They changed the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. And not for the better.
The texture is thinner now — it slips through your fingers before you can even massage it in. The whole point was that reliable, creamy slip.
It’s still that drugstore staple, around $15. The claim is the same: a gentle, non-foaming wash. But the feel is totally different.
New Texture
Feels more like a lightweight lotion than a creamy cleanser.
Cleansing Power
Struggles to dissolve a full face of mineral sunscreen now.
Post-Wash Feel
Leaves a faint, almost waxy film instead of pure softness.
Photo: Jocelyn Morales / Unsplash
The ceramide and hyaluronic acid trio is still there. But the base formula — the stuff that gives it body — feels stripped.
- Ceramides 1, 3, 6-II: Repair skin’s barrier, theoretically.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Holds water in the skin.
- Glycerin: A classic, reliable humectant.
- Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate: The new(ish) cleansing agent that might be the culprit.
It pours out fast. The old formula clung to your skin; this one runs for the drain. The scent is still nothing — a point in its favor.
After two weeks, my skin felt… fine. Not worse, not better. Just vaguely underwhelmed. The magic was missing.
My barrier didn’t freak out. But it didn’t feel that “therapy in a bottle” comfort either. It just cleanses. Barely.
It’s a shadow of its former self. Still inoffensive, but the soul — that thick, comforting cream — is gone.