CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion for dry skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Ceramide Np
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
DimethiconeSuperior
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best sunscreens for dry skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Excellent for your dry skin, this moisturizer provides superior hydration and barrier support with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, effectively addressing dryness and flakiness.
- Niacinamide further enhances skin health by improving texture and reducing redness, complementing the moisturizing and protective benefits.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or irritating ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Use it every morning as the final step of your skincare routine.
- Apply after your moisturizer and before putting on makeup. This ensures proper sun protection for your skin.
- Gently spread an even layer over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing too hard to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply on completely dry skin for the best coverage and protection. Make sure your face is clean before application.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 85.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this lotion is a popular choice for those with acne-prone or sensitive skin, appreciated for its hydrating properties and beneficial ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide. Many users find it gentle and effective for daily use. However, a significant number of reviews mention issues with the product pilling, especially under makeup, and a noticeable white cast, particularly for individuals with darker skin tones. Some users also report difficulty with the texture and occasional eye irritation.
Highlights
Gentle and non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't sting my sensitive skin”
- “no breakouts since using this”
- “fragrance-free is a huge plus”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
Product pilling Mostly Mentioned
- “pills like crazy”
- “rolls off my face in little balls”
- “cannot wear under foundation”
- “flakes off if you rub it”
Beneficial ingredients Often Mentioned
- “helped repair my skin barrier”
- “niacinamide calmed my redness”
- “great for acne-prone skin”
- “ingredients are top tier”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin feels plump and healthy”
- “moisturizes throughout the entire day”
- “leaves face feeling soft”
- “good balance for combination skin”
Visible white cast Often Mentioned
- “leaves a ghostly white layer”
- “takes forever to rub in”
- “looks purple on my skin”
- “very noticeable white cast”
Convenient sun protection Sometimes Noted
- “saves time in the morning”
- “easy way to get daily SPF”
- “good protection for everyday wear”
- “one step routine”
Difficult texture Sometimes Noted
- “feels like glue”
- “hard to spread evenly”
- “takes too much work to blend”
- “feels heavy and sticky”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “burns my eyes badly”
- “makes my eyes water all day”
- “stings if I sweat”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, ulta.com, cerave.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion one of the best fits for dry skin?
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is one of the best fits for dry skin because it provides superior hydration and barrier support with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides that effectively tackle dryness and flakiness. Niacinamide further helps improve skin texture and reduce redness, while the formula has a very safe profile with no harsh ingredients.
Which ingredients make this lotion a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, and ceramides make this lotion a great fit because they draw in moisture and help repair your skin barrier to tackle dryness and flakiness. Niacinamide also helps improve your skin texture and calms redness.
What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?
Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this lotion go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after a cleanser and a hydrating toner, before your sunscreen. In the evening, it is used as the final step after a cleanser and a treatment. A daily routine with a moisturizer helps significantly improve skin hydration and reduce dryness.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this lotion with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this lotion with retinol by applying the lotion after your retinol treatment in the evening, or as part of your morning routine before your sunscreen. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer helps reduce skin irritation and dryness while you use retinoids. This formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or irritating ingredients.
How often should I use this lotion?
You can use this moisturizer every morning as part of your daily routine to keep your dry skin hydrated and protected throughout the day. Regular daily use helps improve skin texture and supports your natural moisture barrier.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can this lotion clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This lotion is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its safe formula contains no harsh or irritating ingredients. It helps keep your skin smooth and protected without causing purging since it does not contain active ingredients that speed up skin cell renewal.
Is this lotion fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 2% niacinamide significantly decreased sebum excretion rate in Japanese individuals and casual sebum levels in Caucasian individuals compared to placebo or baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Externally applied substances such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, licorice extracts, dimethicone, petrolatum, and paraffin wax treat skin disease resulting from damage to the skin barrier.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Dimethicone, Bht, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methylparaben, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Aluminum Octenylsuccinate Starch, Disodium Edta, Propylparaben, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.