If you read my recent posts, you would know that I struggle with dry skin from the BP, even after 5 months of usage on the regimen.
So, my acne.org moisturizer is running kind of low and I'm on the hunt for a better moisturizer, since acne.org's moisturizer + jojoba oil isn't great for taking care of flakes. I've narrowed it down to 2 alternative options, and I want y'all to tell me which one you think is best for flaky, dry skin and works the best with the regimen:
CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion OR
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
Which one is better in your guys' opinion?
l know there's a lot of hype about both, I am just curious to know what the overall general opinion is. Keep in mind that I'm looking for non comodogenic, non irritating, very moisturizing, natural, gentle moisturizers, these just seem like the best two. You guys decide.
I LOVE CeraVe moisturizer.
I had dry, flaky skin for about a month and a half after starting Epiduo. I used CeraVe AM all day and then PM at night. Gradually, the flakiness stopped, and the moisturizer really helped. I still use both moisturizers now because my skin just isn't happy without it. It never breaks me out or makes me look extra shiny, but it also moisturizes my skin very well.
I second CeraVe. The first time I tried it some years ago I didn't like it, but I wasn't using it correctly. I was expecting a goopy creamy moisturizer I could slather on my face. Eventually I figured out that you apply CeraVe kind of like a topical. A tiny amount in a very light layer. I love it now. It is very cosmetically elegant. I love their AM version with 30 spf because I don't feel like I am wearing sunscreen at all.
For the price CeraVe is really the best value moisturizer anywhere. There is not another $12 moisturizer you can get in any drugstore that contains "luxury" ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide. Most of the moisturizers with just niacinamide in them are at least double the price.
Cetaphil is junk! Since their cleansers got rave reviews; so I walked into Walmart and picked up their moisturizer figuring it would be great too. Man, I was wrong. SUPER greasy and just terrible. I actually took it back...
I haven't tried Cerave but everyone seems to like it Definitely don't go with cetaphil though...
I LOVE CeraVe moisturizer.
I had dry, flaky skin for about a month and a half after starting Epiduo. I used CeraVe AM all day and then PM at night. Gradually, the flakiness stopped, and the moisturizer really helped. I still use both moisturizers now because my skin just isn't happy without it. It never breaks me out or makes me look extra shiny, but it also moisturizes my skin very well.
Wow I'm happy to hear that you like it!
I second CeraVe. The first time I tried it some years ago I didn't like it, but I wasn't using it correctly. I was expecting a goopy creamy moisturizer I could slather on my face. Eventually I figured out that you apply CeraVe kind of like a topical. A tiny amount in a very light layer. I love it now. It is very cosmetically elegant. I love their AM version with 30 spf because I don't feel like I am wearing sunscreen at all.
For the price CeraVe is really the best value moisturizer anywhere. There is not another $12 moisturizer you can get in any drugstore that contains "luxury" ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide. Most of the moisturizers with just niacinamide in them are at least double the price.
thanks for the information, I appreciate it. I was leaning towards cetaphil until y'all commented and it seems like CeraVe is winning 
Out of those I've only tried the cetaphil one but I wouldn't recommend it. I find it just makes my skin greasy - even when I used it for dry skin caused by BP. I've heard a lot of good things about the CeraVe one though! I wish they sold it in Australia!
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely check it out!
I've never used the Cetaphil, but I'm going with CeraVe, because that's what I use (on Accutane, tons of flakiness) and it's very effective. It even helps a ton with my eczema.
Everyone in the comments has voted CeraVe, so I definitely won't be going with cetaphil after hearing all the good thoughts about cerave. Plus I checked their website and the product seems to have good ingredients. CeraVe it is!
Cetaphil is junk! Since their cleansers got rave reviews; so I walked into Walmart and picked up their moisturizer figuring it would be great too. Man, I was wrong. SUPER greasy and just terrible. I actually took it back...
I haven't tried Cerave but everyone seems to like it
Definitely don't go with cetaphil though...
Thanks for the feedback. I read some of dan's concerns about some of the ingredients in Cetaphil so I was a little iffy about buying it, because I'm about 90% sure I have sensitive skin.
Make sure you apply it like a topical. I may have said this already. But you just need a tiny amount in a thin layer. Let it sink in. If your skin still feels dry, then apply another thin layer. But don't be like me and put a whole pump in your hand and slather it on your face. That's what I did the first time and I was like, what the hell this moisturizer is crap! Admittedly this was as a teenager and I wasn't very smart about a lot of things. But I guess I thought, my skin is soooo dry, so more is better.
I pulled it out again later and onyl applied a pea-sized amount and loved it.
