CeraVe Moisturizing Cream vs Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

98 facts in comparison

Based on 576 Reddit opinions. Petroleum Jelly leads by 14 points.

576 opinions
Petroleum Jelly leads by 14pts
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
59%
C-
Based on
371 Redditors

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

~$18.96
189 opinions

tldr; Reddit has mixed feelings about CeraVe Moisturizing Cream; praised for being simple and effective, but criticized by some for causing breakouts due to certain ingredients.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
73%
B-
Based on
1,009 Redditors
Winner

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

~$5.48
387 opinions

tldr; Reddit highly recommends Vaseline for its exceptional healing, moisturizing, and occlusive properties, often favored by dermatologists and praised for its affordability.

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EffectivenessIngredientsSkin FeelGentlenessFragrance
EFF
ING
SKI
❤️GEN
💨FRA
48
Points
76
Points

Score by Category

Effectiveness
47%73%
Ingredients
50%67%
Skin Feel
50%50%
Gentleness
20%88%
Fragrance
20%

Why is Original Petroleum Jelly better than CeraVe Moisturizing Cream?

  • Higher Reddit score (73% vs 59%)
  • Better effectiveness (73% vs 47%)
  • Better ingredients (67% vs 50%)
  • Better gentleness (88% vs 20%)
  • Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
  • ⏱ Heals skin fast and effectively
  • Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
Based on 1,380 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the Petroleum Jelly

Winning by 14 points (73% vs 59%)

Better effectiveness
Better ingredients
Better gentleness
High confidence (1,380 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,380 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Moisturizing Cream
5.9/10
371 mentions
Petroleum Jelly
7.3/10
1,009 mentions
GENTLENESS
Moisturizing Cream2.0/10
Petroleum Jelly8.8/10
EFFECTIVENESS
Moisturizing Cream4.7/10
Petroleum Jelly7.3/10
INGREDIENTS
Moisturizing Cream5.0/10
Petroleum Jelly6.7/10
VALUE
Moisturizing Cream10.0/10
Petroleum Jelly10.0/10
SKIN FEEL
Moisturizing Cream5.0/10
Petroleum Jelly5.0/10
FRAGRANCE
Moisturizing Cream2.0/10
Petroleum JellyN/A
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Moisturizing Cream: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 3
GentlenessPetroleum Jelly
Moisturizing Cream20%
Petroleum Jelly88%
EffectivenessPetroleum Jelly
Moisturizing Cream47%
Petroleum Jelly73%
IngredientsPetroleum Jelly
Moisturizing Cream50%
Petroleum Jelly67%
Value
Moisturizing Cream100%
Petroleum Jelly100%
Skin Feel
Moisturizing Cream50%
Petroleum Jelly50%
FragranceMoisturizing Cream
Moisturizing Cream20%
Petroleum JellyN/A
Moisturizing Cream59%
Petroleum Jelly73%
Petroleum Jelly wins by 14 points

Key Specs

SpecCeraVe Moisturizing CreamVaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
Key Ingredients
3 Essential Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid
Skin Type
Normal to Dry, Sensitive Skin
Texture
Rich, non-greasy cream
Formulation
Fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, allergy-tested
Technology
MVE Technology for 24-hour hydration

Key Highlights

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
⚡ Simple and effective
🎯 Feels matte after application
🎯 Good for slugging
⚠ Can cause breakouts in prone individuals
⚠ Contains cetyl alcohol & ceteareth-20, which
Some users report issues (22% negative)
Vaseline Original Petroleum JellyWinner
🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
💰 Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
🎯 Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
💧 Excellent for extremely dry skin when layered

Topic Battles

Moisturizing Cream: 1|Tied: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 3
Effectiveness
Petroleum Jelly wins
Moisturizing Cream
47%
Petroleum Jelly
73%
Ingredients
Petroleum Jelly wins
Moisturizing Cream
50%
Petroleum Jelly
67%
Skin Feel
Moisturizing Cream
50%
Petroleum Jelly
50%
❤️Gentleness
Petroleum Jelly wins
Moisturizing Cream
20%
Petroleum Jelly
88%
💨Fragrance
Moisturizing Cream wins
Moisturizing Cream
20%
Petroleum Jelly

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

Best Praise
+49 pts
My dermatologist won’t let me put anything on my face after any minor surgery by Vaseline. Not even aquapore- just Vaseline. My skin healed so fast. Supposedly to remove stitches it take 4-7bdays, but my skin healed up so fast they have to remove the stitches in 3 days tops. Any wound, dryness - this is all that doctors recommend. My mom also swears that putting light Vaseline on your face and rinsing it before you get out of the shower and applying make up after, your make up will be vibrant and last longer. She was an actress in the 70s and this is how the production make up artist does her make up.
r/SkincareAddiction
View
Top Criticism
+11 pts
I guess whoever who hasn't tried it yet, give it a go . But I've since learned during the winter trying to combat dry air, that dabbing a a little Vaseline a bit around my face, causes my face to break out like crazy the next day. Oh the night of, it is shiny and moist and lovely. But the next day, big ol bright red zits
r/SkincareAddiction
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Best Praise
+73 pts
Honestly just start with one moisturizer after you shower, that's it. trying to do everything at once is why you're not doing any of it. cerave is like $15 and works fine, don't overthink it.
r/SkincareAddiction
View
Top Criticism
+89 pts
Cerave fucked my shit right up.
r/SkincareAddiction
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
$8$12$16$20Jun '25Aug '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Feb '26May '26Low: $15.67Low: $5.97Current: $9.99
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
All-time low: $2.69(2022-05)
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
All-time low: $2.29(2022-05)

Which is Better?

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly Wins
73%
Jelly
vs
59%
Cream

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly leads by 14 points based on 1,380 Reddit opinions.

Why Petroleum JellyWinner
  • 🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
  • ⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
  • 💰 Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
  • More discussed (1,009 vs 371)
Why Moisturizing Cream
  • ⚡ Simple and effective
  • 🎯 Feels matte after application

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

28%Positive
Positive
28%
Neutral
62%
Negative
10%
Based on 1,009 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

29%Positive
Positive
29%
Neutral
49%
Negative
22%
Based on 371 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly or CeraVe Moisturizing Cream?
Based on 1,380 Reddit comments, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly is the preferred choice with 73% positive sentiment vs CeraVe Moisturizing Cream's 59%. Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly leads by 14 percentage points.
Should I buy Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly or CeraVe Moisturizing Cream?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly has stronger approval ratings (73% vs 59%). However, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
Reddit users highlight: Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor. Heals skin fast and effectively. Works as an effective, affordable occlusive. With 1,009 mentions and 73% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about CeraVe Moisturizing Cream?
Reddit users highlight: Simple and effective. Feels matte after application. Good for slugging. With 371 mentions and 59% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,380 Reddit comments: 1,009 about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly and 371 about CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. Data was sourced from Skincare products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

576 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/24/2026