CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM

Bottom line

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM is an excellent daytime moisturizer with broad spectrum UV protection. It's loaded with good-for-skin ingredients and feels great on the skin. It's recommended for normal to slightly oily or slightly dry skin. For those with very oily or combination skin, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (*Est. $25 for 4.2 oz.) is a great alternative.

Performance

High SPF rating. Experts praise CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM for providing broad spectrum UV protection. Skin care expert Paula Begoun says, "Other than the sunscreen, the star ingredient in this daytime moisturizer is the cell-communicating ingredient niacinamide." Niacinamide helps to promote healthy skin-cell function. She says the formula also contains an impressive amount of skin-identical ingredients, namely ceramides. Editors at InStyle magazine explain that the ceramides boost the skin's barriers, "which make it less vulnerable to the elements."

Users at MakeupAlley.com say CeraVe is very moisturizing. One says that the effects really last, too, and that she can feel the moisture even after washing her face in the evening.

The formula doesn't have antioxidants, however. Begoun explains that antioxidants enhance the efficacy of sunscreen and boost the skin's power to ward off free radical damage.  She says, "This is still worth considering for its overall formula and affordability."

Feel & Smell

Elegant, lightweight texture. Begoun says CeraVe AM is a lightweight formula with a lotion-like texture that "feels elegant and wears well under makeup." Users at MakeupAlley.com agree. One says, "… it's just thick enough that it supplies excellent moisture but not so much so that it sits on your face like a mask." Some, however, say it's a bit too thick and heavy for oily and combination skin types.