Got the new bottle. Knew it was different before I even pumped it.
The texture is thinner — it runs off your hands now. That’s the first red flag.
The reformulated Hydrating Facial Cleanser from CeraVe. Still under $20. Claims to be “non-foaming” and “gentle.”
The Feel
It’s more slippery, less creamy.
The Rinse
Leaves a faint, almost waxy film.
The Scent
Still fragrance-free, but smells more… chemical.
Photo: Lesly Juarez / Unsplash
They kept the ceramides and hyaluronic acid. But the formula feels stripped. The new emulsifiers are the likely culprits for that weird residue.
- Ceramides: Still there to support the skin barrier.
- Hyaluronic Acid: For surface hydration.
- New Emulsifiers: Create that slippery, less-substantial lather.
- Fatty Alcohols: Reduced — which explains the loss of creaminess.
Photo: Felipe Vieira / Unsplash
It feels like washing your face with watered-down lotion. Misses that satisfying, milky cleanse.
By week two, my combo skin felt tight after rinsing. Never happened with the old one. The residue actually made my sunscreen pill the next morning.
It still cleanses without stripping. But that’s a low bar. My skin felt balanced but never truly *clean*.
It’s a step back. They fixed what wasn’t broken and lost the magic. A classic case of over-engineering.