CeraVe Moisturizing Cream / Review

A year ago I didn't know this product even existed and it's no wonder. It's not only sold in drugstores but in the less glamorous dermatological isle, the one where you can find acne treatments. Not that there's anything particularly attractive about a drugstore in the first place, but in recent years the larger banners have made their cosmetics departments somewhat more elegant. This, I believe, is one of the reason, drugstores brands have become more popular.

Guilty! I'm one of those who used to snob drugstores brands. Having worked in cosmetics, in department stores, I figured only high end brands deserved my attention and my money.

I was so wrong!

So many little treasures are hidden at your local drugstore and I don't mean brands like Avène, Caudalie, Nuxe, Bioderma and several others but the stuff on the shelves of the dermatological isle can be pretty amazing.

Case and point, CeraVe.

CeraVe® Moisturizers & Cleanser deliver Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid and essential lipids to the skin to help replenish and restore the skin’s protective moisture barrier.  It’s patented multivesicular emulsion (MVE®) controlled release delivery system slowly delivers the moisture rich ingredients to the skin providing all day moisturization.  CeraVe® products are recommended by the Dermatology Review Panel as they are fragrance-free, non-irritating, non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and are appropriate for use to aid in the treatment of dry skin, acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis.  Safe for skin of all ages!   Well.ca

CeraVe offers seven different products. Two cleansers, a foam and a moisturizing one. Five different moisturizers. AM & PM for face, a regular body lotion as well as one with salicylic acid and the more moisturizing version available in a large tub. You can view them on CeraVe's official website.

Unfortunately in Canada only three products are available. The moisturizing cleanser, regular body lotion and the moisturizing cream. An MUA member mentioned that the others may be available in 2013. I guess we'll see about that.

CeraVe moisturizing cream, outsanding for sunburn care!

Last June my daughter went for a weekend at her best friend's house. That Saturday, both girls spent most of their time in the pool enjoying the newly arrived Summer. That night, my daughter complained that she was hot and that she taught that she had taken too much sun. She was told that it was just a little sunburn and that the next day she would be fine.

Grrrrr!

When I saw her on Sunday afternoon I could have screamed! She had one of the worse sunburns I'd ever seen. Lobster red! Her face, chest, arms and back where badly burned. I rushed to the drugstore to purchase some aloe gel and, based on all the rave reviews, a tub of CeraVe's moisturizing cream.

I gave her some ibuprofen and we did some cold milk compresses. After an hour or so, I helped her with the aloe gel for soothing and we followed this with CeraVe. The next day she was still in a bit of pain but was able to dress normally and go to school. That entire week she continued using aloe gel followed by CeraVe both morning and night.

This ended up being the best combo ever. I was sure her face would become "peel city" but it did not. Her facial skin healed perfectly. She did peel but it was hardly noticeable, on her upper arms mainly.

Her skin's protective barrier was badly impaired and CeraVe restored it. It held it's promises. I was quite simply amazed.

For sunburned skin, over exfoliated skin, this is great. So, I decided to try it myself as a body moisturizer. I can understand my daughter liking to put it on since it's very cool on the skin, it penetrates fast and doesn't leave a sticky feel.

Surprisingly, I didn't like it as much as other body moisturizers I use. Somehow it's not long term on me. By that I mean that after a few hours my skin seems to get dry. I must be a weird animal, sorry!

453g, $24.89 on Well.ca

I used it for about a week, every night. In order to get the same type of moisture as I get with Avène' Cold Cream body lotion, I had to use double amount of CeraVe. When I purchased my tub it was on special for $17.00 but the drugstores I go to usually have it for about $22.00.

It gets rave reviews on MakeupAlley, 4.5/5 lippies for 236 reviews.

Ingredients (MUA):

Purified Water, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20 and Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-II, Ceramide I, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum.  

Even if I don't find it as moisturizing as Avène, I still liked using it this past summer. The cooling sensation was very pleasant on hot days. I do know that I will always have a tub around, just to be on the safe side. When skin is irritated, this is a great option especially since it does not have any fragrance.

I almost forgot, the aloe gel I used was from the brand Aloex. The best is really getting your aloe directly from the plant but if you don't have one, get a tube with as little ingredients as possible. Health food stores and some drugstores do sell this brand but there are others.

Picture credit, Elements4Health