient. The third ingredient here is cocamidopropyl and it's a mild surfactant as well. So, I like the fact that both are quite gentle for the skin. There's also lots of moisturizers and emollients in this product. So, here we've got glycerin, ceramides, we've got hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid. So, I love this product. There's nothing in it that's going to irritate your skin. It's great for acne skin. It's got no fragrance, no essential oils, no alcohol. It's got no irritants, nothing that's going to sensitize your skin. It's a fantastic product for acne-prone skin. And actually it's very good for teen acne. So, when you're at about 13, 14, 15 years old and you're still quite young and you don't want to be applying some of the harsher products, this would be a very good cleanser for that age group as well."
Yay
"You can use an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, whether it's CeraVe's salicylic acid cleanser or Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating cleanser. Those are great."
All 10 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai
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"You can use an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, whether it's CeraVe's salicylic acid cleanser or Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating cleanser. Those are great."
Shop with Me: Dermatologist Shops for Affordable Skincare at the Local Grocery Store
"I'm a big fan of their salicylic acid cleanser. Great at the end of the day to help clean out your pores."
Dermatologist Reviews: Drugstore Acne Roundup
"Salicylic acid is oil soluble, goes down into the pore and it cleans it out. I love salicylic acid at the end of the day or after working out because it really is a nice cleanser for your face and your body. If you struggle with body acne, salicylic acid is great. The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is a great option. I've been using this one more recently, very nice to have in the shower."
How to Layer Your Skincare Products in an Anti-Aging Skincare Routine
"You could do [Cetaphil]'s gentle essay cleanser. I like that one a lot."
The Ultimate CeraVe Anti-Aging Skincare Routine- Dermatologist Reviews
"The CeraVe SA cleanser is great, [...] salicylic acid is [...] a beta hydroxy acid that is oil soluble, goes into your pores and cleans it out, so you can do that for any blackheads on the nose."
Fine Lines, Clogged Pores & Dandruff: What Dermatologists Really Recommend
"I like salicylic acid because lipid soluble, goes down into the pore and cleans out your pores. So I like to use that at the end of the day after clinic, after school, after a workout to help break up those white heads and blackheads."
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"Salicylic acid or the Renewing SA Cleanser, stuff like that are nice"
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"If you are like me and you want to work on your pores because you've been wearing a surgical mask while I do procedures or I went to the gym and I worked out, I want to control any clogged pores. I don't want to have acne along my temples or my sweat collects, or if you suffer from body acne, you want to cleanse your body with a cleanser with appropriate ingredients like salicylic acid. So I love salicylic acid because it's a beta hydroxy acid, it's lipid soluble and it goes deep into the pore. It makes a nice 2% salicylic acid, has hectorite clay to help absorb excess oil, niacinamide to regulate sebum production."
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"CeraVe makes an SA cleanser. They also have another acne cleanser that came out more recently that's really nice."
Dermatologist Reviews: Men’s Skincare Routine- Is there a difference between Men and Women?
"CeraVe SA Cleanser with vitamin D has salicylic acid and also has ceramides, so this is a nice cleanser. This is a two percent salicylic acid cleanser."
Yay
"If you want chemical exfoliation, I recommend starting off with over the counter products containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid in low concentrations, like the CeraVe SA Cleanser. These are formulated for at home use, the pH is appropriate, and the concentration is such that it won't send you to the ER."
All 4 takes from 208SkinDoc
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"If you want chemical exfoliation, I recommend starting off with over the counter products containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid in low concentrations, like the CeraVe SA Cleanser. These are formulated for at home use, the pH is appropriate, and the concentration is such that it won't send you to the ER."
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"For those who are really budget conscious, I also recommend the SA Cleanser from CeraVe. It's another great option for a salicylic acid based cleanser."
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"This is a lower strength salicylic acid, so it's not a 2 percent salicylic acid, it's low enough that the FDA doesn't require it to be labeled on the bottle. It's great for very gentle exfoliation and ideal for normal skin types, but if you're super oily it might not be enough for you, and if you're super dry it may be too much for you."
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"This is a very low strength salicylic acid, so it's not going to be too drying or too stripping to the skin, but it's going to help remove some of that excess oil and give a nice clean. It's gentle enough to use twice a day if this is going to be my primary cleanser."
