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cerave daily moistur… vs Differin Restorative… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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cerave daily moisturizing cream vs Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer

cerave daily moisturizing cream scores 8.0/9.8 and Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer scores 8.2/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.

Head to head

cerave

daily moisturizing cream

moisturiser

8.0

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

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Differin

Restorative Night Moisturizer

moisturiserbudget

8.2

Score comparison

These two are neck and neck — just 0.2 points apart.

cerave wins 1

Tied 2

9.0

cerave

Differin

Ingredient face-off

29% overlap

23cerave

9Shared

31Differin

Only in cerave daily moisturizing cream

14 unique

Aqua/Water/Eau Potassium Phosphate Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer Behentrimonium Methosulfate Methylparaben Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Cholesterol Dipotassium Phosphate+4 more

Shared ingredients

9 in common

Glycerin Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cetearyl Alcohol Cetyl Alcohol Ceramide Np Dimethicone Ceteareth-20 Disodium Edta Xanthan Gum

Only in Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer

22 unique

Water Propanediol Pentylene Glycol Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sorbitol Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)Behenyl Alcohol Glyceryl Stearate Sodium Hydroxide Tocopheryl Acetate+12 more

Why these two are neck and neck

These two moisturisers take different paths to a similar destination. Both formulas include solid hydrating ingredients, and the overall scores reflect that — the gap here is genuinely slim.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. cerave daily moisturizing cream scores 5.7 here versus 3.3 for Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer brings Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, and Caffeine as actives, while cerave daily moisturizing cream relies on Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

cerave daily moisturizing cream is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Value comparison

Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer comes in at budget pricing with a 8.2 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.

8.0cerave

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8.2Differin

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: cerave daily moisturizing cream or Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer?

Based on ingredient analysis, Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do cerave daily moisturizing cream and Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between cerave daily moisturizing cream and Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: cerave daily moisturizing cream→Full analysis: Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer→

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