In a beauty landscape where the list of shiny new ingredients seems to get longer every day, there are a handful that skincare experts - and savvy shoppers - will always champion thanks to their longstanding and proven credentials.
Alongside notables including retinol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are ceramides. Naturally present in the skin, these lipids or fats are helpfully described as the mortar that holds your skin cells (the bricks) together to form a protective layer, helping to keep irritants out and hold moisture in.
But just as with other components of the skin that keep it firm and supple, ceramides deplete as we get older. “Ceramides make up around 50 per cent of the skin’s surface,” explains Dr Vicky Dondos, co-founder of Medicetics aesthetics clinic in central London. “As that level falls with age, our skin barrier function declines so it becomes less plump and supple as well as more sensitive.â¯Low levels of ceramides are also seen in skin conditions associated with inflammation such as eczema, psoriasis and acne”.
A recent study by scientists at Boots also found signs of significant depletion of moisture-locking ceramides in the epidermis (or outer layer) of menopausal skin, making it drier and susceptible to irritation as the skin barrier is disrupted.
Thankfully, applying skincare rich in ceramides offers a great topical antidote. “Replenishing lost ceramides with creams and serums boosts hydration and soothes skin,” says Dr Dondos. “Every skin type will benefit, but applying formulas with ceramides will most significantly impact those with dry, rough or angry skin. And though it may seem counterintuitive as ceramides are fats, they are often a huge help with acne too. Ultimately, the complexion will be plumper and look more radiant, as well as being less prone to redness and breakouts”.
From serums and eye treatments to masks and cleansers, ceramides are an easy and worthwhile addition to any skincare regime, boosting the health and look of your complexion – no fancy new miracle ingredient needed.
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Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum
Pioneers of the single dose, ceramide-packed capsule over 30 years ago, this iconic range has grown to include variations where the star ingredient is paired with other skincare heroes such as hyaluronic acid or vitamin C. But it’s teaming ceramides up with retinol for a nightly anti-ageing fix that’s a particularly winning combination.
As the line-smoothing and texture-boosting properties of retinol can have a drying effect on the skin, ceramides offer the perfect counterbalance to seal in moisture and prevent dehydration. Added oils including avocado and olive infuse the complexion with extra moisture, while peptides improve skin’s elasticity too.
Price for 30 capsules.
Buy now £47.00, Elizabeth Arden
Q&A Ceramide Barrier Defence Balm Face Cream
Complexions prone to being flaky and parched or red and angry will drink up this delicious cream as it helps restore a compromised protective barrier. This is thanks to ceramides that take down inflammation while flooding skin with hydration for a calm, plump result.
Suited to all skin types and delivering smoothing and brightening benefits via AHA- and vitamin C-rich pineapple extract, it has the richness of a balm but sinks with the speed of something much lighter, leaving behind a subtle, soft and nourished finish. And as with the entire Q&A range, the price is brilliant for the benefits delivered, so there’s plenty of bang for your buck.
Buy now £12.00, FeelUnique
CeraVe Hydrating Cleansing Bar
Everyone is wise to the budget and face-friendly CeraVe line of liquid cleaners, but this new solid cleansing bar should not be overlooked. It contains three different types of ceramides as well as hyaluronic acid and the label’s own unique moisturising cream to keep the complexion hydrated while you wash. It’s also pH-balanced, non-comedogenic and fragrance free. The really smart part, however, is the special technology that allows those nourishing ingredients to keep delivering benefits into the skin all day. So while dry complexions and soap bars usually have an uneasy relationship, the creamy lathering CeraVe version turns that idea on its head.
Buy now £8.00, Boots
Drunk Elephant Ceramighty AF Eye Balm
While many eye treatments that aim to soften fine lines need time to sink in before applying make-up for fear of it migrating around your face (who has time for that in the morning?), this balm is deeply hydrating without any greasiness.
As the ceramides in the formula strengthen the skin barrier to help fight signs of fatigue and dryness, rich oils and butters do the nourishing, wrinkle-plumping work. There’s enough slip in the texture – that’s the ceramides again – to let you gently circle eyes with your ring finger around the orbital bone to help drain puffiness before it absorbs in quickly to leave a smooth, concealer- and mascara-ready canvas. The twist-up, pump dispenser is pretty nifty too.
