Your thoughts about CeraVe?
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free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:14 am

When I told my dermatologist that I was only using my Retin A twice a week because of winter dryness, he strongly suggested I use it EVERYDAY and layer it with CeraVe. Well, I have posted many times about being very "old school" and using RA only straight up, but now I am actually considering adding a moisturizer so I can use RA more frequently. Does anyone use CeraVe (available in drugstores in USA) with RA?--or what do you layer it with? I have no idea what the ingredients are in CeraVe and if the Doc is just promoting this product for other reasons?! (he had lots of discount coupons laying around for this product.)

free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:29 am

Funny you should mention Cerave. The cosmetic cop website rates it as an excellent pick in her reviews. I don't use it because I can't get it living in Canada. Your dermatologist isn't promoting it because lots of people are raving about how great a moisturizer it is.

free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:56 am

I've been using this moisturizer for a while now.
I use it to layer with tazorac sometimes, if my skin is feeling extra sensitive that night (I tolerate taz very well though).
I like the lotion, its very light yet effective and most important I've not had any issues with it causing break outs.

If you write the company they will send you samples. I'm kind of surprised your derm didn't have samples to give you.

Lotion ingredients:
Water (Purified), Glycerin, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Behentrimonium Methosulfate/Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, Ceramide 1, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl 3 Diisostearate, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phytosphingosine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum

free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:46 pm

Thanks for posting ingredients GirlieGirl. Honestly, I don't know much about most of them, but they don't sound so good...especially the parabens.

free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:13 pm

mountiangirl,

A more natural alternative for winter dry skin might be Burt Bees:

Ingredients: prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, water, beeswax, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, kaolin, citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract, chondrus crispus (carrageenan) extract, fragrance, glucose, glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidase, tocopherol, sodium borate

http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/face-moisturizers/beeswax-moisturizing-night-creme.html

They have day cream as well, it realy protects the skin!

HTH
DM

Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:26 pm

I discovered CeraVe about a month ago and I LOVE it. I do use RA but don't necessarily layer it with this. I just use my CeraVe as needed for extra moisture. I tried it after reading the threads on improving the skin barrier and this came up in my search. I have tried both the lotion and the cream and by far prefer the cream, but my skin is dry to normal. I just wish the cream came in something other than an enormous tub. Confused

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:31 am

I love cerave cleanser. It is my holy grail cleanser for my sensitive skin. The lotion and cream were just ok for me. I use eucerin original cream and mix that with taz.

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:13 am

These are the ingredients for the face cream. I found over 200 reviews on this over at drugstore.com

Water (Purified), Glycerin, Ceteareth 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Behentrimonium Methosulfate/Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, Ceramide 1, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum

Looking at the ingredients, I would prefer the one recommended by DarkMoon, and will keep that in mind when I next go shopping for a buffer.

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:55 am

MarieIG,

Having spent most of my life in the north, with bitter winter temperatures and wind chill factors hitting below zero, I have used this over serums at night especially for those windburned cheeks! I even used it for my kids after days of playing out in the snow and wind! It is a bit heavier in feel than a typical cream but it doesn't just lay on the skin! I find as a barrier cream that is mostly natural it's great!

IMHO
DM
Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:55 am

MarieIG wrote:

These are the ingredients for the face cream. I found over 200 reviews on this over at drugstore.com

Water (Purified), Glycerin, Ceteareth 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Behentrimonium Methosulfate/Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, Ceramide 1, Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum

Looking at the ingredients, I would prefer the one recommended by DarkMoon, and will keep that in mind when I next go shopping for a buffer.

I haven't used the Cerave, but the ingredients in it are specifically to repair the skin barrier (ceramides, cholesterol, etc). DM's looks nice, but it is not intended for the same thing.

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:07 pm

rileygirl,

I agree it isn't a repair cream, it does soothe irritated skin and definatlly creates a barrier on the skin. I posted it as a Natural alternitive for a barrier cream, not a repair cream!

DM
Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:13 pm

DarkMoon wrote:

rileygirl,

I agree it isn't a repair cream, it does soothe irritated skin and definatlly creates a barrier on the skin. I posted it as a Natural alternitive for a barrier cream, not a repair cream!

DM
Very Happy

I understand, DM, just wanted to point out that the Cerave was specifically formulated for the barrier repair, and maybe that would explain some of the ingredients for people!

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:41 pm

I understand Riley! Clarification is always welcome!
Happy Holidays!

