Review: CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hi friends!

I may have promised you a review of this serum all the way back in August…but, better late than never? Excuse the long delay, but in all honesty I got majorly distracted for a few months by the Serumkind Black Blossom Drop Serum. (You can read about my obsession with this K-beauty gem here, here, and here!) Anyways, it’s time for the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum to have its star moment here. You guys know just how much I adore CeraVe skincare in general; they’re affordable, very accessible, and best of all just plain good-quality. (Fun fact: they’ve been having quite a moment on TikTok this year with the Gen Z crowd – who knew? Just check out this CNN article.)

Well, I’d been eyeing up their hyaluronic acid serum for a while but hadn’t seen it available in any of my local drugstores until this summer. You better believe that when I finally saw it, I snatched it right up! After some long-term testing (about six weeks), I’m here now to deep-dive for you all on the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum! Does it deserve your attention, your enthusiasm, your dollars? Let’s find out!

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THE DEETS ON THE CERAVE HYDRATING HYALURONIC ACID SERUM

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful hydrating ingredient found naturally in your skin; however, your skin needs replenishment to maintain moisture levels. CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum, formulated with hyaluronic acid, helps bind moisture to your skin’s surface, smoothing it and providing up to 24 hours of hydration. With three essential ceramides to restore and maintain your skin’s natural protective barrier, as well as vitamin B5 to soothe your dry skin, CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum provides your skin with much-needed moisture and more.

Whether you use it alone, or layered with other moisturizers, our refreshing gel-cream formula replenishes hydration, restores the skin’s protective barrier and provides instantly smoother, softer skin. With our highest concentration of hyaluronic acid, three essential ceramides, soothing vitamin B5 and patented MVE Technology, our daily-use serum supplies your skin with up to 24 hours of moisture and nourishment. Immediately after use, 90% of consumers tested said their skin felt intensely hydrated, and 98% of consumers tested said their skin felt smoother after four weeks of use.

• Non-comedogenic, paraben-free and fragrance-free
• Developed with dermatologists

– CeraVe Website

INGREDIENTS

AQUA / WATER, GLYCERIN, CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE, DIMETHICONE, AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, PANTHENOL, CERAMIDE NP, CERAMIDE AP, CERAMIDE EOP, CARBOMER, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM LAUROYL LACTYLATE, CHOLESTEROL, PHENOXYETHANOL, DISODIUM EDTA, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CITRIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, PHYTOSPHINGOSINE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN

– CeraVe Website

 

A NOTE ON SKIN TYPE AND USE

My skin type is dry, dry, dry. I can’t emphasize this enough. I’m prone to a lot of flakiness, itchiness, and tightness if I don’t moisturize properly every day. I also will occasionally get small eczema flare-up’s, but by no means is it severe. (You can read about my last flare-up, and the makeup I did to compensate, here.)

I primarily use the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum as the first step in my P.M. routine, right after I cleanse my skin. But I will also occasionally apply it during the day before makeup. It sits very well under makeup, with no pilling.

MY THOUGHTS ON PACKAGING

Very lightweight, user-friendly, and not messy in the slightest. It’s got a great pump that releases a very precise amount of product so there’s really no waste, which I love. Plus any way I can get out of sticking my finger in a pot, I’m all for it!

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON CONSISTENCY / APPLICATION

Unlike a lot of other hyaluronic acid serums on the market that are either pure liquid or liquidy-gels (think serums from The Ordinary or La Roche Posay), the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum has a gel-cream texture that’s super lightweight and easy to massage into cleansed skin. When comparing the texture to other products in CeraVe line, it’s much more gel-like than the lighter, creamier Daily Moisturizing Lotion or the PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, for instance. I like to use 2 pumps of the serum all over my face and onto my neck. It layers beautifully with creamier or thicker moisturizers over top; for reference, I’m currently alternating between the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and the Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON ABSORPTION / FINISH

This sinks into the skin pretty quickly, as most serums tend to do; I’d say within 1 to 2 minutes after application. My skin feels soft and hydrated afterwards, with a slightly radiant finish. When I use this before makeup application, my skin retains that hydrated feeling throughout the whole day.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON PRICE

For 1 fl. oz. / 30 mL of product, you’re gonna pay $18.99 pretty much no matter where you buy this serum, from Target to Ulta. While it may not be the most affordable hyaluronic acid serum out there, it’s still fairly accessible especially when you compare it to other like drugstore serums from L’Oreal and La Roche Posay, which will run you around $30.00 for the same amount of product.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think this is a very nice & simple hyaluronic acid serum from a tried-and-tested dermatologist brand. If you don’t like droppers or dealing with potentially messy liquidy textures, I think you’ll especially like this since it’s a gel. It’s very hydrating, which you would expect, and it plays well with other products and textures. Actually, if you’re not that dry, you may be able to get away with not using an additional moisturizer at all.

But in all honesty, I would have loved it if Cerave had made done something a little different (for them) and created an Ordinary-style hyaluronic acid with a dropper. While I do really like this gel-cream texture, I feel like it’s not that much different than some of the other products they already have in their line. If you’re a CeraVe connoisseur like me, you’ll understand. I would love a little variety in their line in the future to keep things interesting, so here’s to hoping!

Have you tried the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum yet? If so, what did you think? Do you have a favorite hyaluronic acid serum? I’d love to know!

xo, and be well, Erica

 

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