You already know CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is the tub that launched a thousand derm TikTok careers. But the 2024 version? It’s not the same thing your derm recommended in 2020.
The new formula dries down faster. That’s not necessarily a good thing — it means the fatty alcohols got rearranged, and my eczema patches noticed before I did.
Still $16 for 16 oz at Target — cheapest per-ounce cream in the drugstore. The claim: “ceramide-rich” hydration that restores the skin barrier in one layer.
Absorption Speed
Dries in 8 seconds now. Old formula took 20. If you liked the slip, you’ll hate this.
Finish
Matte-ish. Not greasy. But also not dewy — it’s the moisturizer equivalent of a plain white tee.
Pilling Risk
Layers fine over niacinamide. Pills under sunscreen if you rub instead of pat.
Photo: Mariia Shalabaieva / Unsplash
Three essential ceramides (1, 3, 6-II) plus MVE delivery tech — fancy speak for “releases hydration slowly so your face doesn’t dry out by lunch.” The reformulation bumped up the petrolatum. Thicker in the tub, thinner on skin.
- Ceramides 1, 3, 6-II: Barrier repair triple threat — stops transepidermal water loss
- Petrolatum: The new heavy lifter. Locks everything in like plastic wrap
- Hyaluronic Acid: Holds 1000x its weight in water — but it’s low on the ingredient list
- Dimethicone: Gives that silicone slip. Makes foundation sit weird if you don’t wait 5 min
Photo: Sonia Roselli / Unsplash
Scoops out thick like cold butter — then melts into nothing. First application feels like a hug. By day 3, it felt like a weighted blanket I couldn’t take off.
Week 2: My T-zone stopped producing oil. Week 3: My cheeks felt tight after washing. The reformulation is better for oily skin, worse for dry. I’m in the second camp.
Photo: frank mckenna / Unsplash
My rosacea flare-ups calmed down. My fine lines stayed the same. It didn’t break me out — but it also didn’t transform me. It’s a reliable coworker, not a promotion.
Photo: Element5 Digital / Unsplash
It’s the Toyota Camry of moisturizers: reliable, affordable, and boring. The reformulation made it better for some, worse for others. I’m switching to the cream for body and keeping La Roche-Posay for my face.