As you browse through our website, you might wonder why there are different designs and labels for some CeraVe products. Some concerned customers may think there are counterfeit products in the market.
Allow us to address some of these concerns, we offer two versions of CeraVe products because we have supplies from these two regions — mainly the US and the European Union (EU). The offering of either versions depends on the supply available. So, what are the differences between the EU/UK and US?
US packaging uses the additional word ‘Facial’ for their Hydrating Cleanser while the EU packaging omits the word ‘Facial’
Product Naming
In the US cosmetics industry, adding the word "facial" to product names can help indicate the intended use of the product and provide consumers with a clearer understanding of how the product should be used.
While there isn't a specific US law that mandates the use of the term "facial," it is often used for marketing and labelling purposes to distinguish products meant for use on the face from those intended for other parts of the body.
As CeraVe were introduced to new countries some of their regulations on packaging and labelling may vary. According to US Law: Food and Drug Administration Cosmetic Labelling Guide, all label or labelling statements required by law or regulation must be in the English language.
The US version has English naming while EU/UK has both English and French naming. Also, as we can see above the difference between "moisturizing" (US) and "moisturising" (EU/UK).
Hence, we will usually refer to the English naming to avoid confusion as it is the same product, and yet these are the slight difference between the American English and British English.
Packaging and Information
Other than the naming and product description, US packaging has The National Eczema Association logo or Seal of Acceptance printed on their packaging. On the other hand, EU/UK versions DO NOT include the Seal of Acceptance but they include the product description both in English and in French.
According to the UK Cosmetic Product (safety) Regulations 2008, the EU requires the name and function of the cosmetic product to be included on the label, while the UK does not have this requirement. The EU requires that the label is in a language that can be easily understood by consumers in the market where the product is sold. In the UK, the label must be in English, Welsh, or Irish Gaelic. Hence for CeraVe products from EU/UK they have both language, English and French for the product descriptions printed on the packaging.
Volume
As for the volume, it may come in a different volume between the US and the EU/UK version. For example, the EU/UK Moisturising Lotion comes in a few volume variations like 236ml, 473ml, and 1L. While the US Daily Moisturizing Lotion comes in like 87ml, 355ml, and 562ml volumes. Rest assured the ingredients remain the same and it is just a matter of volume variations that is different.
However, we do notice a slight difference when it comes to the similar fluid ounce when comparing the products from these two regions. The EU version is always few mL more. We speculate that it most likely has something do with American and British way of measuring fluid ounce, see below:
Nonetheless, the difference is probably insignificant.
Active Ingredients
Below would be a side-by-side ingredients comparison of the most confused CeraVe product due to its naming, Renewing SA cleanser (US) and SA Smoothing Cleanser (EU/UK).
As we can see, the ingredients are completely identical. Hence, regardless of which version you received, both will give you the same benefits. Note that some ingredient lists may look different in a glimpse, but don’t be alarmed as they are just listed in different orders. There are some claims that the filler ingredients may differ, but it does not impact its efficacy by any means.
Authenticity & Counterfeit
Through out the years, we have not come across any counterfeit products for CeraVe products yet. However, we continue to monitor and strive to test all the products that we carry and provide our assessment through the site. All our products are purchased directly from the brand manufacturers or officially authorised distributors.
This ensures that all our products are 100% genuine and consist of the highest quality. Our authenticity pledge is 1:10 money back guarantee if proven otherwise.
You may refer to our Shop Guide for the Authenticity Pledge.
Conclusion
In your skincare journey, whether you choose CeraVe products from the US or the EU/UK, you can rest assured that the fundamental qualities that make CeraVe a trusted skincare brand remain intact. The slight variations in naming, packaging, and volume serve to accommodate regional preferences and regulations, while the core focus on promoting healthy skin remains at the forefront of each product's design and formulation.
You may also visit their official Website for more references:
CeraVe US: https://www.cerave.com/
CeraVe UK: https://www.cerave.co.uk/
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