Buy now £52.00, Space NK
No7 Advanced Ingredients Ceramide & Peptides
These mono-dose capsules are packed with what No7 calls its ‘power duo’ of ceramides and peptides, proven in the brand’s scientific testing to reduce the appearance of deeper lines as well as make skin feel smoother and boost its elasticity. Both naturally present in the skin, but produced less as we get older, they are essential for a healthy, resilient complexion.
This skincare version is formulated to go on underneath any serum and moisturiser, so think of it as a booster shot for a firmer face. It has a rich, creamy texture that instantly makes the skin silky to touch, while the capsules are easy to twist open, can be used morning and night, and deliver an ample amount to cover right down to the neck and chest.
Price for 30 capsules.
Buy now £19.95, Boots
Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Ceramide Hydration Mask
Smelling sweetly like and with the unctuous consistency of honey, this is an upgraded version of Farmacy’s original hero mask, reformulated with extra strengthening and replenishing ingredients including ceramides.
Smooth over the skin and massage in for a couple of minutes until the gel transforms into a rich white paste and starts to gently warm up. Rinsed away ten to 15 minutes later, the skin feels soft and bouncy thanks to upcycled apple extract, while the addition of niacinamide ensures it looks brighter and more even. Ceramides meanwhile work with panthenol to fortify the skin barrier and hold all that plumping moisture to the skin.
Buy now £36.00, FeelUnique
Sculpted by Aimee HydraGlo Hydrating Serum
Created by make-up artist Aimee Connolly to help achieve a perfect, plump canvas that allows your foundation, concealer and blusher to glide on, this cooling-feeling gel-serum is a brilliant skincare-primer hybrid.
Protective and strengthening ceramides lock in hydrating, nourishing ingredients including hyaluronic acid and shea butter, as niacinamide improves the texture of the skin and minimises the appearance of pores. Apply before your moisturiser for a quenched, juicy effect that makes the complexion look luminous and helps to stop make-up from caking and creasing for hours afterwards. You can refill and recycle the packaging too.
Buy now £27.00, Boots
Avant Skincare Multi-Defense Ceramides Protecting Veil SPF 50
Smart modern sunscreens for daily use (because the sun’s damaging, ageing UV rays never take a day off) take a skincare-first approach, making them a world away from the kind you’d wear on the beach. This is a perfect example – a light cream that dries fast with a matte finish and is packed with complexion-boosting ingredients.
Ceramides partner up with SPF50 mineral filters to create a beautiful protective veil that bolsters the skin barrier to ward off environmental aggressors from pollution to the sun. White tea adds an extra layer of defence against free radicals, jojoba helps to soften and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.
Buy now £75.00, Avant Skincare
Olivanna Intense Repair Night Cream
For a cream that packs such a restorative punch, this overnight treatment is exceptionally light in texture. Any disruption to the skin’s natural barrier gets a double repair whammy from an infusion of ceramides alongside seed oils rich in omegas. What’s more, this duo also floods the complexion with revitalising nourishment.
Hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane ensure moisture levels are kept high and an extract of organic cotton thistle, known for its collagen-boosting properties, enhances anti-ageing benefits including tackling fine lines and fighting sagging. You’ll also find the delicate scent is wonderfully cocooning come your evening routine.
Buy now £68.00, Olivanna
Scientia Beauty Ceramide Skin Rescue Moisture Barrier Balm
A great choice for calming angry, irritated complexions, this gel-cream delivers an instant but lasting cooling effect as soon as it hits the skin. The formula is rich with five different types of ceramides to approach barrier-building repair in multiple ways with the aim of nixing inflammation and bringing skin back into line.
Fatty acids, lipids and hyaluronic acid also up the moisture content, while melon, aloe and jojoba help skin look smooth and dewy. Use as a targeted treatment when skin is out of whack or apply a thin layer daily over stressed-out complexions to restore the balance.
Buy now £28.00, Scientia Beauty
Verdict
Sometimes you can’t beat the OG. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules are cult classics for a reason and extending the line to twin ceramides with other tried and trusted, skin-improving ingredients is quite genius.
Easy to pop open, the biodegradable capsules provide the perfect amount for face, neck and décolletage, plus they are ideal for travel as you can carry just the number you need to save on space. The ceramide-rich texture feels like it envelops the skin in satin and the plumping, smoothing results are impressive. An all-round, youth-boosting winner in single shot form.
