Cerave contains way too much glycerin????
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Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:40 pm

So I've been using cerave lotion and Cerave pm and cerave cleanser. I just looked at the ingredients and glycerin was at the number 2 position behind water.

According to many different websites/studies, glycerin at high concentrations is actually bad for your skin because it pulls water out of it.

That's too bad. All the other ingredients look great and it is a good price. Does anyone know of a moisturizer with niacinamide and ceramides at a cerave price?

free skin care · Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:40 pm

Cerave PM has a strong following. I've used it myself many times. I see no reason to be concerned.

Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:31 pm

The following quotes from a respected cosmetic chemist here led me to believe that too much glycerin in a formulation will have adverse effects on moisturizing the skin.

Quote:

It is a common mistake that many cosmetic formulators fall victim to when creating "moisturizing" products.

Glycerin is a humectant, and a very good one at that. It draws moisture to itself. When used in very small amounts in a formula, and when teamed with other moisturizers liked hydrolyzed jojoba esters, it can help create a 24 hour moisturizing product.

BUT...when added in an excessive amount to a formula with the mistaken idea that it will be a "better moisturizer", it can actually dry your skin out even further. It will draw moisture right out of your skin.

Be wary of "Moisturizing" products that use too much glycerin. They can, and will, dry your skin out further.

Quote:
An optimum loading for glycerin in a formula is usually 1% to 3%. This is best for drawing moisture from the atmosphere, to the skin rather than from the skin, to the atmosphere.

Remember, glycerin is a dirt cheap commodity product. It is just pennies per kilogram, so its easy to "overload" in a formula just to save cost. But overloading can draw moisture away from your skin in this case.

If it is in the ingredients list in second, third, or even fourth position, there is a chance it is overloaded in a formula.

And this thorough post referencing many studies proving glycerin draws water away from the skin at high concentrations, and especially in low humid climates...

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2012/02/question-does-glycerin-draw-water-from.html?m=1

Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:32 pm

Husid

free skin care · Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:42 pm

Your overthinking it concerning glycerin. I saw your same post over at skincaretalk.com I agree with the advice you were given there.

free skin care · Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:16 am

I used cerave cleanser for about 3 months and I had to stop because even though I liked it and it was not breaking me out, I believe some ingredient (I think the hyaluronic acid) was doing some damage to my skin and wrinkles and fine lines were forming and existing ones were getting deeper. I think the hyaluronic acid is the culprit because i had experience with another hyaluronic acid product doing this and then I read online that products with this ingredient should be used only if you live in a humid environment or use a humidifier nightly then it should be fine but in dry climate it worsens the skin I think. I'm not the only one to have noticed wrinkles getting worse from
The use of their cleansers, someone else I've spoken to on this board who used the cleanser for 2-3 years in a country of dry climate has had the same effects as well, but more extensively given the duration of time.

Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:56 am

Quote:

I used cerave cleanser for about 3 months and I had to stop because even though I liked it and it was not breaking me out, I believe some ingredient (I think the hyaluronic acid) was doing some damage to my skin and wrinkles and fine lines were forming and existing ones were getting deeper. I think the hyaluronic acid is the culprit because i had experience with another hyaluronic acid product doing this and then I read online that products with this ingredient should be used only if you live in a humid environment or use a humidifier nightly then it should be fine but in dry climate it worsens the skin I think. I'm not the only one to have noticed wrinkles getting worse from
The use of their cleansers, someone else I've spoken to on this board who used the cleanser for 2-3 years in a country of dry climate has had the same effects as well, but more extensively given the duration of time.

Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid are both humectants and do the same thing. Hyaluronic Acis is way down on the ingredients list for their cleansers and moisturizers. It is the Glycerin that is causing what you describe, if it is the cause at all. Because Glycerin is very high on the ingredients list on all of their products.

free skin care · Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:10 pm

stillerfan21 wrote:

Quote:

I used cerave cleanser for about 3 months and I had to stop because even though I liked it and it was not breaking me out, I believe some ingredient (I think the hyaluronic acid) was doing some damage to my skin and wrinkles and fine lines were forming and existing ones were getting deeper. I think the hyaluronic acid is the culprit because i had experience with another hyaluronic acid product doing this and then I read online that products with this ingredient should be used only if you live in a humid environment or use a humidifier nightly then it should be fine but in dry climate it worsens the skin I think. I'm not the only one to have noticed wrinkles getting worse from
The use of their cleansers, someone else I've spoken to on this board who used the cleanser for 2-3 years in a country of dry climate has had the same effects as well, but more extensively given the duration of time.

Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid are both humectants and do the same thing. Hyaluronic Acis is way down on the ingredients list for their cleansers and moisturizers. It is the Glycerin that is causing what you describe, if it is the cause at all. Because Glycerin is very high on the ingredients list on all of their products.