Yay
"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great for gentle exfoliation as well as blackhead prone skin."
All 7 takes from Dr Dray
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"I wake up I wash my face with CeraVe. It's got some salicylic acid which is just enough to keep my face blemish free. [...] A salicylic acid cleanser in the morning is a great option as an over-the-counter acne treatment to control breakouts. It's not going to be enough for everyone with acne, they may need additional treatments, but it's definitely a great starting point. Using a salicylic acid cleanser also has other benefits. It can help improve the appearance of dark spots and sun damage, smooth the skin surface, exfoliate the pore, and help with things like blackheads and whiteheads."
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"A really great body wash for keratosis pilaris is the CeraVe SA Cleansing Wash. The reason this is a great option is because the salicylic acid can aid in exfoliating those dry rough bumps, but the cleansing formula also has some hydrating moisturizing ingredients that can be left behind on the skin after you've rinsed the cleanser residue off via a mechanism known as coacervation. These beneficial ingredients for keratosis pilaris include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, all of these are really good for not only hydrating the skin but for helping to support the needs of the skin's moisture barrier. Many people with keratosis pilaris also have problems with their skin barrier, maybe they have what's called a filaggrin mutation, they were born with a genetic tendency to lose water from the skin because they have inadequate levels or improperly formed filaggrin, a key component of the skin's moisture barrier. So I really like this wash for that reason for people with keratosis pilaris. But again, make sure you rinse all the residue off so that way you don't leave anything that could be drying and irritating behind."
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"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great for gentle exfoliation as well as blackhead prone skin."
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"For those of you who have keratosis pilaris, rough skin texture, but you don't necessarily have acne, maybe your skin tends to be a little bit more on the dry side, I highly highly suggest CeraVe's Renewing SA Cleanser. I want to say this is 0.5 percent salicylic acid, they don't disclose that on the label, so this one is less likely than the two percent strengths to cause dryness and irritation, provided that you make sure you're rinsing it off. This formula has a nice silky lather to it, and it has other ingredients that are beneficial for the moisture barrier, really going to help you out if you have keratosis pilaris on the face. It has niacinamide, which is good for dry skin, hyperpigmentation and redness, plus hyaluronic acid for moisture and ceramides. This is also a good one if you're looking to incorporate a salicylic acid cleanser just to improve the signs of sun damage and smooth out skin texture, especially if you don't have particularly oily skin. I highly recommend this, it's a great one."
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"Try using a salicylic acid cleanser, this one is fairly new from CeraVe. There are a ton out there, but I like this one. In the morning just lather it onto the problematic areas like the T-zone or your nose, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off. You'll still get the benefits from that short contact time, but it's less drying and less irritating."
BEST DRUGSTORE OILY SKIN CARE ROUTINE 🛍 DERMATOLOGIST @DrDrayzday
"CeraVe's Renewing SA Cleanser is one they've had for a long time. It's a little bit milder, the percentage of salicylic acid is much lower I believe, but it can still be effective, so this would be another good option for a morning degreasing cleanse."
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"The CeraVe SA Skin Renewing Cleanser is a salicylic acid cleanser that has always been a good one for people with oily skin. CeraVe makes fantastic products with ceramides in them which really help with the skin barrier. It's not overly drying and helps address the needs of the moisture barrier. It's a well-formulated cleanser."
Yay
"If you're somebody with oily skin and you want to use a beta hydroxy acid, I would recommend the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. This provides really gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads, no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It combines that salicylic acid with ceramides to maintain the skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It also includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over-drying or irritation even with regular use. The key ingredients here are the ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid."
All 3 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown
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"If you're somebody with oily skin and you want to use a beta hydroxy acid, I would recommend the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. This provides really gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads, no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It combines that salicylic acid with ceramides to maintain the skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It also includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over-drying or irritation even with regular use. The key ingredients here are the ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid."
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"CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser provides that gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads. There's no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It's going to combine your salicylic acid but also the ceramides. If you're somebody who has sensitive skin this is a really good one to start with. Ceramides are like these fatty acids in your skin that will help keep your skin nice and hydrated. Not only will this cleanser exfoliate the top layer of the skin to help open up the blackheads and white heads, it will also hydrate at the same time. The hydrating and calming ingredients are going to prevent the over-drying and irritation which can sometimes be seen with the use of salicylic acid. The key ingredients in this cleanser are hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and salicylic acid. If you're somebody with combination or tolerant skin, you can use it as a cleanser. It's a shorter contact duration with the acid itself, which makes it easier for more sensitive skin."
