PRODUCT REVIEW: CERAVE HYDRATING SHEER SUNSCREEN SPF 30 FOR FACE AND BODY - Does CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen leave a white cast? Does CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen clog pores?
CERAVE | HYDRATING SHEER SUNSCREEN SPF 30 FOR FACE AND BODY
I consider my daily sunscreen the most important skincare product in my routine.
I learned the importance of consistent, effective suncare in my early 20s – at the start of my beauty career – and I’ve made sunscreen an essential part of my morning regimen every day since.
Now in my 50s, I can honestly say sunscreen has made the greatest difference. Not only do I not look my age, but when I look at my friends of the same age, or even younger, I know I made the right decision to take photodamage seriously. #noshade
Not only do I wear a sunscreen for face religiously, but I’ve long made a habit of wearing sunscreen around my eyes as well. There’s a reason why we all show signs of skin aging in our eye area first. Did you know the skin around your eyes is approximately ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of your face? That ultra thin skin is more susceptible to UV damage, which is why crow’s feet are the first wrinkles to appear in your early to mid-30s. Don’t kid yourself; sunglasses aren’t enough.
So sunscreen is no joke to me. I probably test-drive 20-30 facial sunscreens each year. Only a handful make my top picks of the best sunscreens for face – which you can explore on the blog here. The rest end up in my friends’ swag bags. Shhhh!
How do I determine whether a sunscreen makes the list? Well, it has to be well-formulated, comfortable on my skin, and I need to look forward to applying it. TBH I have to love it!
And the new CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body has really surprised me. It’s one of the best facial sunscreens I’ve come across this year.
Best Sunscreens
for Face
Why is sunscreen my most important skincare product – and the only one I consider indispensable? Because it’s anti-aging. Real anti-aging. In fact, a facial sunscreen is the single product I consider to be the best anti-aging cream, despite what big beauty marketers would have us all believe.
I don’t mean to imply that sunscreen is the only legitimate anti-aging skincare solution. Sure, a Retinol cream, a Vitamin C serum, a moisturizer with peptides, or a face serum with Niacinamide all have anti-aging benefits – both corrective and preventative. But nothing ages your skin more than photodamage, aka sun damage. And none of those actives are as effective at preventing skin aging as a result of unprotected UV exposure.
It’s always funny to me how beauty brands categorize “anti-aging” products and “suncare” products separately. A facial sunscreen is the most important, most effective, and best anti-aging face cream any brand can offer. There should be no separation or distinction between the two.
But that would hardly benefit their bottom lines.
FAVORITE SPF:
THE INKEY LIST POLYGLUTAMIC ACID DEWY SUNSCREEN SPF 30
In fact, most beauty companies treat suncare as an afterthought. As though it’s a favor to those of us who want to buy a sunscreen from the same brand we buy our cleanser and moisturizer.
Think about it. What are you willing to pay for a facial sunscreen vs. an anti-aging cream? Well, a quick search of the web and you’ll find that the average price of a facial sunscreen can vary widely depending on the brand, formulation, and other factors.
However, according to recent reviews and articles from consumer websites, the average cost of a facial sunscreen is between $10-$30 per ounce. Some luxury brands may charge significantly more than this, while mass market options cost far less.
And an anti-aging cream? Well, the sky’s the limit.
Conglomerates like The Estée Lauder Companies, L’Oreal and Shiseido have been built on the premise that they can charge higher prices for anti-aging creams and face serums to fix wrinkles that are made with mysterious actives concocted in a brainstorming session. The products don’t actually work to prevent or correct signs of aging.
FAVORITE SPF: LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS UV CORRECT SPF 70 DAILY LOTION SUNSCREEN
What works then? Marketing spin and massive budgets that drive product messaging and consumer perception. That is, they fool you into thinking it’s worth your money.
That’s the reason that the Estée Lauder brand La Mer can charge $200 for a one-ounce jar of Crème de la Mer Moisturizer that costs them about $10 to make. Two hundred dollars for a basic moisturizer with petrolatum (aka Vaseline) and seaweed extract – marketed by the company as “miracle broth”. The real miracle is that consumers continue to fall for it.
