Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream On your shelf ✓
€0.04 an application · about 360 usesOur review, in one look
Niacinamide is the reason to consider this moisturizer, with Pro-vitamin B5 behind it.
The case for it
- Niacinamide, strong evidence for the barrier
- Pro-vitamin B5, strong evidence for the barrier
- No fragrance, alcohol or parabens
Mind this
- Morning or evening, whichever suits your routine
- Add it on its own for a week or two, so you know what your skin is answering to
Maya's readCetaphil Moisturizing Cream is a moisturizer built around Glycerin, Petrolatum and Niacinamide. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and very dry skin. Nothing in it we'd flag for most people.
Cost per use: what a day of it costs
€0.04 an applicationabout 360 uses from 450 ml
measured: 2.5 fingertip units for face and neck, about 1.25 g; from €13 as read in September 2026 and a 450 ml pack.
how this is counted
About €0.04 an application, about 360 uses from 450 ml.
- Long & Finlay 1991, Clin Exp Dermatol: face and neck 2.5 fingertip units (PMID 1806320, abstract read)
- Long, Finlay & Averill 1992, Arch Dermatol: 4 hand areas = 2 FTU = 1 g (PMID 1497374)
- Finlay, Edwards & Harding 1989, Lancet: the fingertip unit defined (PMID 2567912, a letter)
- density taken as 1 g per ml: assumed, as on the sunscreen calculator
- Measured or assumed: the rule, and the dose table
Skip it if you already own something similar: it's a solid, honest basic rather than a must-have upgrade.
Fragrance, texture and film: what the label says of its feel
- no parfum word, but names 1 of the 26 fragrance allergens
- a moisturiser in a jar
- leaves a film: petrolatum, dimethicone, dimethiconol
Facts off the label and the pack only. How it feels on a face is not something this page will say without having used it.
The formula, in order
every ingredient at its place on the label
Coloured by the job each one does here.
12 of the 25 sit above the 1% line. The other 13, hatched, are each under 1%. Widths show the ORDER on the label and nothing else: the label never discloses amounts, so we never draw them.
- Actives & signals
- Hydrators
- Texture & base
- Preservation
- Not in our library yet
- fed it in culture
- fed M. furfur only
- inferred from the chain length
- did not feed it
- No fragrance anywhere on the label
Fungal acne: what on this label feeds the yeast (Malassezia)
the yeast: Malassezia furfur, globosa, restricta
3 ingredients on this label fed Malassezia in culture (glyceryl stearate, sweet almond oil, petrolatum), 2 are inferred to; the follicle species grew on two of them; petrolatum: M. furfur only, not the folliculitis species.
Each result is a pure ingredient on a lab dish, never this product on skin.
where this comes from
- petrolatumM. furfur only
Obvious growth of M. furfur on GYEP agar plate was noted in the presence of white petrolatum, purified white petrolatum, hydrophilic ointment and heparinoid in hydrophilic ointment, and also M. sympodialis showed similar growth when they were cultured with hydrophilic or heparinoid in hydrophilic ointment.
PMID 12234705 - glyceryl stearate
The growth of all Malassezia spp. in the presence of free acids, free acid esters, and fatty alcohols with a fatty chain length above 12 carbon atoms was observed.
DOI 10.3390/cosmetics6030045 - cetyl alcoholInferred from the chain length: The growth of all Malassezia spp. in the presence of free acids, free acid esters, and fatty alcohols with a fatty chain length above 12 carbon atoms was observed.DOI 10.3390/cosmetics6030045
- sunflower seed oilInferred from the chain length: Natural oils, which mostly consist of fatty acid triglycerides and fatty acid esters with fatty chain lengths above 12C-atoms, presented good growth mediums.DOI 10.3390/cosmetics6030045
- sweet almond oil
The strongest growth was observed in the presence of natural oils and waxes, primary alcohols, as well in the presence of fatty acid esters with fatty chain lengths above 12 carbon atoms.
DOI 10.3390/cosmetics6030045
What does it do? What its ingredients deliver
How it feels A rich, cushiony cream that sinks in slowly. Comforting on dry skin, possibly too much for oily skin in summer. (estimated from the formula)
Key ingredients: what in it does the work
Classic humectant with strong evidence for improving skin hydration and supporting barrier when combined with emollients.
Glycerin: This one works on contact: there is nothing to wait for.
how it was measured
Measured on stratum corneum hydration, corneometer capacitance after a single application; on contact, by mechanism.
Highly effective occlusive that prevents water loss and is gold standard for barrier repair, but feels heavy and greasy on oily skin.
Multitasking vitamin that improves barrier, reduces redness, regulates oil, helps with pores and pigmentation with strong clinical support.
Linoleic-acid-rich oil that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces water loss and is suitable even for sensitive and infant skin.
Humectant and soothing ingredient that helps calm irritation and supports barrier repair and recovery.
Light, vitamin-E-rich oil that softens and nourishes dry skin but may be comedogenic or problematic for nut-allergic individuals.
What only this label says
≈ €0.029/ml, below the median moisturizer in our catalogue (€0.18/ml).
why
~€13 for 450 ml, checked September 2026; the median of the 28 moisturizers in the catalogue with a known size.
Niacinamide is the 11th of 25 ingredients: above the 1% line.
why
Position 11 of 25 on the label as printed; compared with the 111 other labels in the catalogue that carry a vitamin.
One listed fragrance allergen: benzyl alcohol.
why
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III: the 26 fragrance allergens that must be named on the label when present; these are on this label by name.
Shares 4 of its 6 known actives with Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion: the closest formula we have.
why
Actives our base knows on both labels: Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sunflower Seed Oil and Pro-vitamin B5.