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"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser provides in addition to cleansing also provides that extra gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads or physical scrubbing. It has salicylic acid in it which is combined with the ceramides. So, it's going to maintain skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over drying or irritation even with regular use. The key ingredients here are ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and salicylic acid. If you're somebody with more sensitive skin or just combination to oily skin, I would recommend using the salicylic acid cleanser maybe just three times a week or once a day and not twice a day until you know that it's not going to dry you out."
Yay
"My repeat purchase is going to be [...] the CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser. I used this before dermaplaning to degrease my skin. It's very reliable. It has a little bit of salicylic acid, so if you dermaplane or do face shaving, this is the perfect cleanser that's not going to strip your skin, but it's going to remove those oils so that you don't get any catch when you're dermaplaning."
All 4 takes from Beyond50Skin
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"Another great one is CeraVe SA cleanser. Both are gentle for my very dry sensitive skin. I can only use those on occasion. They're not regularly in my evening skincare routine."
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"Another great one is CeraVe SA cleanser. Both are gentle for my very dry sensitive skin. I can only use those on occasion. They're not regularly in my evening skincare routine."
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"The one that I like to use because I have fairly dry skin is a salicylic acid cleanser by CeraVe. It's kind of to mop up all the sebum and oils on your face before you start."
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"My repeat purchase is going to be [...] the CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser. I used this before dermaplaning to degrease my skin. It's very reliable. It has a little bit of salicylic acid, so if you dermaplane or do face shaving, this is the perfect cleanser that's not going to strip your skin, but it's going to remove those oils so that you don't get any catch when you're dermaplaning."
Yay
"It has salicylic acid which reduces bumpiness of the skin and also oil secretion from the skin, and niacinamide which also reduces sebum production. So it's a good combination of ingredients which helps in reducing the oil buildup on the skin and also dead skin buildup on the skin. [...] It also contains gluconolactone, which is a polyhydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin without drying the skin out. If you have rough skin, you can use this. If you want to use a chemical exfoliant, then this is a good choice. If you feel that your skin looks dry and dull and you want an exfoliant, then you can use this cleanser. This cleanser can also be used for body acne, for ingrown hair, and even for keratosis pilaris. When you chemically exfoliate it, it will expose smoother skin and make your skin appear less bumpy and smoother to feel. You can use this on the body as well."
All 2 takes from Dr. Aanchal MD
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"It has salicylic acid which reduces bumpiness of the skin and also oil secretion from the skin, and niacinamide which also reduces sebum production. So it's a good combination of ingredients which helps in reducing the oil buildup on the skin and also dead skin buildup on the skin. [...] It also contains gluconolactone, which is a polyhydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin without drying the skin out. If you have rough skin, you can use this. If you want to use a chemical exfoliant, then this is a good choice. If you feel that your skin looks dry and dull and you want an exfoliant, then you can use this cleanser. This cleanser can also be used for body acne, for ingrown hair, and even for keratosis pilaris. When you chemically exfoliate it, it will expose smoother skin and make your skin appear less bumpy and smoother to feel. You can use this on the body as well."
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"The SA smoothing cleanser is meant for oily skin or oily sensitive skin. It contains glycerine which is a humectant, niacinamide which reduces acne eruptions, gluconolactone which is a polyhydroxy acid which causes gentle exfoliation, salicylic acid which reduces acne eruptions and oiliness, hyaluronic acid which is a humectant, and phytosterols which is an emollient. This is a gentle yet effective product with salicylic acid. It cleanses the skin, helps in controlling oil without excessively drying or irritating the skin."
Mixed
"They're using a salicylic acid cleanser for prep for their skin."
Yay
"You can use a salicylic acid cleanser in your morning routine. This one is a salicylic acid cleanser that actually is an acne cleanser, and acne cleansers tend to have a little bit higher concentration of salicylic acid which potentially means better faster results. It's so gentle you can actually use it every day or even just a few times a week will still give you great results."