DM

rileygirl wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

rileygirl,

I agree it isn't a repair cream, it does soothe irritated skin and definatlly creates a barrier on the skin. I posted it as a Natural alternitive for a barrier cream, not a repair cream!

DM
Very Happy

I understand, DM, just wanted to point out that the Cerave was specifically formulated for the barrier repair, and maybe that would explain some of the ingredients for people!

free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:11 pm

I haven't used the lotion or cream, but the cleanser is very nice and gentle. Smile

Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:08 pm

My dermatologist recommended the CeraVe cream for me and I like it. It's a bit thick and a little goes a long way. You can feel a little residue on the surface after application but it works so great in the winter when the weather is dry that I can't complain!

free skin care · Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:27 am

I use both CeraVe cleanser and lotion, as well as Tazorac. The cleanser is very similar to Cetaphil in terms of texture, but I understand it has ceramides in to to promote barrier repair. It's an OK cleanser, I just prefer the 'tighter' feeling of foaming cleansers even though I know it's bad. As for the lotion, I generally layer it Taz with about 20 mins in between. However, it isn't really rich enough for me in the winters so I layer a DIY oil with vit C + E on top about an hour after the Taz application to 'seal in' everything and boost the vit A in the Taz . I've tried the cream before, but I'm not too fond of the tub packaging. All in all, I find the CeraVe product line pretty good at keeping sensitive skin free of irritation, and I even think its effects are comparable to the much more expensive prescription only Mimyx. HTH!

free skin care · Sat Jan 02, 2010 11:22 am

I noticed the cerave cleanser and maybee lotion are kept behind the pharmacy counter. Why is that? You don't need a prescription but you do have to ask the pharmacist for it.

free skin care · Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:50 pm

I have used both the lotion and the cream and both resulted in lots of clogged pores. I am very clog prone and acne prone so many moisturizers do not work for me. I use the generic cetaphil lotion and its working for me so who knows...they feel like the same product to me but one clogs pores.

free skin care · Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:01 pm

oranges wrote:

I noticed the cerave cleanser and maybee lotion are kept behind the pharmacy counter. Why is that? You don't need a prescription but you do have to ask the pharmacist for it.

I often wonder about this, some non prescription items are always behind the pharmacy counter? Maybe they are things that tend to walk off on their own or they have another reason? I guess the best thing would be to ask! LOL

DM

Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:10 pm

I love CeraVe. i use tazorac and it was so painful until i started using CeraVe underneath it. It's cheap (about $13) for a large bottle. It has ceramides in it as well so it's a pretty good deal. Before using Cerave I used Purpose moisturizer and it wasn't very good w the Taz.

free skin care · Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:51 pm

oranges wrote:

I noticed the cerave cleanser and maybee lotion are kept behind the pharmacy counter. Why is that? You don't need a prescription but you do have to ask the pharmacist for it.

I always see it out with the regular skin care. I've never had to ask at the pharmacy counter for it. But it is sometimes rx'd as combined with a prescription medication for example Finacea Plus is finacea with Cerave cleanser & lotion.

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 5:38 pm

happygolucky wrote:

I love CeraVe. i use tazorac and it was so painful until i started using CeraVe underneath it. It's cheap (about $13) for a large bottle. It has ceramides in it as well so it's a pretty good deal. Before using Cerave I used Purpose moisturizer and it wasn't very good w the Taz.

Happygolucky....So are you saying you put the CeraVe on first, then your Taz?

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 5:43 pm

mountaingirl wrote:

happygolucky wrote:

I love CeraVe. i use tazorac and it was so painful until i started using CeraVe underneath it. It's cheap (about $13) for a large bottle. It has ceramides in it as well so it's a pretty good deal. Before using Cerave I used Purpose moisturizer and it wasn't very good w the Taz.

Happygolucky....So are you saying you put the CeraVe on first, then your Taz?

Wouldn't that prevent the Taz or Retin A from getting on the skin??

DM

free skin care · Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:08 pm

Thank you all for your experiences with CeraVe. I decided to go for it, but the drug stores around here were not only out of it, but had waiting lists of people wanting the cream! The last place I looked for it was Target but there was none on the shelves there either. Then I remembered someone posting that they sometimes keep it behind the pharmacy counter. Sure 'nuff, they had it there

Thanks ya'll!
Most folks wouldn't know it was there and that's the only reason I was lucky enough to find it. Wow! It is very moisturizing. I like it on my hands...going to try it on my chapped face tonight. Thanks....

free skin care · Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:30 pm

mountaingirl,

YEAH! I am glad you found it and are happy with it, so far so good! Smile

DM

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