In 1884 the chemist J.L.W. Thudichum, working out the chemical makeup of the brain, isolated a family of fatty compounds that refused to explain themselves. He named them after the Sphinx of Greek mythology, because their function was a riddle. The word ceramide came decades later, but it belongs to the family he named. So the barrier fat in your favorite moisturizer started out as a puzzle a Victorian chemist could not solve. A riddle that ended up in a jar.

The case for CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is that the whole brand can be read off that one jar. Dermatologists founded the brand to make barrier repair simple, and the Moisturizing Cream was one of the three launch products, alongside a lotion and a hydrating cleanser. It is built on three ceramides, 1, 3 and 6-II, plus fatty acids, and the brand says its MVE technology releases them gradually over 24 hours. The Ve in the name comes from that. The National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance sits on the label, and L'Oréal bought the brand from Valeant in 2017.

The trick is to see the rest of the body range as variations on that idea. The Baby Moisturizing Cream is the same logic for a different person. The Intensive Moisturizing Cream and Lotion go richer, and the Healing Ointment Skin Protectant is the heaviest option here. The SA Lotion and SA Cream are for rough and bumpy skin, and the Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the light everyday layer.

Here is how I would choose a face moisturizer from this line: by the hour. Morning and night ask for different things, and CeraVe is one of the few brands that makes that split easy.

The AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 is the morning one, sunscreen already built in. The PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is the night version. For oilier skin, the Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel and the Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 go lighter, and the Oil Control Moisturizing Gel-Cream is aimed squarely at that same skin type. The Skin Renewing Day Cream with SPF 30 and the Skin Renewing Night Cream sit further along, with more actives on top of the ceramides. The Resurfacing Retinol Cream adds retinol to the same barrier-first base.

A pairing I like: the Skin Renewing Day Cream in the morning and the plain PM lotion at night, which keeps the active where it belongs and the barrier support where it counts.

What I would skip: the retinol cream in the same week you start another retinoid or a strong exfoliating acid. The ceramide base is kind, but it does not cancel out two actives fighting for the same skin.

Start with the cleanser, because it is the one step that never gets skipped and the easiest to get wrong. CeraVe splits it by skin type, which makes the choice much less of a guessing game.

The Hydrating Facial Cleanser is for normal to dry skin, the Foaming Facial Cleanser is for normal to oily, and the Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser sits between them for people who want something between the two textures. The Hydrating Facial Toner is a newer step for anyone who likes one between cleansing and serum. On the serum side, the Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum is the gentle one, the Skin Renewing Retinol Serum is the night one, and the Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum is the morning one. The Eye Repair Cream is the specialist, built for dark circles and puffiness.

A pairing I like: the hydrating cleanser at night and the vitamin C serum in the morning, then a face moisturizer from the previous group. That is a full system in a handful of small bottles.

What I would skip: the foaming cleanser on skin that already feels tight by noon. The hydrating one is made for exactly that.

A habit worth borrowing: read a barrier cream's label for the word ceramide first, then for what else the jar has been asked to do. The best ones are simple, and the rest are simple with extras.

AESTURA's ATOBARRIER365 Cream and innisfree's Green Tea Ceramide Cream come from Korean skincare's own take on barrier repair. Drunk Elephant's Lala Retro and Farmacy's Honey Halo are the richer, more indulgent versions, still built around ceramides. Skinfix's eczema+ cream and The INKEY List's Bio-Active Ceramide moisturizer are both made with sensitive and eczema-prone skin in mind. Paula's Choice's RESIST Barrier Repair is the one to reach for if visible aging is also on your list, and Dr. Jart+'s Ceramidin Ectoin Cream adds ectoin next to its ceramides.

A pairing I like: one of the lighter ceramide gels in the morning and one of the richer creams at night. Barrier care rarely needs the same weight twice.

What I would skip: swapping among barrier creams every week. A cream needs a few weeks of your skin's attention before you can tell what it is doing, and this group is deep enough to tempt you into constant change.

I think the jar is still a reasonable place to start if your skin is dry, sensitive or run-down, and it earns the eczema seal on its label. Use the pump if you apply it daily and would rather not dip a finger in. Add a lighter face formula if your face wants less than your body does, and a cleanser from the same line if you want the whole system. Whichever ceramide cream you choose, the job is the same: hold on to moisture and keep the barrier intact. Thudichum called his fats a riddle. The jar, at least, is not one.

 

If you are pairing this cream with an acne wash, I explained how I would start the CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser once a day.