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"This is great for anti-aging as well, it's more gentle and we don't know how much salicylic acid is in this. It is not aimed to treat acne so there is no active ingredient on this label and we don't know the exact percentage of salicylic acid in this, presumably it is less than 2%. If you have extraordinarily sensitive skin, rosacea prone skin, that type of thing, you might want to start with a more gentle salicylic acid cleanser like this one. If you're doing just fine with this then you can bump up to something stronger."
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"You can use a salicylic acid cleanser in your morning routine. This one is a salicylic acid cleanser that actually is an acne cleanser, and acne cleansers tend to have a little bit higher concentration of salicylic acid which potentially means better faster results. It's so gentle you can actually use it every day or even just a few times a week will still give you great results."
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"The SA renewing cleanser is not regulated as a medication and it contains an undisclosed percentage of salicylic acid with no active ingredients specified on the label, which suggests that it is likely less potent than the dedicated acne cleanser."
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"A holy grail of mine is CeraVe Renewing Cleanser. It has salicylic acid in it, but do not think of this as an acne cleanser with maximum salicylic acid concentration. This is way more gentle than that, and that is why I have this one in my gentle skincare routine. Salicylic acid penetrates into our pores and can really help improve skin texture. This one is going to subtly help congested pores and rough skin texture without irritating the skin. It's less than $15 and also contains skin supporting ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. This is a great addition to a gentle skincare routine to help you maintain smooth and glowing skin without feeling like you are putting something heavy on the skin or something harsh."
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"This CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is gentle enough to use up to daily if this is what your skin needs. It is not marketed as an acne cleanser because it is a little more gentle than a classic salicylic acid acne cleanser. It is an amazing product and gets equally amazing reviews from my followers and patients."
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"CeraVe SA Cleanser is another one that I love. I have a whole product review video on that for you to check out."
Yay
"They also have a CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which is different than their Acne Control cleanser. Both of them have ceramides. The difference is the CeraVe SA cleanser, which comes in the clear bottle, is actually a lower concentration, around 0.5%. They don't actually disclose the number. Where the Acne Control one is around 2%, this is going to have less salicylic acid. And I would actually make the argument that both of them are actually good for acne. Now if you have acne and sensitive skin, or acne and drier skin, I'd go with the 0.5% CeraVe SA cleanser. [...] That's actually some very valuable nuance. I always found those two cleansers a bit confusing, to be quite honest."
All 3 takes from Doctorly
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"They also have a CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which is different than their Acne Control cleanser. Both of them have ceramides. The difference is the CeraVe SA cleanser, which comes in the clear bottle, is actually a lower concentration, around 0.5%. They don't actually disclose the number. Where the Acne Control one is around 2%, this is going to have less salicylic acid. And I would actually make the argument that both of them are actually good for acne. Now if you have acne and sensitive skin, or acne and drier skin, I'd go with the 0.5% CeraVe SA cleanser. [...] That's actually some very valuable nuance. I always found those two cleansers a bit confusing, to be quite honest."
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"You can also try the CeraVe SA Cleanser with a small amount of salicylic acid, which is phenomenal at removing oil."
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"The CeraVe SA cleanser has got a low concentration of salicylic acid, but will help to lift all that oil from the skin and also help to mildly exfoliate. It's gentle enough to use twice a day."
Yay
"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
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"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."
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"One from CeraVe, the one with salicylic acid, is really nice. Because cleansers you're washing it up, it's less likely to cause irritation and they can still be effective."
Yay
"There are of course other brands that make salicylic acid products. You have the CeraVe salicylic acid wash that you could use for that as well."
Yay
"There's a gentle exfoliating one, it's like a BHA. I love it, I love this."
Yay
"I like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, a gentle exfoliating cleanser, for the morning and night routine."
Yay
"The one product from CeraVe that I think a lot of people say is next level and unparalleled is their salicylic acid cleanser. It's just a standard 2% salicylic acid, but for a lot of people, and I know a lot of people that follow this channel say it just works so much better than any other salicylic acid wash. I kind of do understand that. I think their formulation in that particular product is really good."
Yay
"If you struggle with acne at this age, [...] you can opt for a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, and that can really help with acne too."
All 2 takes from Tea with MD
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"If you struggle with acne at this age, [...] you can opt for a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, and that can really help with acne too."
