Side-by-side comparison

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion vs Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer

Both are moisturisers. They share a 66% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

66%Active overlap
CeraVe
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
MoisturiserMid-rangeEvening only
Damaged BarrierDrynessOiliness

Lightweight nighttime moisturiser with niacinamide and ceramides. Less heavy than the tub Moisturizing Cream, more barrier-focused than most lotions — excellent as a finishing layer over retinoids or acids.

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Olay
Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer
MoisturiserMid-rangeEvening only
AgingRough TextureDark SpotsSensitive skinDamaged barrier

Retinol + retinyl propionate + niacinamide in a night-cream base. Mass-market retinol done well — gentler than a dedicated serum because the emulsion softens delivery. Good stepping stone from a niacinamide-only routine into retinol territory.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

Both sit in the Mid-range tier, so cost isn't the deciding factor here — choose on texture, finish and the supporting ingredients. The CeraVe leans toward Damaged Barrier, Dryness, Oiliness. The Olay leans toward Aging, Dark Spots, Rough Texture.

The overlap

What they share

At 66% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Niacinamide
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

CeraVe — top of the list

  • Purified Water~50–80%
  • Glycerin~5–25%
  • Caprylic/Capri…~3–10%
  • Niacinamide~2–6%
  • Cetearyl Alcohol~1.5–4%
  • Ceramide NP~1–2%
  • Sodium Hyaluro…~1–2%
  • Cholesterol~1–2%

Olay — top of the list

  • Water~50–80%
  • Glycerin~5–25%
  • Isohexadecane~3–10%
  • Isopropyl Isos…~2–6%
  • Niacinamide~1.5–4%
  • Dimethicone~1–2%
  • Nylon-12~1–2%
  • Butylene Glycol~1–2%
  • Retinol~1–2%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

CeraVeOlay
CategoryMoisturiserMoisturiser
Price tierMid-rangeMid-range
Best forDamaged Barrier, Dryness, OilinessAging, Rough Texture, Dark Spots
Usage notesEvening onlyEvening only
Active overlap66% — Niacinamide
Questions

Common questions

Is the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion or the Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer better?
Neither is clearly better — they overlap 66% on active ingredients and sit in the same price tier. The difference comes down to texture, finish and the supporting ingredients, so the right choice depends on your skin type and preferences.
What's the difference between the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and the Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer?
Both are moisturisers that share Niacinamide. Where they differ: the CeraVe targets Damaged Barrier, Dryness; the Olay targets Aging, Dark Spots.
Are the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer dupes for each other?
They share 66% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Niacinamide. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer together?
They both fill the moisturiser slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
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70% overlap

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