CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser: a Guru Score of 75%

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

✓Yay

"There's nothing in it that's going to irritate your skin. It's great for acne skin. It's got no fragrance, no essential oils, no alcohol. It's got no irritants, nothing that's going to sensitize your skin. It's a fantastic product for acne-prone skin. And actually it's very good for teen acne. So, when you're at about 13, 14, 15 years old and you're still quite young and you don't want to be applying some of the harsher products, this would be a very good cleanser for that age group as well."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

722k subs

✓Yay

"You can use an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, whether it's CeraVe's salicylic acid cleanser or Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating cleanser. Those are great."

All 10 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai

Things I Actually Do for Anti-Aging (Dermatologist Routine)

"You can use an exfoliating cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, whether it's CeraVe's salicylic acid cleanser or Cetaphil's gentle exfoliating cleanser. Those are great."

Shop with Me: Dermatologist Shops for Affordable Skincare at the Local Grocery Store

"I'm a big fan of their salicylic acid cleanser. Great at the end of the day to help clean out your pores."

Dermatologist Reviews: Drugstore Acne Roundup

"Salicylic acid is oil soluble, goes down into the pore and it cleans it out. I love salicylic acid at the end of the day or after working out because it really is a nice cleanser for your face and your body. If you struggle with body acne, salicylic acid is great. The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is a great option. I've been using this one more recently, very nice to have in the shower."

How to Layer Your Skincare Products in an Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

"I like to throw in the exfoliating cleansers. Now, after a long day, I like salicylic acid because it's lipid soluble. It goes into the pores and it will just clean out your pores really well. You could do CeraVe's Renewing SA Cleanser. I like that one."

The Ultimate CeraVe Anti-Aging Skincare Routine- Dermatologist Reviews

"The CeraVe SA cleanser is great, [...] salicylic acid is [...] a beta hydroxy acid that is oil soluble, goes into your pores and cleans it out, so you can do that for any blackheads on the nose."

Fine Lines, Clogged Pores & Dandruff: What Dermatologists Really Recommend

"I like salicylic acid because lipid soluble, goes down into the pore and cleans out your pores. So I like to use that at the end of the day after clinic, after school, after a workout [...] to help break up those white heads and blackheads."

The Best Skin Care Routine for the Beach | Summer Sunscreen and Products for the Month

"Salicylic acid or the Renewing SA Cleanser, stuff like that are nice"

How to Upgrade your Nighttime Skincare Routine!

"I don't want to have acne along my temples or my sweat collects, or if you suffer from body acne, you want to cleanse your body with a cleanser with appropriate ingredients like salicylic acid. So I love salicylic acid because it's a beta hydroxy acid, it's lipid soluble and it goes deep into the pore. It makes a nice 2% salicylic acid, has hectorite clay to help absorb excess oil, niacinamide to regulate sebum production."

3 BIGGEST Skincare Regrets I See in Clinic | Dermatologist Explains

"CeraVe makes an SA cleanser. They also have another acne cleanser that came out more recently that's really nice."

Dermatologist Reviews: Men’s Skincare Routine- Is there a difference between Men and Women?

"CeraVe SA Cleanser with vitamin D has salicylic acid and also has ceramides, so this is a nice cleanser. This is a two percent salicylic acid cleanser."

208SkinDoc

2.10M subs

✓Yay

"If you want chemical exfoliation, I recommend starting off with over the counter products containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid in low concentrations, like the CeraVe SA Cleanser. These are formulated for at home use, the pH is appropriate, and the concentration is such that it won't send you to the ER."

All 4 takes from 208SkinDoc

These Viral Skincare Trends Are Sending People to the ER — A Dermatologist's Warning

"If you want chemical exfoliation, I recommend starting off with over the counter products containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid in low concentrations, like the CeraVe SA Cleanser. These are formulated for at home use, the pH is appropriate, and the concentration is such that it won't send you to the ER."

Do You Have Sebaceous Filaments or Blackheads?

"For those who are really budget conscious, I also recommend the SA Cleanser from CeraVe. It's another great option for a salicylic acid based cleanser."

The Best Cerave Cleanser for Your Skin Type

"This is a lower strength salicylic acid, so it's not a 2 percent salicylic acid, it's low enough that the FDA doesn't require it to be labeled on the bottle. It's great for very gentle exfoliation and ideal for normal skin types, but if you're super oily it might not be enough for you, and if you're super dry it may be too much for you."

