Ceramides
Skin-identical lipids that, with cholesterol and fatty acids, hold the skin barrier together and help it lock in moisture.
ceramide NP, ceramide AP, ceramide NS, ceramide EOP, sphingolipids, phytosphingosine, barrier lipids, skin-identical lipids
Dry & dehydrated skin · Sensitive skin · Barrier support · Ageing skin
What it does
Naturally occurring in the body, ceramides are lipids that account for around half of the fats in the skin’s outer layer. Together with cholesterol and fatty acids, they form the “mortar” between skin cells, and in skincare they help to support the skin’s own moisture barrier to lock in hydration, resulting in overall glowing and soft skin.
How it works
Ceramides retain water and encourage hydration from within, and when applied topically can help restore some of that hydration we lose as we age. Rather than adding moisture themselves, they fill the gaps between skin cells to slow water loss, leaving skin smoother and more supple. The skin makes fewer ceramides with age, and especially as oestrogen falls around menopause. They work best alongside cholesterol and fatty acids, so look for formulas that combine all three.
MG says
Ceramides are ideal for improving the appearance of stressed, sensitive, scaly, rough, dry, aged or sun-damaged skin. I often use Eighth Day The Intensive Moisturiser, which pairs ceramides with peptides, as a final step in the treatment room to lock in actives and prevent water loss. After erbium laser resurfacing and Nd:YAG treatments in the studio, an infusion of lipids supports the barrier as the skin recovers.
Cautions
Ceramides are generally very well tolerated, including by sensitive and blemish-prone skin. As with any new product, patch test first.
