The Best Ceramide Moisturisers – Healthy Skin Barrier Function

If you’ve ever experienced dry, flaky, or irritated skin, you may already know the importance of a healthy skin barrier. Ceramides are the key to restoring and protecting that barrier, ensuring long-lasting hydration and resilience against environmental stressors. But with so many products on the market, how do you choose the best ceramide moisturiser for your needs? Let’s dive into what makes ceramides so essential and explore the top products available.

What Does a Ceramide Moisturiser Do?

Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids and fatty acids that make up over 50% of your skin’s outer layer. They act as the glue that holds your skin cells together, maintaining a healthy barrier to lock in moisture and shield your skin from pollutants, irritants, bacteria and other environmental aggressors. By using a ceramide-rich moisturiser, you can help replenish these lipids, especially if your skin is dry, damaged, or prone to sensitivity.

Beyond hydration, ceramides also offer anti-ageing benefits. As we age, the levels of ceramides in our skin decrease, leading to dryness, dullness, and compromised barrier function. A compromised skin barrier can lead to faster damage accumulation, a lacklustre skin tone and fine lines. On the other hand, a good ceramide moisturiser not only restores the balance of fatty acids but also prevents moisture loss, rebuilds your natural environmental shield and helps your skin stay plump and youthful, reducing the appearance of fine lines.

Who Can Benefit from a Ceramide Moisturiser?

Ceramides are a true powerhouse for anyone with damaged, sensitive or mature skin but they’re beneficial for all skin types. They can be a preventative measure for unproblematic skin types. Whether you suffer from dryness, sensitivity, or even skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, ceramides can help rebuild your skin’s protective layer helping to reduce dryness and boost your skin’s resilience. They’re especially beneficial for the following skin types:

• Dry or Dehydrated Skin: Ceramides work to lock in moisture and soothe flaky or very dry skin & rough patches. The ceramides help to glue your skin cells in place preventing excessive dryness and chapping. If you have dull, dry or flaky skin, you should add ceramides into your moisturising routine. Oily skin can become dehydrated too, so make sure you top up your ceramide levels regularly to maintain optimal skin hydration levels. Try CeraVe Creams for Dry Skin.
• Sensitive Skin: Their gentle, skin-identical formula makes ceramides suitable for even the most reactive skin types. Also, sensitive skin is a sign that your skin barrier needs repairing. If you have inflamed, temperamental, or reactive skin, you may want to consider including ceramides into your daily skincare routine. Explore La Roche Posay products tested on sensitive skin
• Ageing Skin: As we lose ceramides with age, adding them back into your skincare routine helps fight visible signs of ageing such as dryness, loss of firmness, wrinkles and dullness. They’re not as popular as retinol creams for example but definitely helpful to smooth fine lines caused by dehydration. Explore anti-wrinkle creams.
• Textured skin: Unusual acne, rough texture and uneven skin tone can be a sign that you have either a compromised skin barrier, clogged pores or dry, dehydrated skin. Many of us with textured skin use exfoliating acids such as salicylic or lactic acid but these can be drying and cause even more damage to barrier compromised skin. You can’t go wrong by including ceramides into your anti-blemish routine.

Can Ceramides Help with Eczema and Psoriasis?

Ceramides are highly recommended for those with eczema and psoriasis. These conditions often involve a weakened skin barrier, leading to increased irritation, dryness, redness and inflammation. By reinforcing the skin’s natural defences, ceramides help reduce water loss and soothe irritated skin. Over time, using a ceramide-rich product can restore skin health, leading to fewer flare-ups and improved texture.

Both eczema and psoriasis share characteristic skin flaking, irritation and sensitivity. Ceramides can help prevent flaking, reduce inflammation and boost the skin’s resilience against environmental aggressors and common irritants. A good ceramide moisturiser is a must for dry skin conditions.

Key Ingredients for Enhancing the Skin Barrier

While ceramides are a hero ingredient for dry, barrier-compromised, mature or irritable skin you can make them work harder in your moisturising routine. Combine them with other barrier-supporting ingredients to take your skincare to the next level. Look for moisturisers that include:

• Niacinamide: A form of Vitamin B3 that strengthens the barrier and improves skin tone and brightness. This ingredient also helps to fade pigmentation. Try The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum.
• Hyaluronic Acid: This skin-identical hydrator locks in moisture and enhances plumpness. Larger molecules also act as a shield against environmental aggressors such as pollution and bacteria. Hyaluronic acid moisturisers are essential for protecting the skin before your ceramide levels have been restored. Vichy Moisture Boost Daily Fluid with SPF 50.
• Squalane: A lightweight oil that mimics the skin’s natural sebum, it boosts hydration and reduces water loss without clogging pores or causing irritation.
• Peptides: Amino acids are the building blocks of skin proteins. Including them in your hydrating routine can enhance hydration and they may stimulate collagen production, improve skin elasticity and boost youthful radiance.
• Vitamin C: A potent antioxidant that brightens and protects the skin from environmental damage. It also facilitates collagen production and wound healing. Read about vitamin C moisturisers.

The Best Ceramide Moisturisers to Try in 2024

Now that you know how ceramides work and who can benefit from them, let’s explore some top-rated products that are worth adding to your skincare routine.

The best ceramide moisturiser for sensitive skin

Barrier-compromised skin can also be quite reactive so selecting a formula which is gentle on sensitive skin is essential. Here, we explore fragrance-free ceramide creams which offer various benefits including sun protection and hydration.

FAQs About Ceramide Moisturisers

• Which is better, hyaluronic acid or ceramides?

Ceramides repair the skin barrier and reduce water loss, while hyaluronic acid draws moisture into the skin. Both can be beneficial, but if you have compromised skin, prioritise ceramides for barrier repair.

• Can you use a ceramide moisturiser every day?

Yes, ceramide moisturisers are gentle enough for daily use and can be incorporated into both your morning and evening routines. You may see the best results by using twice a day but consider the formulation.

• Are there any side effects of using a ceramide moisturiser?

Ceramides are generally well-tolerated, but as with any skincare product, it's wise to patch test first, especially if you have very sensitive skin.

• How long does it take to see results from a ceramide moisturiser?

It can take several weeks to months for your skin barrier to show significant improvement, but you should notice hydration benefits within a few days of consistent use.

By choosing the right ceramide moisturiser for your skin type and concerns, you can enjoy a healthier, more resilient complexion. Explore these products and let your skin reap the benefits of ceramide-packed hydration!