Do This if You Have Oily Skin

"This is a very low strength salicylic acid, so it's not going to be too drying or too stripping to the skin, but it's going to help remove some of that excess oil and give a nice clean. It's gentle enough to use twice a day if this is going to be my primary cleanser."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Yay

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great for gentle exfoliation as well as blackhead prone skin."

All 7 takes from Dr Dray

This Is Extreme! Bryan Johnson's Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

"I wake up I wash my face with CeraVe. It's got some salicylic acid which is just enough to keep my face blemish free. [...] A salicylic acid cleanser in the morning is a great option as an over-the-counter acne treatment to control breakouts. It's not going to be enough for everyone with acne, they may need additional treatments, but it's definitely a great starting point. Using a salicylic acid cleanser also has other benefits."

*BEST* Body Washes For Smooth Skin

"A really great body wash for keratosis pilaris is the CeraVe SA Cleansing Wash. The reason this is a great option is because the salicylic acid can aid in exfoliating those dry rough bumps, but the cleansing formula also has some hydrating moisturizing ingredients that can be left behind on the skin after you've rinsed the cleanser residue off via a mechanism known as coacervation."

Prequel Multi-Quench vs Paula’s Choice Ectoin: Best Hydrating Serum?

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great for gentle exfoliation as well as blackhead prone skin."

HOW TO USE SALICYLIC ACID FACE WASH 🚿 Dermatologist @DrDrayzday

"It has niacinamide, which is good for dry skin, [...] hyperpigmentation and redness, plus hyaluronic acid for moisture and ceramides. [...] This is also a good one if you're looking to incorporate a salicylic acid cleanser just to improve the signs of sun damage and smooth out skin texture, [...] especially if you don't have particularly oily skin. I highly recommend this, it's a great one."

Vlog: SPENDING TIME OUTSIDE 🏞 SALICYLIC ACID TIPS 😀 @DrDrayzday

"Try using a salicylic acid cleanser, this one is fairly new from CeraVe. There are a ton out there, but I like [...] this one. In the morning just lather it onto the problematic areas like the T-zone or [...] your nose, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off. You'll still get the benefits from that short contact time, but it's less drying and less irritating."

BEST DRUGSTORE OILY SKIN CARE ROUTINE 🛍 DERMATOLOGIST @DrDrayzday

"CeraVe's Renewing SA Cleanser is one they've had for a long time. It's a little bit milder, the percentage of salicylic acid is much lower I believe, but it can still be effective, so this would be another good option for a morning degreasing cleanse."

BEST CLEANSERS FOR OILY SKIN 2021 @DrDrayzday

"The CeraVe SA Skin Renewing Cleanser is [...] a salicylic acid cleanser that [...] has always been a good one for people with oily skin. CeraVe makes fantastic products with ceramides in them which really help with the skin barrier. It's not overly drying and helps address the needs of the moisture barrier. It's a well-formulated cleanser."

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

151k subs

✓Yay

"This provides really gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads, no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It combines that salicylic acid with ceramides to maintain the skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It also includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over-drying or irritation even with regular use. The key ingredients here are the ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid."

All 3 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

Milia: What Those White Bumps Really Are (And Why You Shouldn't Pop Them)

"This provides really gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads, no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It combines that salicylic acid with ceramides to maintain the skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It also includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over-drying or irritation even with regular use. The key ingredients here are the ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid."

How to Get Rid of Closed Comedones | Dermatologist Explains Whiteheads & Bumpy Skin

"There's no physical scrubbing whatsoever. It's going to combine your salicylic acid but also the ceramides. If you're somebody who has sensitive skin this is a really good one to start with. Ceramides are like these fatty acids in your skin that will help keep your skin nice and hydrated. Not only will this cleanser exfoliate the top layer of the skin to help open up the blackheads and white heads, it will also hydrate at the same time."

What Is Oily Skin Really? | Dermatologist Debunks Myths + Best Routine for Shine & Breakouts

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser provides in addition to cleansing also provides that extra gentle exfoliation without any harsh micro beads or physical scrubbing. It has salicylic acid in it which is combined with the ceramides. So, it's going to maintain skin's protective barrier while softening and smoothing the skin. It includes hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent over drying or irritation even with regular use."

