What are ceramides, and what do they do for your skin barrier?

Ceramides are lipids naturally found in the skin's outermost layer, where they are an important part of the skin's moisture barrier. CERAMOR is formulated with Ceramide NP and Ceramide NG, two ceramide types corresponding to ceramide classes found naturally in human skin.

ABOUT

The moisturizing step 
Apply CERAMOR after serums and treatment products, toward the end of your skincare routine. Use morning and/or evening as desired. 

With retinoids and acids 
Apply your treatment product as directed, followed by CERAMOR as your moisturizing step. 

For oily or blemish-prone skin 
Even oily skin needs barrier support. Ceramides help support the skin’s moisture barrier and maintain hydration, making them relevant across skin types. Choose moisturizer textures and products based on your individual skin needs.

WHAT CERAMIDES DO FOR SKIN

Ceramides are naturally present within the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum and play an important role in maintaining the skin's moisture barrier. In skincare, ceramides are commonly included in moisturizing formulas designed to help maintain hydration and skin comfort. 

• Help maintain the moisture barrier – Ceramides are lipids naturally found in the skin and play an important role in supporting the skin’s moisture barrier. 
• Help skin feel hydrated - Support a moisturized, hydrated feel. 
• Support skin comfort - Help reduce feelings of dryness. 
• Support smoother-looking skin - Help leave skin feeling softer and more supple.


 

HOW THE SKIN BARRIER IS STRUCTURED 

The stratum corneum is the skin's outermost layer. It is made up of corneocytes surrounded by an extracellular lipid matrix. Ceramides are a major component of this lipid matrix, alongside cholesterol and free fatty acids. These lipids are arranged in highly organized structures between the corneocytes and contribute to the properties of the skin's moisture barrier. Barrier lipid levels are not static. Research has shown that stratum corneum lipid levels, including ceramides, were markedly lower in winter than in summer and also decreased with age.¹ When skin feels dry, it may also feel rough or uncomfortable and appear less smooth. Moisturizing can help reduce feelings of dryness and leave skin feeling softer and more comfortable.

UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT FORMS OF CERAMIDES

"Ceramide" refers to a broad family of molecules rather than a single molecule. Structurally, ceramides consist of a fatty acid linked to a sphingoid base. Differences in these components create different ceramide subclasses and individual ceramide species. Multiple ceramide subclasses have been identified in human stratum corneum, and modern lipidomic techniques have identified more than 1,000 individual ceramide species.³ In commonly used scientific shorthand, letters can indicate characteristics of the fatty acid and sphingoid base that make up a ceramide. Abbreviations can vary somewhat between scientific and cosmetic nomenclature systems.
 

Common fatty acid designations include: 
• N: Non-hydroxy fatty acid 
• A: Alpha-hydroxy fatty acid 
• EO: Esterified omega-hydroxy fatty acid Common sphingoid bases include: 
• P: Phytosphingosine 
• S: Sphingosine 
• DS or dS: Dihydrosphingosine, also called sphinganine
• H: 6-hydroxysphingosine 

Ceramide NP 
Ceramide NP pairs a non-hydroxy fatty acid with phytosphingosine and represents one of the ceramide classes naturally found in human skin.

Ceramide NG 
Ceramide NG pairs a non-hydroxy fatty acid with sphinganine and represents a different ceramide class naturally found in human skin.

WHY USE MORE THAN ONE CERAMIDE

Human stratum corneum contains a diverse mixture of ceramide subclasses and individual ceramide species rather than a single type of ceramide.²˒³ Ceramide NP and Ceramide NG differ in their sphingoid bases. Ceramide NP is associated with a phytosphingosine base, while Ceramide NG is associated with a sphinganine base. CERAMOR contains both Ceramide NP and Ceramide NG

WHY THE LIPID SYSTEM MATTER

In skin, ceramides work alongside cholesterol and free fatty acids as part of the extracellular lipid matrix. Laboratory models have shown that combinations of these three lipid classes can reproduce certain structural features of the skin's natural lipid organization.⁴ CERAMOR brings these three lipid classes together in one formula, pairing Ceramide NP and Ceramide NG with cholesterol and free fatty acids to more closely reflect the types of lipids naturally present in the skin's moisture barrier.

 WHERE CERAMIDES FIT IN A ROUTINE

The moisturizing step
Apply CERAMOR after serums and treatment products, toward the end of your skincare routine. Use morning and/or evening as desired. 

With retinoids and acids 
Apply your treatment product as directed, followed by CERAMOR as your moisturizing step. 

For oily or blemish-prone skin Even oily skin needs barrier support. 
Ceramides help support the skin’s moisture barrier and maintain hydration, making them relevant across skin types. Choose moisturizer textures and products based on your individual skin needs.