With my skin care products, I am not monogamous. In fact, even when I find “the one” – a product that makes a visible difference in the clarity or texture of my skin – I’m looking for the next best thing as soon as the last drop of product hits my fingertips. There must be something that will make my skin even better than this, I will think of myself. And so the search for skin care products begins again.
Last summer, my skin care routine and I had a good time until the videos started to complete my TikTok “For You” page about the humble and affordable CeraVe pharmacy brand, whose products were sold in pharmacies across the country. At first he was confused. I used CeraVe products in 2007 and, although I liked face washes and moisturizers, I switched to better (and, of course, more expensive) products. Was it the same tried and true CeraVe that I knew? And, just like the good consumer I am, the lack of the product made me want CeraVe even more.
The coveted status of CeraVe can be traced back to TikTok skinfluencer Hyram Yarbro aka @ SkincarebyHyram – which boasts almost 7 million followers on TikTok alone. His numerous reviews of CeraVe products indicate why the brand’s salicylic acid ingredients are ideal for acne-prone skin and why CeraVe’s non-stripping moisturizing cleanser is best for dry and sensitive skin. While Yarbro is not a dermatologist, he has gained trust and loyal follow-up from a Gen-Z audience, acting as an industry whistleblower, reducing marketing talk and prioritizing skin health through an ingredient-conscious diet. And while caution is needed from a one-size-fits-all approach, transmitted to thousands or millions of people in videos of bitten size, Yarbro, and other nonsense, the informative approach is compelling. They give viewers a sense of agency to make their own decisions.
On my next trip to the pharmacy for something unrelated, I passed the skin care section and couldn’t help but notice CeraVe waiting for me on the shelf. I picked up a bottle of moisturizing face cleanser, which was, to my surprise, all in stock. This accessibility, I thought, was supposed to contribute to the meteoric growth of the brand. Go to any pharmacy and – unless there is another sold-out frenzy – you can have CeraVe instantly. Don’t wait for your order to arrive online.
Now, the months have passed and they are reaching the last drops of the CeraVe summer acquisition. But this time, I feel like I’m not ready to give up yet. Although I don’t have a transformation before and after that it could go viral, the TikTok hype wasn’t wrong. My dry skin looks good (and less dry) after constantly using a moisturizing cleanser. I could go back to my ways of hunting for something better, but should I stay with my trusted CeraVe, tried and true? While some of the other products in my skin care regimen are expensive (keep in mind that not all brands have economies of scale, so while CeraVe is affordable this doesn’t mean you can expect the same with excellent quality from each brand), I intend to stick with the affordable face wash of CeraVe for another round.
