drugstore beauty

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM formula change: What's different in the new formula? (2020 edition)

The new formula is now paraben-free—but that's not the only thing that's different. Let's hear My Dad the Chemist's take on all the changes.

A reader recently reached out to ask about some disappointing changes they had noticed in a fairly new bottle of CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. The new formula smelled terrible, and it created a temporary burning sensation upon application. Here’s what they said:

Softsoap Soothing Aloe Vera Hand Soap review

This soap strangely contains red and yellow dyes, though it is a milky white color. It also contains mild fragrance.

Hand soap is a highly competitive product category. Product labels have to be eye-catching and full of buzzwords like “soothing,” “advanced,” “foaming”, “natural,” you name it. But as consumers, we have the power to look past the marketing—simply by turning the package over and reading the ingredient list. If a product label says “soothing,” you might logically assume that it is designed for people who are concerned about skin…

Target Up & Up Classic Clean Hand Soap review

This soap is a dupe of Softsoap Aquarium Series Hand Soap, but it contains harsher preservatives, which makes it a potentially risky choice for those with sensitive skin.

Fragrance-free hand soaps are hard to spot. For some reason, companies don’t think people will accept hand soaps unless they smell nice. I wish we had more options. A while ago, I accidentally bought Target Up & Up Classic Clean Clear Hand Soap without realizing that it contained fragrance. When it arrived, I didn’t want to waste it so I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, it aggravated my eczema and reinforced the idea that I should look for better hand soap options,…