Ceramides: What are they? What do they do?

Ceramides naturally exist in your body and are credited for maintaining a healthy skin barrier in fact, they make up half of your lipid skin barrier.

There are three main classes of lipids found in your skin – ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids with a ratio of 1:2:1 cholesterol: ceramides: fatty acid. 

What are Ceramides?

Ceramides are known to be part of a complex family of fats or lipids called a sphingolipid. One of the best ways to understand how they function is to imagine the outermost layer of your epidermis (stratum corneum) to be made up of bricks and mortar. The skin cells are the bricks, and the lipids or the fats are the mortar in between that hold everything in place.

It's important for the structure of your stratum corneum to remain intact because its purpose is to serve as a barrier to protect the rest of your skin and keep hydration in. Ceramides are naturally derived from our skin but can also be made for use in skin care products to replenish what you’ve lost as you age. In your 30s, 40s, 50s and ongoing, you lose an increasing amount. In other words, adding ceramides into your skincare routine plays a pivotal role in maintaining skin that looks and feels healthy as you age.

There are nine different ceramides found in the skin. The difference is based on how long the carbon chains are. Although the structure of ceramides may differ, their function is pretty much the same. The ceramide complex found in Queen of the Night Crème consists of Ceramides, Phytosphingosine, cholesterol and fatty acid. 

Benefits of Ceramides for Skin

Ceramides play an extremely important role in the barrier function of the skin. Replenishing ceramides keeps the barrier healthy and functioning properly.

1. Restores the skin barrier: A loss of ceramides due to ageing, the overuse of actives, exfoliants or harsh soaps with a high pH that strip the skin, or something else, that causes a compromised protective barrier can allow bacteria to enter and cause irritation. 
2. Softens and smooths the skin: A compromised skin barrier exhibits signs of dryness, redness, flakiness, and fine lines from dehydration. Replenishing lipids may increase hydration and improve the overall look and feel of your skin.
3. Locks in moisture: A healthy skin barrier seals in moisture and prevents water loss (TEWL) from occurring, which causes dry skin.
4. Reduces visible signs of ageing: Thinning and ageing of the skin is due to the loss or breakdown of collagen and elastin (proteins in your dermis). Another contributing factor with ageing is the health of your epidermis which plays an important role in protecting and maintaining the rest of the skin.
5. Protection: Ceramides work to protect the skin against external environmental aggressors and pollution.
6. Makes skin more tolerable to active ingredients: Ceramides offer protection from the chemicals that tend to cause irritation.
7. Helps inflammatory skin conditions: When the skin’s stratum corneum is compromised, then the skin can get dehydrated and lead to transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This can make the skin dry and at prone to inflammatory skin conditions like rosacea, acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Queen of the Night Crème

TYPE OF PRODUCT:

Deeply hydrating, rich, emollient moisturiser with age defying properties.

BENEFITS:

Rebuild and restore the skin barrier to retain moisture, improve visible signs of ageing, and block environmental damage.

WHO SHOULD USE IT:

Any one with dry skin or anyone interested in anti-ageing skincare.

HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE IT:

Recommended to be applied as the final step in your night-time routine after applying your serums.

WORKS WELL WITH:

Rose Hydrating Mist, Vital A Elixir and Age Defiance Night Serum. 

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

Ceramides are safe to use in conjunction with most, if not all ingredients.