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Original poster

Cetaphil- Caroline Hirons review

50 replies

JAB2012 · 03/09/2016 18:45

I love her blog and she doesn't have a good word to say about Cetaphil. She mentions cerave in the similar products bit... I just bought a bottle when I was in the states recently. I bought it because it said it had ceramides and hylaronic acid in it but looking at the ingredient list it seems to contain a lot of variations of alcohol. Are these products similar? Am I better of not using it? I have fairly sensitive skin. Any views appreciated! And why are they recommended by dermatologists if they are rubbish for the skin?

OP posts:

LakeFlyPie · 03/09/2016 19:13

I haven't read CH's review but having tried a lot of her recommendations for rosacea (which I've developed over last few years) I've found Cetaphil is the only cleanser (and moisturiser) which doesn't aggravate my redness. The added bonus is it's a fraction of the price of the potions she recommends.

Nettletheelf · 03/09/2016 19:28

According to Caroline Hirons, it is all a big conspiracy. Those wicked dermatologists recommending Cetaphil sit on the boards of the companies manufacturing it!

My skin loves it, so I don't have much time for conspiracy theories.

jalopy · 03/09/2016 19:37

I love Cetaphil. I have both the face wash and the moisturiser.

Have no problems with it.

Wolpertinger · 03/09/2016 19:41

I love Cetaphil. When I first started to get into skincare it was the first product I bought. 50% of my acne went on Cetaphil alone without doing anything else.

And Cerave is bloody amazing too and frankly just shows how most how most all high end skincare is smoke and mirrors.

Those shocking dermatologists eh, what do they know about skincare?

Wolpertinger · 03/09/2016 19:44

BTW Cerave moisturiser doesn't contain alcohol - it contains cetearyl alcohol which is actually a moisturiser, the name is very confusing.

It's packed with ceramides, hyaluronic and niacinamide - stuff that other products charge at least double for.

Wolpertinger · 03/09/2016 19:51

OK, read the blog now should have done that before posting

The Cetaphil most people love on here is the cleanser. The moisturiser is OK but you can do better.

Cerave moisturiser is much much better - better than most high end products unless you are looking for something really specific in your skincare.

Wolpertinger · 03/09/2016 19:54

And now I've scrolled down am a bloody idiot and seen she did the cleanser too.

The Cetaphil cleanser doesn't foam. At least it didn't for me. Yes it has SLS in the ingredients but it didn't foam and my skin loved it.

reader77 · 03/09/2016 20:02

Cerave is amazing. I bought a massive bottle of the cleanser and it lasts months.

Original poster

JAB2012 · 03/09/2016 20:03

Wolpertinger, Agree, I bought the Cerave cleanser because it is hard find those ingredients in "affordable" skincare. I haven't used cetaphil, are they pretty much the same product? My American friends seem to love both products! I generally like CH and she doesn't often slate a product to this extent... That's why I am curious to hear other opinions and I don't really know that much about ingredients tbh

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Original poster

JAB2012 · 03/09/2016 20:06

Posted before I saw your reply! Thanks for all the info!

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Kathysclown · 03/09/2016 20:07

I have been using Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer after having two horrendous outbreaks of eczema on my face, probably brought in in the first place by me venturing into the world if anti-aging products recommended by CH and others..........

Cetaphil has bee the only thing that my skin could tolerate, and if I ever venture into to any other product, even 'mild' ones, I can see the pinkness start to show again after a day ir two, so I go back to it. I use the cleanser as a wipe on/wipe off one. I do find the moisturizer leaves my face feeling greasey, but my skin is too dry without it, so I use as little as possible.

I will go and read what CH says about it, but I can't imagine changing from it....

IBelieveTheEarthIsFlat · 03/09/2016 20:08

I don't like Cetaphil . It's still in my cupboard, used about twice. I felt it reacted to other treatments very easily and I didn't have confidence in it.

Cerave on the other hand is utterly fab. I use the Day cream (SPF 30) and the night one. I occasionally change but always go back to them. Honestly, I have tied so many face creams and these are the best. I probably should keep my mouth shut as too many positive reviews will increase the price but hey. I tried them based on the first beautiful faces thread. Loved that. Can we do it again? Didn't quite get into the Korean stuff, it moved too fast for me. But my skin improved enormously due to that first thread

CurbsideProphet · 03/09/2016 20:13

Surely there is the risk that Caroline Hirons is being paid to promote certain brands through her blog?