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"If you're looking for a good cleanser with salicylic acid that's affordable and good for normal, oily, combination skin, I would probably opt for the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which contains salicylic acid and is great for acne breakouts as well as if you have those red strawberry bumps on your skin called keratosis pilaris."
Mixed
"The SA smoothing cleanser is pretty cool. It's got no fragrance in there, no essential oils, no alcohol. The only thing I would say with this is, if you've got somebody that has hormonal, so female adult hormonal acne, for some reason the SA smoothing cleanser doesn't really work so well because someone with hormone acne doesn't necessarily really want to dry out the skin, and I find that the SA smoothing cleanser can sometimes be a little bit dry for people with combination skin types, and that's what you get with hormonal acne. So you want to be a little bit careful about using it on the face. I like it on the body because the body's got a thicker barrier, you've got a thicker epidermis on the body, it responds better to induction of ceramides, it thickens up, you've got less evaporation generally. But on the face, if you've got that sort of mixed skin type, I'd exercise caution because I do get patients coming back saying my acne seems to have gotten worse since I've used it, and we've talked about the presence of silicone in there, and if you're using those products and you're not necessarily double cleansing, then you're going to end up with some problems."
All 3 takes from Dr. Somji Skin
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"There's some great salicylic acid based [...] cleansers from brands such as CeraVe, and [...] you want to be doing that a.m. and p.m. if you're prone to getting the pores filaments particularly around the nose area."
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"The SA smoothing cleanser is pretty cool. It's got no fragrance in there, no essential oils, no alcohol. The only thing that I would say with this is I've found that if you've got somebody that has hormonal, so female adult hormonal acne, for some reason the SA smoothing cleanser doesn't really work so well because someone with hormonal acne doesn't necessarily really want to dry out their skin and I find that the SA smoothing cleanser can sometimes be a little bit dry for people with combination skin types, and that's what you get with hormonal acne. So you want to be a little bit careful about using it on the face in my opinion. I like it on the body because on the body you've got a thicker barrier, you've got a thicker epidermis, it responds better to induction of ceramides, it thickens up, you get less evaporation generally. But on the face if you've got that sort of mixed skin type, I'd exercise caution because I do get patients coming back saying my acne seems to have got worse since I've used this, and we talked about the presence of silicone in there and if you're building those products and you're not necessarily double cleansing then you're going to end up with some problem."
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"The SA smoothing cleanser is pretty cool. It's got no fragrance in there, no essential oils, no alcohol. The only thing I would say with this is, if you've got somebody that has hormonal, so female adult hormonal acne, for some reason the SA smoothing cleanser doesn't really work so well because someone with hormone acne doesn't necessarily really want to dry out the skin, and I find that the SA smoothing cleanser can sometimes be a little bit dry for people with combination skin types, and that's what you get with hormonal acne. So you want to be a little bit careful about using it on the face. I like it on the body because the body's got a thicker barrier, you've got a thicker epidermis on the body, it responds better to induction of ceramides, it thickens up, you've got less evaporation generally. But on the face, if you've got that sort of mixed skin type, I'd exercise caution because I do get patients coming back saying my acne seems to have gotten worse since I've used it, and we've talked about the presence of silicone in there, and if you're using those products and you're not necessarily double cleansing, then you're going to end up with some problems."
Yay
"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, smash, always, to absolutely nobody's surprise."
All 3 takes from Hyram
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"If you want a really good exfoliant, you find so many great affordable ones for like five to ten dollars that will do a much better job. [...] The CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is a great way of treating breakouts in a very simple cleanser form."
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"CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, I love that one. I've recommended it on my channel for so many years."
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"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, smash, always, to absolutely nobody's surprise."
Yay
"The CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is a really good cleanser if you have oily skin, if you have blackheads that you deal with, a little bit of occasional breakouts, anything like that. Then you probably want to use something with an ingredient like salicylic acid because that can really help to unclog your pores and also just control oil production."
Yay
"If you look at the CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser and you know that this salicylic acid, also known as BHA, is medically proven to kill the acne bacteria that actually causes acne to exist in the first place, then you can say yes, this is something that is worth my money that I should try for my acne and for my skin condition."
Nay
"I hadn't actually tried it before recommending it. It's fine, it's not really giving me that much of a difference on my skin, and it might just be because I'm already using so much salicylic acid."
