We’re in love with this CeraVe cleanser. You don’t have to use a lot to get the foaming action going. It’s super gentle on the skin yet is effective enough to remove makeup. Whether you choose to do a single, or a double cleanse.
After a month of using it, we don’t want to go back. Our skin is plump, looks dewy, clear, and balanced. We’ve noticed fewer oil slicks by the end of the day and the redness on our sensitive areas has all but gone.
At £12.50, the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser isn’t super cheap, but it is affordable. Plus, because you need to little each time, it’s great value for money no matter what your skin type.
| Boots | £11.50 |
| Amazon | £12.50 |
| Lookfantastic | £14 |
CeraVe has been at the top of the skincare game since it was first developed by dermatologists in 2005, and one of its bestselling products is the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser.
Available in three formulas, each one suited to a specific skin type, the range is said to be perfect for balancing oils where needed without stripping the skin of moisture and hydration.
Each of the CeraVe hydrating cleansers contains three essential ceramides, which are at the heart of CeraVe’s success and performance. These ceramides – ceramides 1, 3, and 6-II – alongside fatty acids and other lipids are the key ingredients in every CeraVe product.
They help repair and strengthen your skin’s natural barrier. In fact, ceramides are so important for a healthy complexion, they make up 50% of our skin. When we don’t care for our skin it can start to feel dry and when it starts to feel dry the skin can easily crack. A sure-fire sign that the barrier has been damaged.
Over the past month, we’ve been putting the cream-to-foam version of the cleanser to the test to see if it lives up to the hype. Here’s our honest CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser review.
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Jenny Tai/mamabella Each of the CeraVe hydrating cleansers contains three essential ceramides, which are at the heart of CeraVe’s success and performance. These ceramides – ceramides 1, 3, and 6-II – alongside fatty acids and other lipids are the key ingredients in every CeraVe product
Due to the fact we have oily patches in our T-Zone and dry areas around the sides of our face, we sit squarely in the combination skin type category. As such, the cream-to-foam CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser seemed to be the best hydrating CeraVe cleanser for our needs.
CeraVe also sells a standard Foaming Cleanser marketed for combination skin but we wanted the extra hydration for our dry and sensitive areas, so opted for the Hydrating Cleanser version. Our skin is feeling a little dull as we exit the winter months. It looks dehydrated and it needs a little love to make it look plump.
The other options in the CeraVe UK cleanser range are the standard CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, for dry to normal skin, and the CeraVe Foaming Oil Cleanser for very dry skin. Separately, CeraVe sells a Salicylic Acid cleanser for rough, bumpy skin.
Foaming cleansers, generally, are best for oily skin and acne as the foam consistency gets deep into the pores and clears out excess sebum, yet it’s actually hard to find a cream-to-foam version. The majority tend to be gel- or liquid-to-foam and, in our experience, these have a tendency to leave our skin dry.
By comparison, cream-to-foam cleansers contain emulsifiers and natural oils to make sure they lock in moisture while cleansing.
FURTHER READING: The best CeraVe products for all your skincare concerns – from acne, wrinkles, bumpy skin and eczema
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For this CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser review, we bought the standard 236ml bottle for £12.50. It was not gifted.
For the first two weeks of our CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser review, we massaged the product into our skin using our hands. For the second two weeks, we used the FOREO Luna 3 silicone face cleanser.
We used it morning and night as our only cleansing product, but we did double cleanse. This means cleansing, rinsing, and then repeating the process again to make sure all dirt, makeup, and impurities are removed.
FURTHER READING: Best cleanser for acne: Which acne cleanser actually gets rid of, or reduces spots?
Jenny Tai/mamabella The formula of the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is creamy with a light-to-medium consistency but once you add water it starts foaming
As its name suggests, the formula of the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is creamy with a light-to-medium consistency but once you add water it starts foaming.
It’s so easy to create a foam, we quickly realised you don’t need a lot of this cleanser and a little goes a very long way. In fact, half a pump, or about the same size as a 20p piece, of the product should cleanse your entire face and neck.
There isn’t any smell to the cleanser at all – CeraVe tends not to add fragrances to its products to make them better suited to sensitive skin types.
We began by pumping the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser into our hands before adding water to create foam and applying this foam to our face. However, we got the best cleansing and hydration results when we rubbed the cream directly into wet skin.
Doing the latter, we were grateful for the pump dispenser because looking around for a cleanser with a lid is notoriously tricky with a dripping face!
We began by massaging this cleanser into the areas where we have the most dryness before moving in circles around our nose, chin, and forehead. The cleanser is gentle with no harsh feel to the skin. We rinsed with lukewarm water and patted dry with a towel.
We loved that this cleanser didn’t leave the skin feeling dry or tight, and the addition of hyaluronic acid – which helps lock in moisture – is clear because our face felt super hydrated.
Jenny Tai/mamabella If you have sensitive skin and are always worried about buying new products, we can vouch for this cleanser
The biggest test for us was to see if the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser really can remove waterproof mascara as well as the brand claims. And it largely did.
Even when the foam was massaged into the area around our eyes in an attempt to shift the mascara, it didn’t sting or feel uncomfortable. The foam texture helped lift the mascara, as well as the rest of our makeup, quickly as well as gently. We didn’t have to scrub too hard.
If you have sensitive skin and are always worried about buying new products, we can vouch for this cleanser.
After the first cleanse, a quick swipe with a reusable cotton pad revealed very little residue. Just a small amount of mascara sat beneath our eyes.
After repeating the cleanse again, however, the cotton pad came back clean and our toner didn’t have to do much work to remove any leftover product.
FURTHER READING: How to make cheap homemade cleanser with everyday items
We’re in love with this CeraVe cleanser. You don’t have to use a lot to get the foaming action going. It is super gentle on the skin, yet effective enough to remove makeup whether you choose to do a single, or a double cleanse.
After a month of using it, we don’t want to go back. Our skin is plump, looks dewy, clear and balanced. We’ve noticed fewer oil slicks by the end of the day and the redness on our sensitive areas has all but gone.
At £12.50, the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser isn’t super cheap, but it is affordable. Plus, because you need to little each time, it’s great value for money no matter what your skin type.
Buy now from Boots