I use the cleanser (as recommended by my Dermatologist), as it doesn't irritate dermatitis. Perhaps CH slates Cetaphil, as she is "encouraged" to do so by certain brands?

Kathysclown · 03/09/2016 20:18

I should add that I
Was initially prescribed Cetaphil through a dermatologist.

justilou · 03/09/2016 20:32

I love Caroline Hirons, but we have to remember that she does run a business.... I suspect that she has had about a bajillion request to review Cetaphil from her fans (and yes - I am one). Cetaphil isn't one of the companies she works for and while it's great if it works for you, she is not going to rave about a product that really isn't magical - especially if they don't pay her to do so.

MadisonMontgomery · 03/09/2016 23:01

Yeah I was quite shocked to read her review - I absolutely love Cetaphil cleanser, I have really dry skin that gets sore easily and it makes a massive difference. Always trusted her advice, but not sure now.

phoolani · 03/09/2016 23:25

I don't know anything about cetaphil, but I think it's a stretch to suggest that because she hates it she's somehow corrupt - on the review lots of commenters agreed it was awful for their skin and she lists exactly why she hates it (mainly full of ingredients she has always said she dislikes). She seems very open about where and how she makes money and often recommends products that are cheap and which don't appear to make her any money personally.

squoosh · 03/09/2016 23:45

I've always been suspicious that so many dermatologists are such big fans of Cetaphil.

EnidButton · 04/09/2016 03:19

I tried it because of people o mere liking it and it caused a huge breakout. Really didn't like anything about it. I'm not getting paid to slate it.

Must read her blog on it.

Original poster

JAB2012 · 04/09/2016 11:03

Phoolani -agree a bit of a stretch to suggest she's being paid to slate. Really don't think that's the case and she merely doesn't like the product. Sqoosh- I really hope dermatologist would have more integrity but I may just be far too naive and optimistic!

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CurbsideProphet · 04/09/2016 12:14

The Dermatologist I used to see also recommends Dermal 500 (which I use every day), but that is only available behind the pharmacy counter. Dermatologists aren't paid to review or advertise products like CH. Everyone's skin is different, so it's not surprising that some people might have a negative reaction to Cetaphil. I can't use Simple, as it flared up my dermatitis, but some people swear by it for sensitive skin.

JohnCheese · 04/09/2016 12:15

Dermatologists want results. It obviously works. Dermatologists are quite transparent in their recommendations.

I suspect CH isn't sponsored/paid by/gifted anything by Cetaphil manufacturers. Where as all these phenomenally overpriced fairytales more expensive brands have quite a budget for sponsorship (such a polite word). I'm not sure what it is about Cetaphil cleanser that CH dislikes so much. You can use it on babies fgs, how bad can it be.

Wolpertinger · 04/09/2016 12:22

Most NHS derms are just getting on with their jobs, not sitting on the boards of multi-national companies

Am not a derm but it strikes me the reason they would recommend Cetaphil cleanser is that it has very few ingredients so it uncomplicated. And no fragrances/essential oils etc which often irritate people's skin. So it's really really dull. And they like dull.

And the paraben thing is largely thought to be overrated by dermatologists anyway - there's a great video of a debate (chaired by Caroline Hirons no less) where Marko Zelens says he has no issue with parabens at all and they are a great preservative for sensitive skins but the market he was aiming his products at wouldn't accept them so he made sure his products were all paraben free.

Even Dr Sam Bunting recommends Cetaphil cleanser (for men, because it's crap as a makeup remover) in her acne video. Where she also points out you have to use a product for several weeks before you can assess whether it works or not for acne - breaking out in one spot isn't a good assessment of whether it suits you for acne prone skin as you are trying to create stability on skin that is changing over weeks as it renews. And she and Caroline used to be bestest buddies.

DameDoom · 04/09/2016 12:32

Well Caroline looks amazing doesn't she? I would totally take on board everything she says because she was a counter manager in Space NK. Charlatans like Dr Sam Bunting are clueless... she needs to fuck of with her years of medical training and specialism in dermatology.
I cannot stand 'every woman' Hirons and her red living-room filled with shoite.Am also dead stabby with the gulpy and breathy Sali Hughes.

DameDoom · 04/09/2016 12:33

off off off off.

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