5 of the 6 actives carry strong evidence in our base (Glycerin, Petrolatum, Niacinamide, Sunflower Seed Oil and Pro-vitamin B5); Sweet Almond Oil is moderate.
why
evidence_level in our base, per row, as printed on each glossary page.
Water, then glycerin: a light, water-led base.
why
The first two ingredients on the label, in the order printed; the second's role is read from its name (a row in our base).
Fragrance allergens: the ones this label names
This label names 1 of the 26 EU fragrance allergens: benzyl alcohol. What the 26 are →
From an allergenic source: Sweet Almond Oil (a tree nut).
How to use it, and when
Morning and/or night, after your thinner water-based steps and before heavier creams.
Where in your skin it works
1 of its 6 placed actives acts below the dead surface layer, 5 on or in it: the same cross-section as our 500 dalton page, with this formula's actives on the layer each one works on. Depth is the anatomy's, never an ingredient's.
Skin surface
On top of the skin
- Petrolatumderived from what it is
The stratum corneum
- Glycerinderived from what it is
- Pro-vitamin B5derived from what it is
- Sunflower Seed Oilderived from what it is
- Sweet Almond Oilderived from what it is
The living epidermis
- Niacinamideestablished, sourced
6 of this product's actives have a layer we can defend.
Sources for the sourced ones: Boo 2021: mechanistic basis for topical nicotinamide; Ebanks et al. 2009: mechanisms regulating skin pigmentation.
How it compares with the average moisturizer
It scores higher than the median moisturizer on brightening and oil control.
On hydration, barrier repair and anti-aging it is level with the median, so that is not what sets it apart.
A median, not an average: one unusual formula should not move the middle. The numbers are the same 0 to 10 reads the comparison pages use.
Full ingredients list, decoded
22 of these 25 ingredients are in our library, linked and named for what each one does, with anything that can irritate or clog flagged; the 3 we cannot place are left plain, nothing is hidden. Every ingredient on the label, in the order it appears (highest amount first).
All 25 ingredients, decoded
- AquaSolvent (base)
- GlycerinHumectant
- PetrolatumOcclusive
- Dicaprylyl EtherEmollient (ester)
- DimethiconeOcclusive
- Glyceryl StearateEmulsifier
- Cetyl AlcoholEmollient
- Helianthus Annuus Seed OilEmollient
- PEG-30 StearateEmulsifier
- PanthenolHumectant
- NiacinamideVitaminmild irritant
- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilEmollient
- roughly the 1% lineThe rules only require descending order above 1%. From Tocopherol down, these 13 can be listed in any order the brand likes, so position stops telling you anything.
- TocopherolAntioxidantmild irritant
- Tocopheryl AcetateAntioxidant
- PantolactoneHumectant
- DimethiconolEmollient
- CarbomerThickener
- Propylene GlycolHumectantmild irritant
- BHTAntioxidantmild irritant
- Disodium EDTAChelator
- Benzyl AlcoholPreservativemild irritant
- PhenoxyethanolPreservativemild irritant
- Sodium HydroxidePh adjustermild irritant
- Citric AcidExfoliantmild irritant
Copy the raw INCI list
Aqua, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-30 Stearate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantolactone, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Worried about clogged pores specifically? The pore-clogging checker reads this same list against the published comedogenic ratings.
Add it to your shelf and the app puts it in the right step and checks it against what you already use.
Read enough? Find it on amazon.com →
We don't make or sell skincare of our own. So there's nothing here we're trying to push, just an honest read of whether this formula suits your skin.
Against your shelf
Read from your own shelf, in your browser. We never see it.
Dupes? The closest formulas we have
The 3 products of the same kind sharing the most of its 6 actives. A count, not a likeness: the rest of each label, its base and its preservation, is what the count leaves out.
shares 3 of its 6 actives
Compare it with…
19 duels are built for this moisturizer, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion among them: type a name, or pick one below.
Common questions
Is Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream expensive per ml?
≈ €0.029/ml, below the median moisturizer in our catalogue (€0.18/ml). A price per millilitre says nothing about what the formula does; it only tells you how the bottle compares with the others of its kind we have priced.
How high up the list is the niacinamide in Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
Niacinamide is the 11th of 25 ingredients: above the 1% line. Position is the only amount the law makes a brand declare, so 11th of 25 is the one number on this label a reader can check.
Does Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream contain fragrance allergens?
One listed fragrance allergen: benzyl alcohol. These are the substances the EU requires a label to name because a known share of people react to them; naming one is a legal duty, not a warning about you.
What is the base of Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
Water, then glycerin: a light, water-led base. The first ingredients are the bulk of a formula; the actives come after them.
Is Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream good for dry skin?
By our read of the formula, it suits dry, dehydrated, very dry skin. Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream is a moisturizer built around Glycerin, Petrolatum and Niacinamide. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and very dry skin. Nothing in it we'd flag for most people.
How do you use Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
Morning and/or night, after your thinner water-based steps and before heavier creams.
What are the key ingredients in Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
The actives that do the work are Glycerin, Petrolatum, Niacinamide, Sunflower Seed Oil, Pro-vitamin B5, Sweet Almond Oil. The rest of the list is texture, preservatives and emulsifiers that hold the formula together.
Does Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream contain fragrance?
No. By our reading of the ingredient list it is fragrance-free, which is a plus for sensitive or reactive skin.
What the 3D scene shows
The scene shows Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream beside a cross-section of skin, with 3 of its ingredients drawn at the layer each one acts on and at one shared molecular scale: Glycerin and Pro-vitamin B5 in the stratum corneum, the dead outer layer where most skincare works; Niacinamide in the living epidermis, among the cells that are still dividing. Depths come from the same sourced layer data as the rest of this site, and any ingredient whose layer is not established is left out rather than guessed.
