Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion – Review

This post will review the Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion.

Despite Cerave’s popularity with moisturisers, they aren’t particularly known for having great sunscreens.

For some reason, they haven’t been able to translate that fool-proof formula into cosmetically elegant sunscreens.

Similar to the majority of US sunscreens, they’re still far behind and stuck with out-of-date formulas that are mostly great for the beach.

Given the rising popularity of Asian sunscreens, which has contributed to the rise in daily sunscreen usage, you would think a global company would be inspired to increase sales of its wide portfolio of sunscreens.

Anyway, I got my hands on possibly the most popular and bestselling moisturiser/ sunscreen hybrid, and I have some thoughts.

First Impressions of the Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

According to Cerave:

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizer is a morning skincare multitasker that moisturizes and nourishes your skin while helping to absorb and reflect the sun’s damaging UVA and UVB rays.

It’s formulated with three essential ceramides, along with hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing niacinamide, InVisibleZinc™ Technology (microfine zinc oxide), and our MVE technology—which releases a steady stream of moisturizing ingredients for continuous, all-day hydration. 

Our moisturizer with SPF 30 sunscreen offers both chemical and mineral sun protection, spreads easily and evenly, and is formulated to help maintain the skin’s protective barrier.

This formula is lightweight and non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t clog your pores), which makes it an ideal pick for all skin types. Allergy-tested, oil free.

Ingredient List, Sunscreen Filters & Fragrance

By now, I’m sure we’re all familiar with the Cerave formula.

This isn’t any different as the moisturiser is formulated with

• Hyaluronic Acid
• Three Essential Cermides
• Niacinamide
• Cholesterol, etc

From my experience using several Cerave products, it’s mostly a hit or miss.

Despite having fool-proof formulas across all the products, some of them are simply mediocre.

They’re just not that great for my skin, especially since I’m used to more sophisticated formulas.

Cerave provides basic skincare, and that is fine.

As always, the product is alcohol, essential oil and fragrance-free.

It’s also oil-free, which is great for people with oily to combination skin.

Sunscreen Filters

This moisturizer also has SPF 30, which is great as a daily sunscreen under makeup.

No, I would not wear this on the beach in the summer.

If you’re struggling to wear sunscreen daily, you need a moisturizer like this that you can incorporate into your routine seamlessly.

The sunscreen filters offer broad-spectrum protection, and they include:

• 10% Homosalate (UVB protection)
• 5% Octinoxate (UVB protection)
• 2% Octocrylene (UVA & UVB protection)
• 6.3% Zinc Oxide (UVA & UVB protection)

In the US, sunscreens are classified as drugs, so brands must be transparent and declare the percentage of their filters.

This is a decent entry-level sunscreen, which is great for beginners or anyone whose skin loves Cerave products and needs an everyday sunscreen.

Packaging, Texture & Consistency

This moisturizer is packaged in a cute 89ml pump bottle which is excellent for easy application.

There’s nothing worse than sunscreens in tubes that make a mess.

The pump dispenses a lightweight lotion which is easy to apply.

The absence of oil ensures it dries down to a matte finish which isn’t tacky.

It’s not the most hydrating or moisturizing, so you might want to layer a hydrating toner or serum underneath.

Price & Availability

This product is probably the most popular Cerave moisturizing sunscreen, so it’s available anywhere you purchase your products.

Again, ensure you’re mindful of counterfeits.

Unfortunately, this exact version is not available in the UK or EU, so you must get it via Amazon US.

Review of the Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

I use this sunscreen at the last step of my AM routine over hydrating toners and serums.

I’m honestly not a fan of the product at all.

I think the skincare community has gone past these dated formulas, and Cerave can definitely improve them.

Instead of doing that, they’re releasing new sunscreens, which is absolutely unnecessary.

To summarize, let’s look at the pros and cons of this moisturizer.

Pros

• Physical and chemical filters to provide broad-spectrum protection
• Great for daily use
• Non–greasy and non-sticky
• Non-tacky with a matte finish.
• Doesn’t sting the eyes
• Great for oily to combination skin types
• Absorbs super fast into the skin after application
• Convenient texture for reapplication

Cons

• It’s not really moisturizing; it’s somewhat drying and too mattifying for dry skin.
• The Zinc Oxide leaves a slight white cast.
• The availability is limited, and it’s not convenient to purchase.

As you can see, this is not a bad product; it’s just not suitable for someone with dry, dehydrated skin like me.

Finally,

The Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is popular for a reason.

But if you have dry skin that needs hydration and moisture to thrive, this product is not for you.

Even if you layer hydrating products underneath, there are not enough emollients to sustain your skin for the day.