“It Healed My Chronically Dry Lips” — R29 Editors Test CeraVe’s New Ointment

In this house, it’s a big event when CeraVe announces a new product. And by “house”, I mean R29 HQ, and by “big news”, I mean I’m inundated with requests to be amongst the first to test it out. This is exactly what happened when CeraVe announced that it was finally bringing its Advanced Repair Ointment (£11) to the UK. It’s already a viral sensation across the pond for its soothing, hydrating powers. (In fact, according to the brand, it’s been its most requested release to date!)

Housed in an unassuming dark blue tube (as is CeraVe’s way — it’s not one for fanciful packaging) is a thick, multitasking gel developed to hydrate and protect the skin barrier as well as ease and heal conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It’s easy to draw comparisons with other petroleum jelly products, such as Vaseline, but the CeraVe ointment is formulated with hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into the skin and — much like many other CeraVe products — ceramides: Fatty acids that act like a glue binding our cells together, protecting the skin’s natural barrier and its ability to retain moisture. Add in the petrolatum, and you have a pretty solid waterproof barrier, locking away all the nourishing, moisturising goodness that our skin tends to lose during winter.

Is all the hype from our American friends justified? Is this the answer to our dry winter skin woes? To find out, four R29 editors received samples before Christmas, spending over a month putting the ointment through its paces. Read on for our thoughts.

“When I say that I’ve tried more or less everything to heal my chronically dry lips, I’m not exaggerating. There’s been ‘lip flooding’, ‘lip basting’ and ‘lip slugging’; I’ve tried overnight lip masks and various lip oils; I’ve seen dermatologists for advice and have even considered injectable lip balm. While some of these hacks and products provide respite for a while, they’re often time consuming (and very sticky).

“Though I’m a fan of CeraVe (its Moisturising Cream and Hydrating Cleanser are staples in my skincare routine), I didn’t hold out much hope for Advanced Repair Ointment. That’s mainly because I had previously tried Aquaphor and Vaseline to no avail, and the unctuous texture is very similar. The difference here, though, is that this ointment boasts two things that skincare experts believe all good moisturising products should contain: humectants, which draw moisture into the skin (in this instance, hyaluronic acid) and emollients, which keep that moisture under lock and key (here, that’s ceramides).

“Applying just a dab of this stuff regularly throughout the day has minimised flaky pieces of skin and banished the uncomfortable tightness, which is usually a marker of dehydrated skin. Even better, it has the power to quell soreness instantly. My handbag looks like a graveyard for half-used lip balms, but going forward, this is the only lip product I’m going to carry on me at all times. It really is excellent, and the best part is it can be used anywhere, even on nails and cuticles.”

“Since a few winters ago, every year without fail the corners of my lips split from the dryness and cold weather. I apply lip balm religiously and always feel hyper-conscious of that area when it happens. It takes ages to heal because every time I yawn or eat something like a burger, the split happens again.

“Now, the packaging on this CeraVe product is boring and medicinal — I don’t feel inclined to reach for it on looks alone — but the formula inside is well worth a go. It looks like Vaseline, but the ingredients are smarter, and it feels less gloopy on the lips. Rather than just providing a protective seal over the top of lips, I’m convinced it nourishes, too. Because, when I apply it before bed, my split lips look that bit better in the morning than they do with my other lip balms. It is heavy-duty though, so I only apply it at night. Writing this now, my lips have healed (temporarily I’m sure), and while I don’t think that’s entirely down to this one product, I do think the healing process sped up a little when this got added to my nighttime routine.”

“As a long-term eczema sufferer, I’m always keen (albeit hesitant!) to try new skincare products that claim to repair my very sensitive, very dry skin — I’m a fussy client because even the simplest of ingredients can set off a reaction. But all in the name of journalism! Winter is the worst time of year for my skin, and I’m always looking for hero products that will help. If you have sensitive skin, read on.

“The first time I tried the CeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment I was impressed by its ability to coat the skin. It feels protective and heavy duty. While it seems super effective at hydrating my dry, previously chapped and/or inflamed skin, it seemed to irritate it in areas where I was experiencing an eczema flare-up — which is not rare. (During a flare-up almost anything but Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion, £10.50, makes it worse). 

“While I already drown my body in hyaluronic acid daily, the addition of ceramides to my routine is a welcome one, helping as a preventative measure rather than a solution to dry, infected skin. My advice: Apply a little often to dry areas, but if there is an infection or flare up, expect some stinging. Depending on how your skin reacts, it will either sting as it works or sting as it makes your skin worse. Do a patch test on a little area to see how you react.”

“This tube is a bit of magic. I admit, it’s taken me a while to come around to it — sure, after slathering on my dry lips night after night and waking up to baby-soft skin, I was almost sold. Despite the extra-hydrating goodness that CeraVe promises (added ceramides and hyaluronic acid), I’ve had much the same experience with a simple pot of £1.80 Vaseline or £2.49 Nivea Creme, another winter favourite. So why make way for yet another product on my bathroom vanity?

“This past weekend though CeraVe saved my skin (literally!). Out for a long countryside walk, my usually trusty lululemon leggings had split down the crotch, and I ended up rubbing my thighs raw before getting to our destination and realising the true extent of my injuries. Now, if you’ve ever experienced inner-thigh chafing then you know that this is a pain like no other, especially halfway through a six-mile hike in the middle of nowhere with a winter gale blowing right through you. Luckily, I had my bottle of CeraVe ointment in my bag, so I rubbed a very generous amount on my thighs and prayed to the skincare gods for a miracle. The squeeze-tube packaging made this so much easier and I didn’t have to worry about wasting excess product or getting germs into the product.

“In the end, I saved myself a lot of discomfort on the walk back and, my thighs (which were red raw and raised, with lots of little angry dots) are pretty much almost healed after applying religiously every few hours. I’ll be putting a lot more respect on the Advanced Repair Ointment’s name, that’s for sure! In fact, since doing some digging, the TikTok girlies are saying that this helps soothe and minimise acne scarring, which, as a nervous picker, I am in desperate need of. I’ll continue to use it not just on my lips and will report back.”