WHAT ARE CERAMIDES?

Ceramides are a group of lipids, or fatty compounds, that are found naturally in your skin. They are an essential component of the outermost layer of your skin (where there are loads of ceramides), that can help maintain the function of the skin barrier and work hard to hold in much-needed moisture.

As your skin loses valuable ceramides, the skin barrier function naturally weakens, leading to dryness, fine lines on the face and other common skin aging concerns.

CERAMIDE BENEFITS FOR SKIN

Diminishing ceramide levels are totally natural, but it’s still something to be mindful of; this loss of ceramides can lead to compromised skin and redness as your skin becomes damaged, BUT there’s good news: ceramides can be formulated in both skincare and hybrid makeup formulas, and as you may imagine, they can be super beneficial, skin-loving ingredient. Formulas with ceramides may help to strengthen the skin’s barrier, which in turn will help keep skin hydrated and happy.

There are a few different types of ceramides — like ceramide AP and ceramide NP — that you might see on a beauty product ingredient list, but each of these has the same basic goals: acting as an emollient to help improve skin barrier function. Oh, and if all this dry skin talk makes you think a ceramide won’t work for your oily or balanced skin, remember: ceramides are a natural component in everyone’s skin and even the oiliest skin needs to maintain the right moisture balance to stay healthy. So don’t hesitate if you see a ceramide-infused formula that’s good for your skin type!