CeraVe is one of the most popular and affordable skincare brands. One of the brand’s most popular products is called Resurfacing Retinol Serum, and it's used to “help resurface skin” that’s damaged due to “acne marks and uneven skin tone.”
But does CeraVe’s retinol serum contain ingredients proven to heal skin? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? And is CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum better or worse than popular retinol serums like Le Mieux Retinol Serum?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum based on clinical studies to give our take on whether or not the product is likely to be effective for resurfacing skin, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also compare CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum to other popular retinol-based skincare products to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Contains many active ingredients that improve skin quality
- Contains a preservative combination we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend CeraVe Resufacing Retinol Serum
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum are shown below:
Retinol is one of the key active ingredients, and is a form of vitamin A that’s one of the most well-studied skincare ingredients.
A medical review published in the Advances in Dermatology and Allergology journal found that topical retinol causes new collagen formation and improves skin elasticity, both effects that should help resurface skin damaged by acne scars or uneven skin tone.
Niacinamide was shown to restore skin barrier function in a 2004 medical review.
Ceramide NP and ceramide AP are ceramides (from which CeraVe gets its brand name), and are shown in medical studies to improve skin hydration and skin barrier function.
Dimethicone is a safe and non-toxic skin moisturizer.
Clearly, this serum contains a number of effective ingredients. It also contains two ingredients we recommend avoiding when used in combination.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative found to be toxic to human cells in a test tube trial, as we documented in our Introstem reviews article.
Ethylhexylglycerin "enhances the toxic effect" of phenoxyethanol, according to a clinical trial published in the PLOS One journal.
Overall, we consider CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum to be a highly effective formulation and likely to help repair skin.
We don’t currently recommend the product due to the inclusion of two synthetic preservatives highlighted above.
Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs. Popular Retinol Products
Here's how CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum compares to other popular retinol-based cosmetics in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Le Mieux Retinol Serum
Contains phospholipids, which are clinically shown to enhance delivery and bioavailability of other active ingredients in skincare formulations.
This product contains no inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy.
Winner: Le Mieux Retinol Serum
RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream
RoC Eye Cream is a retinol-based eye cream which contains BHT; a synthetic preservative clinically shown to be toxic.
The inactive ingredient profile of RoC Eye Cream is worse from a health perspective.
Winner: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair
This brand's retinol serum contains the same preservative combination as in CeraVe's serum.
Both products contain multiple research-backed active ingredients, so we consider potential efficacy to be equivalent.
Winner: Tie
Our Clean Skincare Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Resurfacing Retinol Serum Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Supports new collagen formation
- Supports skin barrier repair
- Many research-backed active ingredients
- Affordable
- Highly positive online customer reviews
- Reputable brand
Cons:
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
- Contains phenoxyethanol
- Contains ethylhexylglycerin
