Glow Simplified
Check your shelf

Head to head

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original vs CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser

Same comparison whichever way you searched it: CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser vs Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original.

The bottom line

CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser does more across the board (it leads on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone), while Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original is the simpler, more pared-back pick.

Reach for CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser if you want the actives; Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original if you want fewer ingredients doing less, gently.

Reviewed by Maya FaourLast reviewed September 2026
Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm OriginalBanila CoClean It Zero Cleansing Balm OriginalCleanser · ~€17See every ingredient in Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original, decoded
CeraVe SA Smoothing CleanserCeraVeSA Smoothing CleanserCleanser · ~€13See every ingredient in SA Smoothing Cleanser, decoded

Which should you pick?

Pick Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original if

  • you prefer a simpler, more minimal formula

Pick SA Smoothing Cleanser if

  • you are dealing with breakouts and oiliness
  • dark spots, dullness or an uneven tone are your focus
  • your skin is sensitive or reacts to fragrance

What each delivers

HydrationBarrierBrighteningOil-controlAnti-aging
Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm OriginalSA Smoothing Cleanser
  • Hydration
    710
  • Barrier repair
    410
  • Brightening / tone
    07
  • Oil-control & blemishes
    110
  • Anti-aging
    26

Side by side

Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm OriginalSA Smoothing Cleanser
TypeCleanserCleanser
Key activesCetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl PalmitateGlycerin, Niacinamide, Ceramide 3
TextureA low-lather, lotion-type cleanser that wipes or rinses off without stripping, and kind to dry or sensitive skin.A gentle wash that lifts the day away without leaving skin tight or squeaky.
FragranceContains fragranceNone detected
Fungal-acne safeNot likelyLikely
PregnancyNo flagged activesNo flagged actives
Ingredients21 listed24 listed
Price~€17~€13

What's in one but not the other

The two labels share 3 of the 42 ingredients between them. The actives are where they part company.

What each one adds acts on The stratum corneum for Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original and The stratum corneum, The living epidermis for CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser. That is the layer each is understood to act on, not how deep it travels.

Only in Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original

Both share

No active in common.

Only in SA Smoothing Cleanser

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.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original

  1. 1Ethylhexyl Palmitate
  2. 2Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
  3. 3PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
  4. 4PEG-10 Isostearate
  5. 5Synthetic Wax
  6. 6Onsen-Sui
  7. 7Phenoxyethanol
  8. 8Butylene Glycol
  9. 9Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
  10. 10Tocopheryl Acetate
  11. 11Parfum (Fragrance)
  12. 12Ethylhexylglycerin
  13. 13Water
  14. 141,2-Hexanediol
  15. 15Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
  16. 16Aspalathus Linearis Extract
  17. 17Angelica Archangelica Root Extract
  18. 18Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract
  19. 19Polydiethyleneglycol Adipate/IPDI Copolymer
  20. 20Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
  21. 21Acrylates/Methoxy PEG-15 Methacrylate Copolymer

15 of 21 sit below the line, marked by Phenoxyethanol.

CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser

  1. 1Aqua/Water
  2. 2Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
  3. 3Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
  4. 4Glycerin
  5. 5Niacinamide
  6. 6Gluconolactone
  7. 7Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
  8. 8PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
  9. 9Ceramide NP
  10. 10Ceramide AP
  11. 11Ceramide EOP
  12. 12Carbomer
  13. 13Calcium Gluconate
  14. 14Salicylic Acid
  15. 15Sodium Benzoate
  16. 16Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
  17. 17Cholesterol
  18. 18Phenoxyethanol
  19. 19Disodium EDTA
  20. 20Tetrasodium EDTA
  21. 21Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
  22. 22Phytosphingosine
  23. 23Xanthan Gum
  24. 24Ethylhexylglycerin

13 of 24 sit below the line, marked by Carbomer.

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

Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm OriginalCetyl Ethylhexanoate
SA Smoothing CleanserGlycerin

Better for…

  • Dark spots & uneven toneSA Smoothing Cleanser
  • Fine lines & firmnessSA Smoothing Cleanser
  • Breakouts & congestionSA Smoothing Cleanser
  • Dryness & dehydrationSA Smoothing Cleanser
  • Sensitive, reactive skinSA Smoothing Cleanser

CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser is the cheaper of the two (~€13 vs ~€17).

Ready to pick one?

Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original on amazon.comSA Smoothing Cleanser on amazon.com

Affiliate links, so a purchase sends us a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Glow Simplified earns from qualifying purchases. We make and sell nothing here, so the verdict above never bends toward a sale.

Common questions

Is Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original or CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser better for dark spots & uneven tone?

For dark spots & uneven tone, CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser is the stronger pick by our read of the two formulas. CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser does more across the board (it leads on hydration, barrier repair, brightening / tone), while Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original is the simpler, more pared-back pick. Reach for CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser if you want the actives; Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original if you want fewer ingredients doing less, gently.

Which is cheaper, Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original or CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser?

CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser is the cheaper of the two (~€13 vs ~€17).

Can I use Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original and CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser together?

They are both cleansers, 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…

VSBiodermaSébium Gel MoussantSame lane, mid-range bandVSCeraVeHydrating Cream-to-Foam CleanserShares Salicylic acid (BHA) and Ceramide 6-IIVSBiodermaSensibio H2O Micellar WaterSame lane, mid-range band
All 22 comparisons