Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream On your shelf ✓
Maya's readCetaphil Moisturizing Cream is a moisturizer built around Glycerin, Petrolatum and Vitamin B3. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and very dry skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.
Skip it if your barrier is already sensitised or compromised — the acids can sting broken or over-exfoliated skin.
What it delivers
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
What's in it that matters
Classic humectant with strong evidence for improving skin hydration and supporting barrier when combined with emollients.
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.
Key facts
- Type
- Moisturizer
- Key actives
- Glycerin, Petrolatum, Vitamin B3
- Fragrance
- None detected
- Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe
- Not likely — has oils or esters it can feed on
- Pregnancy
- No flagged actives
- Ingredients
- 21 listed
- Typical price
- ~€13
How to use it
In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.
Keep it away from
- Retinoids (retinol, tretinoin)
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Other exfoliating acids the same night
Free from
- Fragrance-free
- Alcohol-free
- Paraben-free
Best for
- Dry
- Dehydrated
- Very Dry
- Compromised Barrier
Worth knowing
Nothing our knowledge base would flag: no high-comedogenic or pregnancy-caution actives here.
Common questions
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 Vitamin B3. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and very dry skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.
How do you use Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.
What are the key ingredients in Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream?
The actives that do the work are Glycerin, Petrolatum, Vitamin B3, 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.
The full formula, decoded
Every ingredient on the label, in the order it appears (highest amount first). We link the 11 our library knows, name what each one does, and flag anything that can irritate or clog. The rest we leave plain, nothing is hidden.
- WaterSolvent (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
- Tocopheryl AcetateAntioxidant (vitamin E)
- PantolactoneSkin conditioning
- CarbomerThickener
- Propylene GlycolHumectant / solvent
- Sodium EDTAChelator (stabiliser)
- Benzyl AlcoholPreservativemild irritant
- PhenoxyethanolPreservativemild irritant
- Sodium HydroxidepH buffer
- Citric AcidExfoliantmild irritant
Copy the raw INCI list
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-30 Stearate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantolactone, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Sodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
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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.