I long for a brand that classifies sunscreen in its anti-aging category. Navigate to “Anti-Aging” on the Sephora website and you’ll be presented with a selection of popular skincare products that’s so long it’s nearly impossible to count.
Among the first five anti-aging products suggested are one of the best Retinol face serums, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, the Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate Vitamin C serum, and even the Drunk Elephant
B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum. It’s a superb Hyaluronic Acid serum but hardly a product I would consider a top-five anti-aging treatment.
FAVORITE SPF:
SUPERGOOP! ULTRA DAILY DOSE VITAMIN C + SPF 40 SUNSCREEN SERUM PA+++
The first product recommendation that’s a facial sunscreen is the new Supergoop! Daily Dose Bioretinol + Mineral SPF 40 with Bakuchiol – the 25th product on the page. And I bet the reason that the Supergoop! Daily Dose Bioretinol is even on the list is because it features Bakuchiol, the acclaimed alternative to Retinol.
What all this does is condition the average consumer to think that they need a product that marketers promote as “anti-aging”. Sadly, sunscreen is not perceived as the most important product if you’re concerned about signs of aging. And a lot of people actually consider sunscreen optional.
I am certainly not among them. As I said, I like to find facial sunscreens I love so much that I look forward to topping off my skincare routine with them. Among these are The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30, the Supergoop! Daily Dose Vitamin C + SPF 40 Sunscreen and Cocokind’s Silk SPF Facial Sunscreen Fluid. You can find reviews of each of them on the blog here.
The latest addition to my collection of facial sunscreens I love is the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body. But before I get to my review of CeraVe’s new sunscreen below, I wanted to address some of the most frequently asked questions consumers have about it.
HAPPINESS IS AN ANTI-AGING PRODUCT THAT WORKS!
1. Does CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen leave a white cast?
To be clear, there are several CeraVe Hydrating sunscreen products for face and/or body. The CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face Lotion is a 100% mineral, oil-free sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Some users have reported that the CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face Lotion can leave a white cast, while others have found it to be lightweight and blendable. As with any sunscreen product, the white cast issue may be impacted by factors such as the amount applied, skin tone, and individual preferences.
The CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body (the subject of this blog article) is a hybrid sunscreen that relies on a blend of both chemical and mineral, or physical, filters. In my experience with it over the last month, I can say it leaves no white cast on my lighter skin. (That’s not the case with all mineral or hybrid facial sunscreens.)
However, there are mixed reviews online regarding whether the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body leaves a white cast. As has been my experience, some users have reported that it goes on sheer and does not leave any noticeable white residue. Others have noted a slight white cast, particularly on darker skin tones.
Sources: [1] https://www.influenster.com/reviews/cerave-hydrating-mineral-sunscreen-spf-50-face-lotion-25 [2] https://www.ulta.com/hydrating-mineral-sunscreen-spf-50-face-lotion?productId=pimprod2018349 [3] https://www.skincancer.org/blog/ask-the-expert-do-mineral-sunscreens-leave-a-white-cast/
2. Is CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen chemical or physical?
The CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body (the subject of this blog article) is a hybrid sunscreen that relies on a blend of both chemical and mineral, or physical, filters.
The CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face Lotion is a 100% mineral, oil-free sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
The CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Sheer Tint is a 100% mineral sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide that CeraVe claims is non-greasy, suitable for sensitive skin, and “seamlessly blends into all skin tones.”
3. Does CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen clog pores?
Whether or not a skincare product clogs pores and is rated “non-comedogenic,” is more complex than you may think. First, what does non-comedogenic mean?
The term “non-comedogenic” refers to products that do not clog pores or cause acne. More specifically, the experts on Healthline explain that non-comedogenic refers to “products that are formulated so as not to cause blocked pores, which can lead to acne breakouts.”
One way to validate whether or not a skincare product is non-comedogenic is to check the ingredient list for known comedogenic ingredients; that is, ingredients known to potentially clog pores. That’s intentionally vague because an ingredient that clogs your pores may not clog mine, particularly if your skin is oily. The American Academy of Dermatology provides a list of common comedogenic ingredients to look out for if oily skin and clogged pores pertain to you. These include: cocoa butter, lanolin, or coconut oil.
