CeraVe quietly tweaked the formula. And nobody told us.
The old version was a slug of petrolatum-heavy ceramides. The new one? Thinner. Spreads faster. Leaves a different kind of film. If you’re repurchasing and suddenly feel “off,” you’re not imagining it.
Still $16 for 16 oz at Target — a ridiculous value. The claim? “Restores skin barrier.” But the 2024 version swapped some petrolatum for dimethicone crosspolymer. Feels less greasy, but also less… locked-in.
Consistency shift
Thinner out of the tub. Almost like a spreadable gel-cream now.
Finish
Dries down in 45 seconds. Not 5 minutes like before.
Layering
Works under makeup now. Old version pilled like crazy.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
Three ceramides still do the heavy lifting. But the new formula leans harder on hyaluronic acid for surface hydration and swapped the fatty alcohols for squalane. Less nourishment, more slip.
- Ceramides 1-3-6-II: repair the mortar between skin cells
- Hyaluronic Acid: holds 1000x weight in water — surface-level plump
- Dimethicone Crosspolymer: gives that silicone-y smooth finish
- Squalane: lightweight oil, mimics skin’s natural sebum
Scoop out a pea-sized blob. It melts between your fingers like softened butter — but thinner, almost watery. On face, it sinks in in 10 seconds. No white cast. No sticky chin.
Week 3: my dehydrated forehead drank it up. But my dry winter cheeks? Needed a second layer. The old formula could handle both in one go. This one forces you to pick a lane.
Skin felt softer by day 2. Less tight after washing. But the barrier “repair” was slower — about 5 days vs. 3 with the old formula. The trade-off: fewer breakouts around my jaw. So… net win?
The new CeraVe is a solid daily driver for normal-to-complexion skin. But if you relied on the old one for deep winter barrier support — you’ll need a backup plan.