“In my job as a beauty director, I test lots of new beauty products, but I’ve been repurchasing this cleanser for 7 years”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about skincare in all my years as a beauty journalist, it’s not to underestimate the power of an effective cleanser in your routine. You can apply all of the expensive lotions and potions you want, but if you haven’t cleaned your face properly, these formulas won’t be able to penetrate the skin effectively, and you won’t reap the full benefits.

What’s more, not cleansing properly can lead to a build-up of dirt, sebum and old make-up, which causes rough texture, dullness and breakouts. So, it’s important that you not only cleanse properly (dermatologists say you should massage cleanser onto skin for at least 60 seconds, FYI), but that you find a formula that suits your skin type and its needs.

As somebody prone to texture, breakouts and hyperpigmentation, an effective exfoliator has always been an integral part of my skincare routine. However, my skin can often veer onto the sensitive side, meaning it’s important I use a formula that can exfoliate while still being gentle on skin. Especially if it’s a product I’ll be using every day.

So, when CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cleanser, £14.50, landed on the Stylist desk seven years ago, it became an instant favourite for all of the team. (Seriously: here we are waxing lyrical about it all those years ago.) And while my job involves testing a new cleanser almost every week, CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cleanser has not left my routine rotation once.

So what makes it so great? The formula is made with salicylic acid, a BHA that works well at breaking down impurities while exfoliating the surface layers of the skin. But to stop it from being too harsh or drying, CeraVe has added its signature ceramide complex to keep your skin barrier healthy and strong.

I reach for this cleanser as the second cleanse in my nighttime skincare routine, once I’ve removed any surface-level make-up, dirt and remnants of SPF. It has a thick, gel consistency that foams up when applied to damp skin, meaning you can really work the formula into your skin. Once I’ve massaged it all over my face, I like to take some time to focus on the sides of my nostrils, along my jawline and my forehead for some light daily exfoliation without irritation. When I wash it off, my skin feels cleaner, smoother, refreshed and – best of all – not the slightest bit tight or with that awful ‘squeaky clean’ feeling.

Over the years, it has become such a staple in my everyday life. I ensure I always stock up on bottles so that I have at least two or three back-ups in my bathroom cabinet. I keep a bottle by the side of my bathroom sink and one in my shower caddy – its gentle exfoliating properties make it the perfect formula to leave on my underarms for a couple of minutes. I know some people swear by it for keratosis pilaris, too. I take it on holidays with me, whether to sweaty climates or frosty atmospheres.

And on the rare occasion where I’ve stayed somewhere and not taken it with me, I can feel the difference in my skin instantly. As well as repurchasing it countless times over the last seven years (I wish I had kept all of my bottles to count just how many I’ve gotten through), I’ve recommended it to so many of my family and friends. So, consider this my official recommendation to all of you, too.

Images: Hanna Ibraheem/Stylist; CeraVe