Head to head
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion vs CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Same comparison whichever way you searched it: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion vs CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion.
The bottom lineCeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion does more across the board (it leads on brightening / tone, oil-control & blemishes), while CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the simpler, more pared-back pick.
Reach for CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion if you want the actives; CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion if you want fewer ingredients doing less, gently.
Answer nine questions and the app picks between them for your skin.
Cost per use
€0.07 an applicationabout 190 uses from 236 ml
measured: 2.5 fingertip units for face and neck, about 1.25 g; from €13 as read in September 2026 and a 236 ml pack.
how this is counted
About €0.07 an application, about 190 uses from 236 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
€0.36 an applicationabout 40 uses from 52 ml
measured: 2.5 fingertip units for face and neck, about 1.25 g; from €15 as read in September 2026 and a 52 ml pack.
how this is counted
About €0.36 an application, about 40 uses from 52 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
Per application, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the cheaper: €0.07 against €0.36.
Which should you pick?
Pick Daily Moisturizing Lotion if
- you want the more affordable option
Pick PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion if
- dark spots, dullness or an uneven tone are your focus
- you are dealing with breakouts and oiliness
What each delivers
Side by side
| Daily Moisturizing Lotion | PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Moisturizer | Moisturizer |
| Key actives | Glycerin, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-II | Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ceramide 3 |
| Texture | A smooth, silky lotion that spreads easily and leaves a soft, near-blurred finish. | A smooth, silky lotion that spreads easily and leaves a soft, near-blurred finish. |
| Fragrance | None detected | None detected |
| Feeds Malassezia | 2 measured / 2 inferred | 1 measured / 1 inferred |
| Pregnancy | No flagged actives | No flagged actives |
| Ingredients | 25 listed | 24 listed |
| Price | ~€13 | ~€15 |
What's in one but not the other
The two labels share 22 of the 27 ingredients between them. The actives are where they part company.
What each one adds acts on The stratum corneum for CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion and The living epidermis for CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. That is the layer each is understood to act on, not how deep it travels.
Only in CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Only in CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is a different bottle only for: niacinamide.
Where each label stops telling you the dose
Ingredients are listed in order of how much is inside, but only down to 1%. Below that the brand may list them in any order it likes, so the bottom of a label is a set, not a ranking. These two stop being a ranking in very different places.
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
ordered for its first 24%
- 1Aqua/Water
- 2Glycerin
- 3Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- 4Cetearyl Alcohol
- 5Cetyl Alcohol
- 6Dimethicone
- 7Phenoxyethanol
- 8Polysorbate 20
- 9Ceteareth-20
- 10Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- 11Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
- 12Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- 13Ethylhexylglycerin
- 14Potassium Phosphate
- 15Disodium EDTA
- 16Dipotassium Phosphate
- 17Ceramide NP
- 18Ceramide AP
- 19Phytosphingosine
- 20Cholesterol
- 21Xanthan Gum
- 22Carbomer
- 23Sodium Hyaluronate
- 24Tocopherol
- 25Ceramide EOP
19 of 25 sit below the line, marked by Phenoxyethanol. Including what it is sold on: Cholesterol.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
ordered for its first 25%
- 1Aqua/Water
- 2Glycerin
- 3Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- 4Niacinamide
- 5Cetearyl Alcohol
- 6Dimethicone
- 7Phenoxyethanol
- 8Ceteareth-20
- 9Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- 10Caprylyl Glycol
- 11Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
- 12Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- 13Potassium Phosphate
- 14Disodium EDTA
- 15Dipotassium Phosphate
- 16Ceramide NP
- 17Ceramide AP
- 18Phytosphingosine
- 19Cholesterol
- 20Xanthan Gum
- 21Carbomer
- 22Ethylhexylglycerin
- 23Sodium Hyaluronate
- 24Ceramide EOP
18 of 24 sit below the line, marked by Phenoxyethanol. Including what it is sold on: Cholesterol.
Below the line is not too little to work: ceramides, retinoids and peptides all act far under a percent. It means the position stops carrying information. Where the line falls is inferred from the first ingredient whose whole job is done at a fraction of a percent, so it is a close read of the label rather than a number from the formula sheet.
The molecule doing the work
Better for…
- Dark spots & uneven tonePM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Breakouts & congestionPM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- Dryness & dehydrationEither works
Who each suits
- CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- dry, sensitive, normal
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- dry, sensitive, normal · avoid with very sensitive skin (at high strength)
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the cheaper of the two (~€13 vs ~€15).
Ready to pick one?
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Common questions
Is CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion better for dark spots & uneven tone?
For dark spots & uneven tone, CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is the stronger pick by our read of the two formulas. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion does more across the board (it leads on brightening / tone, oil-control & blemishes), while CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the simpler, more pared-back pick. Reach for CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion if you want the actives; CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion if you want fewer ingredients doing less, gently.
Which is cheaper, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion?
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the cheaper of the two (~€13 vs ~€15).
Can I use CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion and CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion together?
They are both moisturizers, so you would normally pick one rather than layer both in the same step. You can keep both and alternate them (morning and night, or on different days) if you like variety, but you do not need two.
Compare it with…
36 duels are built for this moisturizer, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream among them: type a name, or pick one below.