CeraVe PM vs CeraVe AM: Which should you use?

What is the difference?

Which should you choose?

Choose AM if you want hydration and SPF 30 in one product. Choose PM for a lightweight evening moisturizer, or use it before a separate sunscreen in the morning. Buying the duo is optional; your bathroom does not need a matching uniform.1

CeraVe positions both lotions for multiple skin types, including sensitive skin, and includes PM among its options for combination skin. Fragrance free means avoiding one potential irritant; noncomedogenic means formulated not to clog pores. Neither term promises that your skin cannot react.2

For very dry skin, choosing between these two lotions can miss the bigger issue: a cream or ointment generally retains more moisture than a lotion. For combination skin, general moisturizing guidance allows more moisturizer on dry areas and less on oily areas. Keep sunscreen coverage on all exposed skin rather than copying that selective approach.34

How do you use AM and PM?

1. 1Cleanse your face. General moisturizing guidance favors applying moisturizer while skin is still slightly damp to help trap water.
2. 2Apply any toner, serum or eye cream you use before your moisturizer, moving from lighter to heavier formulas.
3. 3In the morning, apply AM as your final skincare step, following the bottle's sunscreen directions. Apply it 15 minutes before sun exposure. If you choose PM instead, follow it with separate broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
4. 4At night, apply PM as your final skincare step. General guidance recommends moisturizing morning and evening, with the amount adjusted to your skin's needs.

When outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours and immediately after swimming or sweating. Choose water resistant sunscreen for those activities, and use shade and protective clothing too. Do not assume a small moisturizer application provides enough sunscreen coverage: follow the product's directions and cover exposed areas, including your neck and ears.34

What should you expect?

Both use MVE, CeraVe's delivery system that releases moisturizing ingredients gradually. The goal is sustained hydration and support for the skin barrier, the outer layer that helps retain moisture. Choose by whether you want sunscreen built into your moisturizer, not by which bottle has the more ambitious initials.5

Are the UK versions the same?

The comparison above uses US AM SPF 30; the UK SPF 25 lotion uses different sunscreen filters, which can change its texture. The UK Facial Moisturising Lotion corresponding to PM also has a different preservative system. The UK routine describes its evening moisturizer as a gel cream. Check the actual bottle's SPF and directions rather than treating every regional name as interchangeable.67

If you have a known ingredient sensitivity, check the package's ingredient list and discuss concerns with a GP or dermatologist. Seek dermatology advice if dryness does not improve or becomes painful, cracked, bleeding, stinging or very irritating.36