Make sure you apply it like a topical. I may have said this already. But you just need a tiny amount in a thin layer. Let it sink in. If your skin still feels dry, then apply another thin layer. But don't be like me and put a whole pump in your hand and slather it on your face. That's what I did the first time and I was like, what the hell this moisturizer is crap! Admittedly this was as a teenager and I wasn't very smart about a lot of things. But I guess I thought, my skin is soooo dry, so more is better.
I pulled it out again later and onyl applied a pea-sized amount and loved it.
oh... see I thought that's what you were supposed to do... Except I did it with 2 pumps. whoops
UPDATE!
So, I've used the cerave moisturizer around 2 or 3 times now. Here's my first thoughts: It makes my skin more smooth, and definitely improves the texture. However, it can sometimes bring a burning sensation to my skin... Not the most pleasant thing in the world. Also, it doesn't completely eliminate flaking, which is what I got it for, though it eliminates some of it. So, overall it's not the best moisturizer ever, but I'm going to give it time to see how I like it more.
Make sure you apply it like a topical. I may have said this already. But you just need a tiny amount in a thin layer. Let it sink in. If your skin still feels dry, then apply another thin layer. But don't be like me and put a whole pump in your hand and slather it on your face. That's what I did the first time and I was like, what the hell this moisturizer is crap! Admittedly this was as a teenager and I wasn't very smart about a lot of things. But I guess I thought, my skin is soooo dry, so more is better.
I pulled it out again later and onyl applied a pea-sized amount and loved it.
oh... see I thought that's what you were supposed to do... Except I did it with 2 pumps. whoops
UPDATE!
So, I've used the cerave moisturizer around 2 or 3 times now. Here's my first thoughts: It makes my skin more smooth, and definitely improves the texture. However, it can sometimes bring a burning sensation to my skin... Not the most pleasant thing in the world. Also, it doesn't completely eliminate flaking, which is what I got it for, though it eliminates some of it. So, overall it's not the best moisturizer ever, but I'm going to give it time to see how I like it more.
I had a similar experience with CeraVe causing a burning sensation. Maybe with continued use, the CeraVe will help take care of the flakes. And you might try adding a few drops of jojoba oil to the CeraVe as well.
I remember using Cerave many moons ago and getting that burning sensation you talk about with a sort of redness. I never really preserved with it as I had a few other at the time to try. I'm sure I would have got used to it if I had stuck it out. Out of that 3 I'd say Cetaphil is the most moisturising but its awful greasy looking. My favoutire 2 moisturisers are Complex 15 and DML. Complex 15 I found similar to Cerave moisturising wise. I'd call it a light moisturiser. DML being my favourite.
Moisturisers out of all things, I find to the most personal when it comes to choosing one. One size doesn't fit all sort of. Its just getting that balance right. The more moisturising brands tend to be the heaviest. I find petroleum base lotions to be the best but they can sometimes be shiny on the skin.
Once your into the regimen a few months you might not need as much moisturising power. I used BP for over 10 years and I could get away sometimes with not even using one. If I was to go back on it after just 6 weeks I'd need a hardcore moisturiser like DML Forte as my skin would be just peeling off.
I remember using Cerave many moons ago and getting that burning sensation you talk about with a sort of redness. I never really preserved with it as I had a few other at the time to try. I'm sure I would have got used to it if I had stuck it out. Out of that 3 I'd say Cetaphil is the most moisturising but its awful greasy looking. My favoutire 2 moisturisers are Complex 15 and DML. Complex 15 I found similar to Cerave moisturising wise. I'd call it a light moisturiser. DML being my favourite.
Moisturisers out of all things, I find to the most personal when it comes to choosing one. One size doesn't fit all sort of. Its just getting that balance right. The more moisturising brands tend to be the heaviest. I find petroleum base lotions to be the best but they can sometimes be shiny on the skin.
Once your into the regimen a few months you might not need as much moisturising power. I used BP for over 10 years and I could get away sometimes with not even using one. If I was to go back on it after just 6 weeks I'd need a hardcore moisturiser like DML Forte as my skin would be just peeling off.
Yeah it burns when i'm not as careful with it. I know that it's the combination of benzoyl and glycerin, they don't like each other. I just have to make sure to rub in the BP really well. However, I have found that cerave is so much more moisturizing and makes my skin so much more smooth, and definitely takes care of flaking, which is what I hoped it would do. I'm 5 months into the regimen and the flaking never really stopped.
