One of my goals this year is to save more money, so I decided to cut back on skincare spending. I tried the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, a budget-friendly alternative to my current moisturizer, and it’s been an experience, to say the least.
I’ve been using the Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Refillable Face Cream for over a year now and it has changed my skin for the better. It’s truly a holy grail product, however, it is costly and I ended up having to replace it every two months or so, which is not realistic for me anymore. So, I started the hunt for a similar moisturizer for a fraction of the price.
I’ve heard some great things about CeraVe products from friends and influencers that I trust, so I decided to pick up the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. This was not the CeraVe moisturizer that I intended to purchase, but I got overwhelmed looking at all of them in the store and ended up picking the wrong one. And, boy, did I learn my lesson.
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The Product
The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion retails for $17 CAD and is an oil-free non-comedogenic daytime moisturizer with SPF 30.
It’s formulated with three essential ceramides, along with hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing niacinamide, InVisibleZinc™ Technology (microfine zinc oxide), and CeraVe’s MVE technology—which releases a steady stream of moisturizing ingredients for continuous, all-day hydration.
The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion offers both chemical and mineral sun protection, spreads easily and evenly, and is formulated to help maintain the skin’s protective barrier. The formula is lightweight and is ideal for all skin types.
The Review
I’ve been using the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion for two weeks now and it is one of the worst moisturizers I’ve ever used. I have sensitive, dry to normal skin and deal with hormonal acne and redness on the regular.
A friend recommended the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion to me, as she’s been using it and it’s been working well for her skin, so I bought it based on her recommendation.
The best thing about the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is that you get a lot of product for a budget-friendly price. Continuing with the pros, the lotion contains SPF 30, so it’s great if you are someone who forgets to apply SPF daily.
The consistency of the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is thin and lightweight, so it doesn’t feel super heavy on the skin. But, this is where the cons come in. Moisturizers don’t have to be thick and creamy to be hydrating. In fact, some of the most hydrating moisturizers are thin and lightweight. However, the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is thin and absolutely not hydrating. I felt like I needed to apply a lot of product for it to feel hydrating. And after that, my skin still felt and looked dry by the afternoon.
Honestly, my skin has never looked worse since using the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. I’ve spent the last year repairing my skin barrier, to the point where my extremely dry skin was never dry. This all changed within two weeks of using the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion.
The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion isn’t a good base for makeup and my makeup would look crusty and dry after application. The skin around my mouth and chin was always red and irritated, and looked especially dry after applying makeup. The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion also pills if you try to use a hydrating oil on top of it, or even if you apply makeup minutes after using the lotion.
Even though I listed “contains SPF” as a pro, it is also a con because the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion smells so strongly of sunscreen and applies like a sunscreen. You really have to rub it into the skin to get rid of the whiteness.
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion to anyone. I understand everyone has different experiences with products, and if you happen to love this product then that’s great and I’m happy it works for you! But, from my experience, this was a horrible product.
Even if you’re on a budget, it’s not worth it and there are better budget-friendly moisturizers out there, like the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion.
PROS: Contains SPF
CONS: Smells strongly of sunscreen, pills, irritated my sensitive skin
Would I purchase this product again? No.
Catch up on previous Skincare Sunday and Makeup Monday posts for more product reviews!
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