What are Ceramides?
Ceramides are a type of lipid or fat that play a crucial role in maintaining the health and integrity of our skin. These naturally occurring molecules make up about 50% of the lipids in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of our skin. Ceramides are an important part of overall skin health as they are crucial for maintaining the skin barrier function, which helps to keep the skin hydrated, protected, and all around balanced.
When included in skincare formulations, ceramides help to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps to prevent moisture loss and protect the skin from environmental aggressors such as pollution and irritants by limiting transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This barrier function is essential for maintaining skin's hydration levels and preventing dryness and irritation both topically and deeper into the dermis.
In addition to their role in maintaining the skin barrier, ceramides also play a role in regulating cell signaling and inflammation in the skin. They help to promote cell turnover, which is important for maintaining a healthy complexion and preventing the buildup of dead skin cells. Ceramides also have anti-inflammatory properties which can help to calm and soothe irritated or inflamed skin.
Skin's natural ceramide levels can become depleted overtime due to the effects of sun damage, natural biological aging and the repetitive use of harsh products that strip the natural oils from skin's surface. When we select skincare products that contain lipid-based ceramides they work to restore skin's ceramide levels, which helps to strengthen the protective barrier, improve hydration and reduce the risk of overall dryness and irritated or reactive skin. This is the reason why we formulate with lipid-based and organic ceramides for our entire product line.
While ceramide-based formulations are essential for the health of skin, they can be particularly beneficial for individuals experiencing dry or sensitive skin, or those with eczema or psoriasis flareups. If you're dealing with parched skin after showering we recommend incorporating a bar of our artisan soap as your go-to cleanser along with a bottle of our most loved moisturizer as your all-over hydrator as it will provide a moderate barrier on skin. If you are ready to shift your facial routine from synthetics to lipids, we always recommend starting the transition with our Basic Routine before incorporating other rich facial hydrators to the mix as a way to allow skin to move through this transition without any potential for congestion.