A quick check of the INCI of the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body and you’ll find no cocoa butter, lanolin, or coconut oil in the formula. However, a derivative of coconut oil, coco-caprylate/caprate, is listed as ingredient number three. According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice research team, while coconut oil itself is comedogenic and can clog pores, coco-caprylate/caprate is considered non-comedogenic.
Another way to determine whether a skincare product is non-comedogenic is to look for products that explicitly state “non-comedogenic” on the label or on the product page of the brand’s website. Brands like CeraVe are permitted to use the term “non-comedogenic” for products that have undergone testing to ensure they are not likely to cause acne or clog pores.
The CeraVe website does state the following on the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 product page: “Lightweight, non-comedogenic formula: Won’t clog pores.”
4. Which brand sunscreen is best?
There are two key factors in determining the best facial sunscreen for you. The first is efficacy – how well-formulated it is. While the US FDA hasn’t kept up with new sun filter innovations which are widely available in Europe and Asia, they do an excellent job of assuring formula efficacy. That means if you purchase a sunscreen in the US, its efficacy is essentially a sure thing.
That being the case, if all sunscreens in the US are effective, then the sole remaining factor (beyond price) is texture and preference. I always say it’s essential to find a sunscreen you love so much you’ll use it every morning. And loving a sunscreen is entirely subjective!
I try upwards of 30 facial sunscreens per year. A select few have risen to the top as exceptional to me. Browse my top picks of the best sunscreens for face on the blog here.
Among those I consider the best facial sunscreens are:
THE INKEY LIST POLYGLUTAMIC ACID DEWY SUNSCREEN SPF 30
The brand’s first widely distributed, FDA-approved sunscreen is a brightener, hydrator and facial sunscreen in one. I love its ridiculously dewy finish that lasts all day. It’s free of fragrance, drying alcohol, is comfortable on your skin all day long – and is $14.99.
NATURIUM DEW-GLOW MOISTURIZER SPF 50
For just $22, it is one of the most affordable and well-formulated facial sunscreens. I love its high SPF 50 protection and its potent cocktail of antioxidant Vitamin C and Niacinamide. It has a thicker texture ideal for normal and dry skin types – or all skins in the cold.
SUPERGOOP! DAILY DOSE VITAMIN C SERUM SPF 40
The original Supergoop! Daily Dose with Vitamin C is one of my favorite sunscreens of all time. I’m literally ecstatic when smoothing it over my face in the morning. The silky serum transforms on your skin to give you what appears to be a radiant veil that lasts for hours. I’ve never experienced anything like it – including the brand’s two other Daily Dose sunscreens.
5. Product Review
CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body Review
I first discovered CeraVe’s new Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body about six weeks ago. And I was smitten from the very first time I applied it. It’s spring here in Brooklyn and, even though I wear sunscreen every day of the year, I do tend to step up my curiosity in the weeks before summer hits.
Plus, I’ve been on a CeraVe kick lately. The brand has been a TikTok sensation and I was experiencing a certain degree of #fomo.
Two weeks ago, I posted my CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum product review. For $22, it’s a good-enough Retinol face serum with a mid-strength 0.3% concentration of what is considered the best anti-aging ingredient for wrinkle correction. I love the silky serum’s texture and layer-ability; but the addition of drying denatured alcohol mortifies me. That’s problematic for the skin and certainly for those with sensitive skin – the brand’s target consumer. Again, it’s good enough. I had a similar experience with CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum.
Catch my CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum review on the blog here and my CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum review here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: CERAVE RESURFACING RETINOL SERUM
And while I had kind of an underwhelming experience with the brand’s Retinol face serum and Vitamin C serum, my experience with the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body has been entirely positive. In fact, the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 has shot near the top of my 2023 list of fave facial sunscreens.
