Ceramides

Ceramides are fats, also called lipids, found naturally in your skin's outer layer. They help form the barrier that keeps moisture in and helps protect against irritants. In skincare, they're used to support that barrier, especially when skin feels dry or uncomfortable.

What do ceramides do for your skin?

Like all the good stuff your skin naturally produces, ceramides can decrease with age. "Cera" is Latin for wax, which is a useful way to picture them: fatty, waxy substances that help make up your skin barrier.

The usual analogy is a brick wall. Your skin cells are the bricks, and the lipids between them, including ceramides, are the mortar. Ceramides work alongside cholesterol and fatty acids. They're part of the structure, not just something sitting on top of it.

Ceramides are a big part of repairing a damaged skin barrier. If your skin has suddenly become tight, stinging or reactive, that guide is a better starting point for looking at your whole routine.

What I noticed when I started using ceramides

Years ago, when I started using the big blue-and-white tub of Gen Z fame (I mean the CeraVe cream in the tub, if that's not clear to non-skincare-superfans), I noticed something change with my skin.

For a long time, my skin was mostly fed different forms of hydration and oils. Two great things, but adding ceramides felt different. My skin looked... built up. In a great way.

To say ceramides hold your face together is an overstatement, but makes for hilarious marketing. So let's say that with an elbow nudge and an eyeroll, but also a knowing glance.

I noticed that my skin felt hydrated and moisturized for longer. When I started bringing the Big Boys into my routine (that's retinol), ceramides on my off-nights felt soothing, almost like everything was finally working together.

That's my experience, not a promise that your skin will respond the same way.

How ceramides fit into a skincare routine

A ceramide product doesn't need to turn into another complicated step. Look at where it fits in the routine you already have, and follow the product's directions. Gentle cleansing, hydration and a suitable moisturizer still matter.

If your skin is irritated, adding more active ingredients isn't necessarily the answer. Start by easing back on whatever is aggravating it. Persistent or worsening irritation is worth discussing with a qualified healthcare professional.

Why I included ceramides in Midnight

When I brought ceramides into Midnight, I wanted them alongside fatty acids and plant sterols. Midnight was the barrier ole-gel serum your skin had been begging me for. It wrote me an email, unbeknownst to you.

That was the thinking behind it: support for skin that needs a little more comfort, rather than another reason to exfoliate. A strong barrier matters if you do things like age and go outside from time to time.