Your everyday moisturiser may do a wonderful job keeping your skin soft and supple, but it probably isn't restoring your skin to its optimal hydration. In a nutshell, the very top layer of your skin is the epidermis, and the topmost layer of that is the stratum corneum. This topmost layer forms a barrier, keeping moisture in and environmental irritants out. In itchy or dry skin, the topmost barrier is deficient in ceramides - so it can struggle to keep moisture in.2
But what if you could help replace those lost ceramides while moisturising your skin? That's the theory behind ceramide-containing moisturisers. They have all of the good things your regular moisturiser does, with the added benefits of ceramides.
The right ratio
The lipid matrix that holds the barrier layer together is made up of about 40-50% ceramides, but it also contains cholesterol (25%) and free fatty acids (10–15%).3 Research has found that you need all three ingredients in a moisturiser to get the desired effect on the barrier layer.4