Thank you for your response, I appreciate what you wrote. For me, I really do believe the hyaluronic acid is causing the wrinkles, it makes sense too based off what I read. I've used another product that had hyaluronic acid and had the exact same results. I also used a makeup powder which contained it and had the same results. For me, it doesn't matter where on the ingredient list it is, I don't pay attention to what order on the list because I have found through buying and using a lot of skin products that even what seems like the smallest ingredient, can really be an important factor in what's helping or hurting my skin....but I also have sensitive skin. I absolutely don't believe the glycerin is the problem, on the contrary, I truly believe the glycerin is the part that my skin loves about the cleanser. Unfortunately, this cleanser sucks for me overall because it has benefits where my skin looks amazing texture-wise and it looks healthier but then there is slight wrinkling also which is clearly happening from an ingredient that is doing damage. When I use a humidifier and the Cerave cleanser, the issues are eliminated after a week of using a humidifier and slight wrinkling starts to disappear and everything looks plumper. But I can't use a humidifer every night, I hate it and it's not so healthy to be doing all the time and it makes my sinus issues worse. I don't know too much though and this is just my experience so I'm open to hearing more about why you think the glycerin is the problem. May I ask, doesn't micellar water have a lot of glycerin?

free skin care · Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:21 pm

Found this info, similar to what I had read a few times in the past on HA:

Dr. Leslie Baumann (noted dermatologist and author of "The Skin Type Solution") claims that hyaluronic acid, when applied topically, actually can dry out the skin. Increasing hyaluronic acid IN the skin will increase moisture in the skin, but applied topically it just sits on the surface of the skin(since the molecule is too large to penetrate the skin) and draws water out of the skin, since the molecule does attract water to it so effectively. If this occurs, it may tend to dry the skin as Dr. Baumann states. Dr. Howard Murad has taken a different approach: increase the body's natural production of hyaluronic acid by taking the right supplements. One of those supplements is glucosamine sulfate, which is a precursor to hyaluronic acid. He claims that glucosamine can increase HA production...

http://www.smartskincare.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2236&view=next

I got this from that thread link and the person on this thread said they ended up using glycerin instead of the HA they had been using and the skin dryness issues went away.

I'm convinced it's the same for me...if that pesky HA was taken out of the ingredients it would be a perfect gentle cleanser!

free skin care · Tue Mar 17, 2015 6:43 am

When I use just pure HA for treatments I do find it dries my skin out, no moisture effect at all. It is only when there are other ingredients with it does my skin have any chance of being moisturized.

free skin care · Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:10 pm

pokerlady888 wrote:

I used cerave cleanser for about 3 months and I had to stop because even though I liked it and it was not breaking me out, I believe some ingredient (I think the hyaluronic acid) was doing some damage to my skin and wrinkles and fine lines were forming and existing ones were getting deeper. I think the hyaluronic acid is the culprit because i had experience with another hyaluronic acid product doing this and then I read online that products with this ingredient should be used only if you live in a humid environment or use a humidifier nightly then it should be fine but in dry climate it worsens the skin I think. I'm not the only one to have noticed wrinkles getting worse from
The use of their cleansers, someone else I've spoken to on this board who used the cleanser for 2-3 years in a country of dry climate has had the same effects as well, but more extensively given the duration of time.

i am really glad this thread came up! since washing my face with it i swear ive been getting more fine lines. could you recommend anything for dry extremely sensitive skin that might work similar but without glycerin and hyaluronic acid?

free skin care · Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:55 am

khaleesi wrote:

pokerlady888 wrote:

I used cerave cleanser for about 3 months and I had to stop because even though I liked it and it was not breaking me out, I believe some ingredient (I think the hyaluronic acid) was doing some damage to my skin and wrinkles and fine lines were forming and existing ones were getting deeper. I think the hyaluronic acid is the culprit because i had experience with another hyaluronic acid product doing this and then I read online that products with this ingredient should be used only if you live in a humid environment or use a humidifier nightly then it should be fine but in dry climate it worsens the skin I think. I'm not the only one to have noticed wrinkles getting worse from
The use of their cleansers, someone else I've spoken to on this board who used the cleanser for 2-3 years in a country of dry climate has had the same effects as well, but more extensively given the duration of time.

i am really glad this thread came up! since washing my face with it i swear ive been getting more fine lines. could you recommend anything for dry extremely sensitive skin that might work similar but without glycerin and hyaluronic acid?

Hey khaleesi, there are plenty of products that don't contain either, try to do some research by either typing in google or picking out brands and checking their product list and ingredients for each product. You could look into Clinique Take the Day Off Balm followed by Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser.

free skin care · Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:58 am

AnnieR wrote:

When I use just pure HA for treatments I do find it dries my skin out, no moisture effect at all. It is only when there are other ingredients with it does my skin have any chance of being moisturized.

Thanks for telling us your experience. Had you ever tried the Cerave Moisturizing cleanser? I would love to know what products you currently use with hyaluronic acid that have not given you the drying effect, if you could post!

free skin care · Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:30 am

I love the Hydra Cool Serum from IS Clinical (and the Phyto C equivalent) and Baby Face has a good HA serum that isn't pricey.
I have never used the Cerave cleanser, just have a big tub of the cream that I use in a pinch. It isn't my go to as far as first choice but just on occasion.

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