Beyond50Skin

32k subs

✓Yay

"My repeat purchase is going to be [...] the CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser. I used this before dermaplaning to degrease my skin. It's very reliable. It has a little bit of salicylic acid, so if you dermaplane or do face shaving, this is the perfect cleanser that's not going to strip your skin, but it's going to remove those oils so that you don't get any catch when you're dermaplaning."

All 4 takes from Beyond50Skin

Wardrobe Update! Classic Sophisticated Looks for Women Over 50 & Get Unready With Me New PM Skincare

"Another great one is CeraVe SA cleanser. Both are gentle for my very dry sensitive skin. I can only use those on occasion. They're not regularly in my evening skincare routine."

The 5 Best Anti-aging PM Skincare Tips For Your 50's: Improve Mature Skin Overnight!

"Another great one is CeraVe SA cleanser. Both are gentle for my very dry sensitive skin. I can only use those on occasion. They're not regularly in my evening skincare routine."

What Happens When Mature WOMEN SHAVE Their Face? Let's Find Out! (Beginner Skincare Tips Over 50)

"The one that I like to use because I have fairly dry skin is a salicylic acid cleanser by CeraVe. It's kind of to mop up all the sebum and oils on your face before you start."

6 Months of Skincare Empties | My Husband’s 1st Routine in 60 Years + Results

"My repeat purchase is going to be [...] the CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser. I used this before dermaplaning to degrease my skin. It's very reliable. It has a little bit of salicylic acid, so if you dermaplane or do face shaving, this is the perfect cleanser that's not going to strip your skin, but it's going to remove those oils so that you don't get any catch when you're dermaplaning."

Dr. Aanchal MD

3.49M subs

✓Yay

"So it's a good combination of ingredients which helps in reducing the oil buildup on the skin and also dead skin buildup on the skin. [...] It also contains gluconolactone, which is a polyhydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin without drying the skin out. If you have rough skin, you can use this. If you want to use a chemical exfoliant, then this is a good choice. If you feel that your skin looks dry and dull and you want an exfoliant, then you can use this cleanser."

All 2 takes from Dr. Aanchal MD

How to choose a cleanser

"So it's a good combination of ingredients which helps in reducing the oil buildup on the skin and also dead skin buildup on the skin. [...] It also contains gluconolactone, which is a polyhydroxy acid that gently exfoliates the skin without drying the skin out. If you have rough skin, you can use this. If you want to use a chemical exfoliant, then this is a good choice. If you feel that your skin looks dry and dull and you want an exfoliant, then you can use this cleanser."

Simple oily skin care routine | Dermatologist Suggest

"It contains glycerine which is a humectant, niacinamide which reduces acne eruptions, gluconolactone which is a polyhydroxy acid which causes gentle exfoliation, salicylic acid which reduces acne eruptions and oiliness, hyaluronic acid which is a humectant, and phytosterols which is an emollient. This is a gentle yet effective product with salicylic acid. It cleanses the skin, helps in controlling oil without excessively drying or irritating the skin."

Alexandra Anele

1.44M subs

✓Mixed

"They're using a salicylic acid cleanser for prep for their skin."

The Budget Dermatologist

724k subs

✓Yay

"You can use a salicylic acid cleanser in your morning routine. This one is a salicylic acid cleanser that actually is an acne cleanser, and acne cleansers tend to have a little bit higher concentration of salicylic acid which potentially means better faster results. It's so gentle you can actually use it every day or even just a few times a week will still give you great results."

All 6 takes from The Budget Dermatologist

Why I Use an ACNE Cleanser For My Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

"This is great for anti-aging as well, it's more gentle and we don't know how much salicylic acid is in this. It is not aimed to treat acne so there is no active ingredient on this label and we don't know the exact percentage of salicylic acid in this, presumably it is less than 2%. If you have extraordinarily sensitive skin, rosacea prone skin, that type of thing, you might want to start with a more gentle salicylic acid cleanser like this one."

Which Acid Is Best For YOUR Anti-aging Routine? | Salicylic vs Glycolic Acid

"You can use a salicylic acid cleanser in your morning routine. This one is a salicylic acid cleanser that actually is an acne cleanser, and acne cleansers tend to have a little bit higher concentration of salicylic acid which potentially means better faster results. It's so gentle you can actually use it every day or even just a few times a week will still give you great results."

Buy This NOT That! Drugstore Acne Cleansers | Part 1 by The Budget Dermatologist

"The SA renewing cleanser is not regulated as a medication and it contains an undisclosed percentage of salicylic acid with no active ingredients specified on the label, which suggests that it is likely less potent than the dedicated acne cleanser."

