Ceramides might just be the unsung heroes in skincare, especially when it comes to barrier health. Natural oils found within the skin, ceramides act as building blocks to ensure our skin stays plump, healthy and hydrated while protecting it from external damage.
They play an integral role in keeping your complexion resilient and work to prevent the skin’s barrier becoming compromised – and the countless skin issues this can cause.
Scroll down for our comprehensive guide to ceramides, including the benefits they bring to skin health, and the formulas you’ll find them in.
What Are Ceramides?
Ceramides are lipids or fats that are found within our skin’s outermost layers. They work like the mortar between bricks, a glue that keeps our cells together and the skin barrier intact.
They are naturally occurring but their production slows down as we age, leaving our complexions vulnerable to damage. This is why they’re a popular ingredient in skincare, and the brightest star in many formulas targeting dryness and dehydration.
What Are The Benefits Of Ceramides In Skincare?
Ceramides are a necessary part of keeping the epidermis – specifically the upper barrier layer – strong and resilient. Our barrier functions like a shield, protecting us from pollutants, allergens and other forms of environmental damage. It also prevents moisture loss, ensuring our skin is soft, supple and comfortable.
When our barrier is compromised, a whole host of issues can arise including dehydration, dullness, redness, irritation, breakouts and accelerated ageing. Eczema, for example, is a condition that involves low ceramide levels, which causes the skin to be more susceptible to damage, and related symptoms such as itching and flaking.
So, it’s worth remembering that a strong barrier is an essential foundation for skin health, as well as the key to a complexion that’s balanced, calm and youthful.
How To Use Ceramides In Your Skincare Routine
Ceramides are technically a moisturising ingredient, but they can be beneficial to almost all skin types – barrier health is a universal skincare need, after all! How you use ceramides in your skincare routine will depend on the formula you’re using, but typically they should go on as a final step, within a moisturiser, cream or balm.
These are a few of our favourites:
This ceramide-based cream is like our skin barrier – in a bottle. Rich and full of fatty acids, it forms a protective layer on your skin, soothing damage while preventing moisture loss. The hero is our signature plant-derived Ceramide Complex, which helps to replenish the lipid barrier, restoring moisture content and overall skin health. Plus, we’ve added Shea Butter for softness, and Jojoba Oil to boost hydration.
Use Repair Balm any time your skin feels tight or uncomfortable. It’s great in winter, after a skin treatment, during travel or overnight as a final protective seal. And if you’re into slugging (where you apply an occlusive product overnight to lock in moisture) it’s the perfect thing to reach for.
It’s a little-known fact that Skinstitut’s Retinol Serum also contains this plant-derived Ceramide Complex. Retinol is a star cosmeceutical ingredient known for its ability to accelerate cell turnover, which improves skin health and prevents issues like acne and premature ageing – but it’s powerful, and if it’s not used correctly, can trigger dryness and irritation. By including ceramides, you can get all the benefits of Retinol with a side of nourishment. The result? Skin that’s calm and balanced. Genius!
Loved learning about Ceramides and keen to explore more hydration heroes? Read up on moisturisers here.