Lubriderm vs CeraVe 2024 (The Definitive Guide)

Both Lubriderm and CeraVe are known for their restorative lotions and creams to help heal and soothe upset skin. But how can you tell which one is best for you?

Today, we’ll be comparing Lubriderm vs CeraVe and their daily moisturizing lotions to help you choose the right one for you and your skin.

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Lubriderm vs CeraVe Lotion

Spring is on its way, but you may still be dealing with the dry skin that comes along with the cooler weather, and those slightly-hotter-than-usual showers. The solution, of course, is a soothing lotion with plenty of skin-nourishing ingredients.

Let’s take a look at CeraVe's and Lubriderm's best-selling lotions - the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion and the Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion - and see how they stack up against each other!

Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion is a classic moisturizer that has been around for a long time. It was first developed in 1945 by a pharmacology professor at the University of Texas, Dr. Loise Shleuse. For the first 30 years of its existence, it wasn’t even available to the public; it was only available to dermatologists and hospitals!

The alcohol used in Lubriderm is Cetyl Alcohol, which, contrary to common knowledge of alcohols in skin care, is actually quite beneficial and non-drying. Its main use is to stabilize and thicken water-based products.

Lubriderm Daily Moisturizer is also fragrance free, and suitable for sensitive skin. Some of their lotions come in scented options, however, so be sure to check the label if fragrance-free is important to you.

Lubriderm does not contain ceramides or moisture-retaining ingredients such as hyaluronic acid like the CeraVe lotion does, but this does not seem to change its effectiveness too much. (2024 update: Especially now that the formula contains pro-ceramide). It is still popular for its ability to provide long lasting moisture, though.

The company claims that the lotion is non-comedogenic, clean feeling, and most of the customers who review it online tend to agree. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with just a few negative experiences sprinkled in.

Most of the negative experiences have to do with how thick the lotion feels and that it doesn’t absorb as fast as customers would like and that Lubriderm has not removed the parabens from their formula yet.

CeraVe products were developed more recently, when a team of dermatologists combined MultiVesicular Emulsion technology (MVE) with effective, gentle ingredients to release a line of skin care products in 2006.

CeraVe claims the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion to be hypoallergenic, lightweight, and non-greasy, and boasts a robust ingredients list that is promising for correcting any dry skin issues you are facing.

As well as the common moisturizing ingredients, such as glycerin, cetyl alcohol, and cetearyl alcohol, it contains “super” hydrating ingredients, like 3 different ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge for your skin to attract hydration and hold it there. It works to protect your skin from the elements and frequent hand washing as well. It is quickly gaining popularity as an effective, yet safe hydrating ingredient.

CeraVe also contains ceramides, which are a type of fat that are very beneficial in skincare. They help strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier to moisture loss, protect against environmental damage, and can even protect cells from aging, thus being a powerful anti-aging ingredient.

Your skin naturally contains ceramides, but without proper protection from the elements, they can break down over time, so adding them in with skincare helps retain their benefits in your skin.

The only ingredient it contains that some customers don't like is parabens, which act as an emulsifier and preservative for water based skin care products. For the most part though, the ingredients list is fairly clean and gentle.

When it comes down to it, both lotions contain more than enough humectants and emollients to successfully replenish your skin. Both are suitable for sensitive skin, and are ideal for normal to very dry skin.

CeraVe pulls ahead slightly when it comes to protecting and strengthening your newly hydrated skin, with its addition of more enriching ingredients. It is because of this that I personally prefer CeraVe's Daily Moisturizing Lotion out of the two.

Lubriderm's new formulation (sans parabens) definitely gives CeraVe a run for their money, though, and if after this comparison you're leaning towards Lubriderm, we're sure you'll love it too.

Alternative CeraVe Products

For a day cream:
Try the AM Moisturizer

For a night cream:
Try the PM Moisturizer

For post-acne marks:
Try the Resurfacing Retinol

Alternative Lubriderm Products

For rough skin:
Try Intense Skin Repair

Work in progress

You have been reading a post that we are constantly updating. Be sure to bookmark this page, subscribe, and come back later to see additions to the definitive Lubriderm vs CeraVe guide!

This article was originally published on February 24th 2022, but it has been reviewed and updated with the latest available information on January 31st 2024 by Sara Mckay, MA.