Try This Gentle Skincare Routine to Fix Your Skin Barrier!

"A holy grail of mine is CeraVe Renewing Cleanser. It has salicylic acid in it, but do not think of this as an acne cleanser with maximum salicylic acid concentration. This is way more gentle than that, and that is why I have this one in my gentle skincare routine. Salicylic acid penetrates into our pores and can really help improve skin texture. This one is going to subtly help congested pores and rough skin texture without irritating the skin."

How To Get Glowing Skin | Anti-aging Tip by The Budget Dermatologist

"This CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is gentle enough to use up to daily if this is what your skin needs. It is not marketed as an acne cleanser because it is a little more gentle than a classic salicylic acid acne cleanser. It is an amazing product and gets equally amazing reviews from my followers and patients."

SHOP WITH ME! 3 Drugstore Anti-aging Must Haves | The Budget Dermatologist

"CeraVe SA Cleanser is another one that I love. I have a whole product review video on that for you to check out."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

✓Yay

"Both of them have ceramides. The difference is the CeraVe SA cleanser, which comes in the clear bottle, is actually a lower concentration, around 0.5%. They don't actually disclose the number. Where the Acne Control one is around 2%, this is going to have less salicylic acid. And I would actually make the argument that both of them are actually good for acne. Now if you have acne and sensitive skin, or acne and drier skin, I'd go with the 0.5% CeraVe SA cleanser."

All 3 takes from Doctorly

Products We HATE and LOVE from CeraVe | Doctorly Reviews

"Both of them have ceramides. The difference is the CeraVe SA cleanser, which comes in the clear bottle, is actually a lower concentration, around 0.5%. They don't actually disclose the number. Where the Acne Control one is around 2%, this is going to have less salicylic acid. And I would actually make the argument that both of them are actually good for acne. Now if you have acne and sensitive skin, or acne and drier skin, I'd go with the 0.5% CeraVe SA cleanser."

The ULTIMATE Oily Skin Routine | Doctorly Routines

"You can also try the CeraVe SA Cleanser with a small amount of salicylic acid, which is phenomenal at removing oil."

Black Dots on the Nose? Here's How To Treat Sebaceous Filaments

"The CeraVe SA cleanser has got a low concentration of salicylic acid, but will help to lift all that oil from the skin and also help to mildly exfoliate. [...] It's gentle enough to use twice a day."

Dr. Somji Skin

360k subs

✓Yay

"There's some great salicylic acid based cleansers from brands such as CeraVe, and you want to be doing that a.m. and p.m. if you're prone to getting the pores filaments particularly around the nose area."

All 3 takes from Dr. Somji Skin

Pore Strips for Sebaceous Filaments: Doctor's Insight

"There's some great salicylic acid based cleansers from brands such as CeraVe, and you want to be doing that a.m. and p.m. if you're prone to getting the pores filaments particularly around the nose area."

CeraVe SA Healing Ointment | Protect & Soothe Your Skin | Dr. Somji Reviews

"The SA smoothing cleanser is pretty cool. It's got no fragrance in there, no essential oils, no alcohol. The only thing I would say is, if you've got somebody with hormonal acne, the SA smoothing cleanser doesn't really work so well because someone with hormonal acne doesn't necessarily want to dry out their skin, and I find that the SA smoothing cleanser can sometimes be a little bit dry for people with combination skin types, which is what you get with hormonal acne."

CeraVe Skincare | Complete Skincare Product Guide and Review By Dr. Somji

"The SA smoothing cleanser is pretty cool. It's got no fragrance in there, no essential oils, no alcohol."

Dr. Jenny Liu

323k subs

✓Yay

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."

All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu

Summer skincare routine | Tips from dermatologist, Dr. Jenny Liu

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser is great, it contains salicylic acid along with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that really helps to gently exfoliate, remove surface sebum, unclog pores. Great to use on face and body, great for those with oily and combination skin for acne-prone skin."

Lightening & Preventing DARK UNDERARMS | Dr. Jenny Liu

"One from CeraVe, the one with salicylic acid, is really nice. Because cleansers you're washing it up, it's less likely to cause irritation and they can still be effective."

The Style and Beauty Doctor

222k subs

✓Yay

"There are of course other brands that make salicylic acid products. You have the CeraVe salicylic acid wash that you could use for that as well."

