Opened the new bottle. Felt the difference immediately.
The old formula left skin soft. This one leaves a faint, slick film — like it didn’t fully rinse. That’s the real problem.
CeraVe’s $16 staple. They said it was “improved” for “enhanced hydration.” I call that a marketing lie.
New Texture
It’s thinner, almost watery straight out of the pump.
Lathering (Lack Of)
Creates less of that milky lather — feels like it’s vanishing on your face.
The Packaging
Same boring bottle. At least that’s consistent.
Photo: Chandra Oh / Unsplash
They swapped the old moisturizing agents for new ones. The ceramides and hyaluronic acid are still there — but the base formula feels cheaper.
- Ceramides: Still repairing the skin barrier
- Hyaluronic Acid: Still pulling in water
- New Emollients: The source of that weird film
- Carbomer: Thickener that’s not doing its job well enough
Photo: Chang Duong / Unsplash
It spreads like diluted lotion. No slip. You end up using more to feel like you’re covering your face.
By week two, my t-zone was weirdly shiny by midday. The old formula never did that. It’s like it’s not cleansing deeply enough for my combo skin.
Photo: kevin laminto / Unsplash
No new breakouts, but no improvement either. My skin felt less balanced — oily in spots, tight in others. A true step backward.
Photo: Sonia Roselli / Unsplash
They fixed what wasn’t broken. The magic is gone — it’s now a mediocre, film-y cleanser resting on its past reputation.