Make sure you apply it like a topical. I may have said this already. But you just need a tiny amount in a thin layer. Let it sink in. If your skin still feels dry, then apply another thin layer. But don't be like me and put a whole pump in your hand and slather it on your face. That's what I did the first time and I was like, what the hell this moisturizer is crap! Admittedly this was as a teenager and I wasn't very smart about a lot of things. But I guess I thought, my skin is soooo dry, so more is better.
I pulled it out again later and onyl applied a pea-sized amount and loved it.
oh... see I thought that's what you were supposed to do... Except I did it with 2 pumps. whoops
UPDATE!
So, I've used the cerave moisturizer around 2 or 3 times now. Here's my first thoughts: It makes my skin more smooth, and definitely improves the texture. However, it can sometimes bring a burning sensation to my skin... Not the most pleasant thing in the world. Also, it doesn't completely eliminate flaking, which is what I got it for, though it eliminates some of it. So, overall it's not the best moisturizer ever, but I'm going to give it time to see how I like it more.
I had a similar experience with CeraVe causing a burning sensation. Maybe with continued use, the CeraVe will help take care of the flakes. And you might try adding a few drops of jojoba oil to the CeraVe as well.
CeraVe definitely has its upsides. It really makes my skin feel moisturized, without feeling greasy, and has greatly improved the texture. However, I've heard stories of people saying that it causes burning while on the regimen, and I'm 99.9% sure the burning is caused by benzoyl peroxide clashing with glycerin, an ingredient in cerave. I heard that's one of the reasons Dan had to reinvent the acne.org moisturizer, because it contained glycerin. I like CeraVe though it takes care of flaking really well, you just have to be careful with it
Thanks for starting this threat. I was also wondering the same thing. I am only 3 days on BenzaClin and Retin-A and I'm gettting lots of stinging when i put moisturizer on after the BenzaClin. I feel like it reactivates the medication and makes it sting. Then when I put my foundation on, it burns even more. I'll be trying the Cerave.
If you read my recent posts, you would know that I struggle with dry skin from the BP, even after 5 months of usage on the regimen.
So, my acne.org moisturizer is running kind of low and I'm on the hunt for a better moisturizer, since acne.org's moisturizer + jojoba oil isn't great for taking care of flakes. I've narrowed it down to 2 alternative options, and I want y'all to tell me which one you think is best for flaky, dry skin and works the best with the regimen:
CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion OR
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
Which one is better in your guys' opinion?
l know there's a lot of hype about both, I am just curious to know what the overall general opinion is. Keep in mind that I'm looking for non comodogenic, non irritating, very moisturizing, natural, gentle moisturizers, these just seem like the best two. You guys decide.
I'm new to the Regimen, and I wanted to clarify, are both of these options approved on the Regimen? And which CeraVe moisturizer are you using? I see there is an AM and PM facial moisturizer as well as a Moisturizing Cream and Lotion.
To me they function very differently, but that's why I like and own both.
Cetaphil is much more rich so it's great if you're super dry and flaking. On the other hand, it can be greasy if your skin is feeling moderately tame. That's where CeraVe would be a better option.
Neither have broken me out on The Regimen.
Which Cerave moisturizer is everyone saying is good? They make an AM and a PM, AND a moisturizing lotion and moisturizing cream.
There are 4 different options. Which one is everyone raving about. I have tried the moisturizing lotion but I'm not a big fan, has some harmful ingredients in it and it doesn't really soak into my skin. Is this the one everyone else is applauding, or are you guys talking about the AM, PM, or cream?
You are right, no one tells)))
Which Cerave moisturizer is everyone saying is good? They make an AM and a PM, AND a moisturizing lotion and moisturizing cream.
There are 4 different options. Which one is everyone raving about. I have tried the moisturizing lotion but I'm not a big fan, has some harmful ingredients in it and it doesn't really soak into my skin. Is this the one everyone else is applauding, or are you guys talking about the AM, PM, or cream?
I got a burn from Cetiphil but I am also using more BP than you were supposed to the first week. I tried Ponds but I'm not sure if it made my acne worse or if it was 2nd week purge? I used DML Forte and my skin and flakes are dramatically better. The DML Forte felt a little thick by the end of the day so I tried Complex 15 and it is just about perfect!
I like CeraVe PM, personally, but I will use the lotion/cream if my skin gets really dry. Ocassionally, I use Eucerin daily calming cream to calm down irritation as well! I think half the battle of keeping my skin moisturized, however, is exfoliation. I use neutrogena's treatment pads before washing my face and I use the clarisonic every two to three days as well. For the regimen, I do think that the lotion is better than PM and I think that you should stick to manual exfoliation (clarisonic) because chemical exfoliation is too irritating when using that much BP. I'm not on the regimen anymore, but I did do it for a year or two.