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cerave Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser scores 8.2/9.8 and Mother Science Retinol Synergist Anti-Aging Treatment Serum with Malassezin + 0.3% Encapsulated Retinol scores 8.2/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.
These two are neck and neck — just 0.0 points apart.
Scores last verified: June 2026
44 unique
16 in common
13 unique
These two cleansers 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 Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser scores 6.9 here versus 6.4 for Mother Science Retinol Synergist Anti-Aging Treatment Serum with Malassezin + 0.3% Encapsulated Retinol. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.
cerave Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser brings Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop as actives, while mother Science Retinol Synergist Anti-Aging Treatment Serum with Malassezin + 0.3% Encapsulated Retinol relies on Retinol, Tocopherol, and Ceramide Np. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
cerave Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser is better if you have
Mother Science Retinol Synergist Anti-Aging Treatment Serum with Malassezin + 0.3% Encapsulated Retinol is better if you have
Mother Science Retinol Synergist Anti-Aging Treatment Serum with Malassezin + 0.3% Encapsulated Retinol comes in at luxury pricing with a 8.2 score, which is solid value at that tier.
It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.
Based on ingredient analysis, cerave Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.
Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.
The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.
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© 2026 Gracie. All rights reserved. Data sourced from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL) and EU CosIng.