All 2 takes from Lab Muffin Beauty Science
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"CeraVe Salicylic Acid Cleanser is a good product for people whose skin maybe can't quite tolerate salicylic acid, maybe they're using too many irritating ingredients already like tretinoin, adapting, benzoyl peroxide. You can just get a little bit of salicylic acid and not dry out your skin too much. However, as a cleanser I think it is too drying for everyday use even on my skin which is more oily. It did feel quite dehydrating and it also does smell a bit. On my skin I didn't find that it did very much, and I think that's just because I use so much of the Paula's Choice two percent BHA."
My Skincare Routine: 2022 vs 2020
"I hadn't actually tried it before recommending it. It's fine, it's not really giving me that much of a difference on my skin, and it might just be because I'm already using so much salicylic acid."
Nay
"I really liked this for a couple of months and then I got a new one and it just started drying out my skin really really really bad, like really bad. It reminded me of my early day teenage skincare routine cleansers where my skin would feel so tight. I actually just popped it in the shower and started using it as a body wash and bought another one thinking that maybe it was just the product I got online was maybe a dud or a bad batch, but no, it continued to really really dry me down. The first one I used was great. I kind of went through a stage of using exfoliants in cleansers only because I wanted to see if it benefited my skin as much as exfoliating toners did. It did, you know, it, my skin looked good. But toners are still better in my opinion. So it's not, it was just very dry. It says it's for dry, rough, bumpy skin. My skin felt dry and rough after, very dry and rough. I would not use this again. Maybe if you got very, very oily skin, you might be okay, but at that stage I was verging more on combination with dry cheeks and an oily T-zone. But it wasn't for me at all."
Yay
"If you have combination skin that tends to be a bit more sensitive, I absolutely love the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. This has just a little bit of salicylic acid in it, and so I find that if you lean a little bit oily but you might have some dry areas, the salicylic acid in there is good for taking away that oil but not overly stripping the skin. And this is such a gentle cleanser that I really feel like you could use this most days in your routine if not every day without overdoing it. Because this is using a small amount of salicylic acid, this is really going to help mostly with oiliness, maybe a little bit of pore congestion. You're not going to get a ton of correction of dark spots or dullness with this particular formula, but if you're just looking for exfoliation to help with pore congestion, this is a great option."
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All 3 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis
Dermatologist Shares Exfoliators for Your Skin Type: Dry, Oily, Combination, Normal, & Sensitive
"If you have combination skin that tends to be a bit more sensitive, I absolutely love the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. This has just a little bit of salicylic acid in it, and so I find that if you lean a little bit oily but you might have some dry areas, the salicylic acid in there is good for taking away that oil but not overly stripping the skin. And this is such a gentle cleanser that I really feel like you could use this most days in your routine if not every day without overdoing it. Because this is using a small amount of salicylic acid, this is really going to help mostly with oiliness, maybe a little bit of pore congestion. You're not going to get a ton of correction of dark spots or dullness with this particular formula, but if you're just looking for exfoliation to help with pore congestion, this is a great option."
Dermatologists Best Skincare Ingredients for Acne (Salicylic Acid, Sulfur, Benzoyl Peroxide, & More)
"If you prefer to incorporate your salicylic acid in a cleanser form, then I recommend the CeraVe two percent salicylic acid cleanser. This is a great, easy to use, highly affordable salicylic acid cleanser. When I use it, I keep it in the shower and I use it on my face and my body to help prevent body breakouts."
Dermatologist Debunks Retinoid Myths! Do They Exfoliate? Thin the Skin? Using While Breastfeeding?
"I love a good salicylic acid cleanser. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid and it really dives into the pores and helps clear out congestion. For example, CeraVe has a great salicylic acid cleanser and I would totally feel comfortable using that in the morning or in the evening and then going in with my vitamin C or my topical retinoid and not risking additional irritation."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser?

A gentle exfoliating cleanser formulated with salicylic acid, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, designed to cleanse and lightly exfoliate while maintaining skin hydration.

Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser worth it?

Mostly yes. 19 of the 23 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 75%.

What is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser's Guru Score?

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser holds a Guru Score of 75%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 23 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser best for?

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is generally suited to oily skin and acne-prone skin.

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