I am not monogamous with my skincare products. In fact, even when I find ‘the one’ – a product that makes a noticeable difference in the clarity or texture of my skin – I am even looking for the next best thing, once the last drop of product reaches my fingertips. There must definitely be something that can make my skin even better than this, I think to myself. And so the search for skin care products starts again.
Last summer, my skincare routine and I had a good thing until videos started filling my TikTok “For You” page about the humble, affordable drugstore brand CeraVe, whose products sold out in drugstores across the country. It was confusing at first. I used CeraVe products in 2007 and while I liked their facial cleanser and moisturizers, I had switched to better (and, admittedly, more expensive) products. Was this the same tried and true CeraVe that I knew? And just like the good consumer that I am, the scarcity of the product made me want CeraVe even more.
CeraVe’s coveted status can be traced back to TikTok skin fluencer Hyram Yarbro aka @ SkincarebyHyram – which has nearly 7 million followers on TikTok alone. His many 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, sensitive skin. While not a dermatologist, Yarbro has gained confidence and a loyal following from a Gen-Z audience by acting as an industry whistleblower, breaking marketing language, and prioritizing skin health through an ingredient-conscious regimen . And while caution is required with a one-size-fits-all approach beamed to thousands or millions of people in bite-sized videos, the no-nonsense, informative approach taken by Yarbro and other skin fluencer is compelling. They give viewers a sense of freedom of choice to make their own decisions.
On my next visit to the pharmacy for something unrelated, I walked past the skincare department and couldn’t help but have the CeraVe waiting for me on the shelf. I picked up a bottle of the hydrating facial cleanser, which to my surprise was all in stock. This accessibility, I thought, should contribute to the rapid rise of the brand. Walk into a drugstore and – unless there’s another sold-out frenzy – you can have CeraVe right away. You don’t have to wait for your online order to arrive.
Now months have passed and I’m on the last drops of my CeraVe purchase over the summer. But this time I feel like I’m not ready to let it go. While I don’t have a before and after transformation that could go viral, the TikTok hype wasn’t wrong. My dry skin looks good (and less dry) after using the moisturizing cleanser consistently. I could return to my quest-for-something-better, but should I stick to my reliable, time-tested CeraVe? While some of the other products in my skincare program are expensive (keep in mind that not all brands have the economies of scale, so while CeraVe has an affordable price, that doesn’t mean you can expect the same with high quality from every brand), I am I plan to stick with CeraVe’s affordable facial cleanser for another round.