Caroline Hirons

250k subs

✓Yay

"There's a gentle exfoliating one, it's like a BHA. I love it, I love this."

Dr. Mamina

282k subs

✓Yay

"I like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, a gentle exfoliating cleanser, for the morning and night routine."

Mad About Skin

731k subs

✓Yay

"The one product from CeraVe that I think a lot of people say is next level and unparalleled is their salicylic acid cleanser. It's just a standard 2% salicylic acid, but for a lot of people, and I know a lot of people that follow this channel say it just works so much better than any other salicylic acid wash. I kind of do understand that. I think their formulation in that particular product is really good."

Tea with MD

115k subs

✓Yay

"If you struggle with acne at this age, [...] you can opt for a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, and that can really help with acne too."

All 2 takes from Tea with MD

Skincare Routine for 10 to 12 Year Olds?! | Dr. Joyce Dermatologist

"If you struggle with acne at this age, [...] you can opt for a salicylic acid cleanser like the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, and that can really help with acne too."

Barbie Margot Robbie's $1,600 Skincare Routine?! Dermatologist Reacts

"If you're looking for a good cleanser with salicylic acid that's affordable and good for normal, oily, combination skin, I would probably opt for the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which contains salicylic acid and is great for acne breakouts as well as if you have those red strawberry bumps on your skin called keratosis pilaris."

Hyram

4.34M subs

✓Yay

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, smash, always, to absolutely nobody's surprise."

All 3 takes from Hyram

Reacting to DIY Skin Care Hacks You Should NOT Try at Home!

"If you want a really good exfoliant, you find so many great affordable ones for like five to ten dollars that will do a much better job. [...] The CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is a great way of treating breakouts in a very simple cleanser form."

Time to Put These Routines to Bed 😬

"CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, I love that one. I've recommended it on my channel for so many years."

Are These TikTok Products Worth the Hype? Smash or Pass!

"The CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, smash, always, to absolutely nobody's surprise."

Mixed Makeup

1.46M subs

✓Yay

"The CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser is a really good cleanser if you have oily skin, if you have blackheads that you deal with, a little bit of occasional breakouts, anything like that. Then you probably want to use something with an ingredient like salicylic acid because that can really help to unclog your pores and also just control oil production."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Yay

"If you look at the [...] CeraVe salicylic acid cleanser and you know that this salicylic acid, also known as BHA, is medically proven to kill the acne bacteria that actually causes acne to exist in the first place, then you can say yes, this is something that is worth my money that I should try for my acne and for my skin condition."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

863k subs

✓Nay

"I hadn't actually tried it before recommending it. It's fine, it's not really giving me that much of a difference on my skin, and it might just be because I'm already using so much salicylic acid."

All 2 takes from Lab Muffin Beauty Science

Chemist Ranks Reddit's Top Skincare Products

"You can just get a little bit of salicylic acid and not dry out your skin too much. However, as a cleanser I think it is too drying for everyday use even on my skin which is more oily. It did feel quite dehydrating and it also does smell a bit. On my skin I didn't find that it did very much, and I think that's just because I use so much of the Paula's Choice two percent BHA."

My Skincare Routine: 2022 vs 2020

"I hadn't actually tried it before recommending it. It's fine, it's not really giving me that much of a difference on my skin, and it might just be because I'm already using so much salicylic acid."

James Welsh

1.58M subs

✓Nay

"I really liked this for a couple of months and then I got a new one and it just started drying out my skin really really really bad, like really bad. It reminded me of my early day teenage skincare routine cleansers where my skin would feel so tight. I actually just popped it in the shower and started using it as a body wash and bought another one thinking that maybe it was just the product I got online was maybe a dud or a bad batch, but no, it continued to really really dry me down."

Dr. Sam Ellis

898k subs

✓Yay

"If you have combination skin that tends to be a bit more sensitive, I absolutely love the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. This has just a little bit of salicylic acid in it, and so I find that if you lean a little bit oily but you might have some dry areas, the salicylic acid in there is good for taking away that oil but not overly stripping the skin. And this is such a gentle cleanser that I really feel like you could use this most days in your routine if not every day without overdoing it."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser?

A gentle cleanser with salicylic acid, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid designed to exfoliate and remove oil and dead skin while maintaining the skin barrier.

Is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser worth it?

Mostly yes. 20 of the 23 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 75%.

What is CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser's Guru Score?

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser holds a Guru Score of 75%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 23 expert reviewers we have collected.