But the product can be easily confused with two others the brand offers. For some reason, CeraVe has three similarly sounding facial sunscreens – not the smartest marketing strategy for consumers who are shopping off the shelf, unassisted. Two are 100% mineral sunscreens and the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body is a hybrid sunscreen, meaning it protects your skin with both chemical and mineral UV filters.
The UV protection in the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 is comprised of the following: 6% Homosalate, 5% Octisalate, 5% Octocrylene, and 7% Zinc oxide – the formula’s lone mineral sunscreen filter.
Personally, I always prefer a mineral sunscreen. TBH I don’t care so much that chemical filters in a sunscreen would be a dealbreaker for me – whether the product is all-chemical or a hybrid of the two.
If I love it, I’ll use it.
And I really love the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body! It’s the whole package for me. It’s a pleasure to use, it’s well-formulated, and it’s affordable – at about $18.
Oh, that texture! It would make more sense if the product were called a fluid – and it would help to differentiate this one from the others. The texture is ever-so-slightly thicker than other popular fluid sunscreens.
If you’re familiar with the iconic Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk, which I’ve reviewed multiple times on the blog, you know what I’m referring to. The Kiehl’s Super Fluid Daily UV Defense Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ (which I named in my work at Kiehl’s!) and the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Face Sunscreen also have similar fluid textures.
DO YOU LOVE YOUR SUNSCREEN?
All three of these best-selling sunscreens are a bit thinner than CeraVe’s Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body – but not by much.
That light fluid-like texture smooths on your skin like a milky serum, making it an ideal sunscreen for warmer climates and the kind of hot, humid days we get here in NYC in the late spring and throughout the summer. There’s nothing worse than being on the subway on a 90-degree August day. That means it’s going to be even hotter on the subway platform. And sweat runs down your face like water in the shower!
On days like that, I don’t want anything heavy on my skin – and as crazy as it sounds, I often skip applying a moisturizer. My entire AM skincare routine will often consist of just serums, all sealed in by a super lightweight sunscreen.
Because I’m all about comfort in extreme heat, the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 is perfect for days like that. Fortunately, I haven’t put it to the test under those extreme conditions just yet.
And, you may now be thinking, is the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 water-resistant?
The answer is yes. According to the brand, the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body offers SPF 30 broad-spectrum protection and is water-resistant up to 80 minutes.
What about the finish? Well, as I said, it has a fluid texture that applies like a serum. It starts out white on the skin and is easily massaged in as it fully absorbs. You’re left with a dewy, hydrated complexion. It’s non-greasy and feels weightless, with no sunscreen smell – which I find intriguing considering it’s formulated with four chemical filters and nary a drop of fragrance. It’s almost a marvel to me that the L’Oreal labs in New Jersey pulled that off!
The formula contains two humectants – Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate – that help to hydrate skin and prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). Ahem, I’ll need that during my waterworks sessions on the subway platform!
Of course, as all CeraVe products do, the Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 contains replenishing ceramides that further help to keep skin balanced and moisturized. Oh, there’s also a touch of antioxidant Niacinamide at probably a 2% concentration. Bonus points for that.
I really love this stuff.
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body is a really well-formulated facial sunscreen and a ridiculous pleasure to use. I love its super lightweight fluid texture and weightless feel on my skin. Free of alcohol and fragrance, it’s among the best sunscreens for sensitive skin, oily skin, and all skins on a hot, humid day.
What I don’t like about it: Honestly, I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body for $17.99 here.
The Ingredient List of the CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30 for Face and Body:
sunsc 0 1
sii|h 0 0, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate emo, Propanediol solv|h, Butyloctyl Salicylate solv, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer vc, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Steareth-20 emu|surf 1 2, Ceramide NP sii, Ceramide AP sii, Ceramide EOP sii, Sorbitan Isostearate emu 0 1-2, Carbomer vc 0 1, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Behentrimonium Methosulfate surf, Triethyl Citrate perf, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Cholesterol sii|emo 0 0, Chlorphenesin pres|amic, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Citric Acid buff, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Xanthan Gum vc, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Polyhydroxystearic Acid emu, Polysorbate 60 emu|surf, Benzoic Acid pres
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