Aruba’s crystalline waters, blazing sun, and tropical humidity are a recipe for soft-focus photography—on landscapes, not on skin. As my complexion got tossed by seawater, sunscreen overload, and salt-sweat mashups, I turned to four CeraVe staples that cornered every challenge: breakouts, moisture loss, and dirt buildup. Here’s how the night-and-day roster, from foaming cleanser to intense cream, kept me glowing—and not peeling—through the week.

CeraVe’s Balancing Air Foam Cleanser greets my face like a cloud that knows its job. The Glycolysine Cleansing Technology zaps 99% of makeup, sunscreen, and grime without stripping, while promising eight-hour oil control and a full day of hydration. In Aruba’s sticky heat, being able to rinse off SPF and sweat without turning into a tight, cracked desert was a small miracle—especially when my skin needed a reset between reef dives and outdoor dinners.