What are ceramides? | Benefits | Best overall | More top-rated options | Meet the experts
Azelaic acid, bakuchiol and tranexamic acid are three tongue-twisting skin care ingredients that have risen in popularity in recent years. With people always on the hunt for the Next Big Thing in beauty, it’s easy to overlook some common active ingredients and what they can actually do for your skin.
For example, if you visit the beauty aisle of your local drugstore, you’ll probably find a CeraVe product with packaging that emphasizes its use of ceramides next to several other options that say the same thing. Seeing the ingredient called out so often, it’s easy to assume that it’s a good thing. But what exactly are ceramides and what do they actually do for your skin?
To answer these questions, Shop TODAY spoke to three skin care experts to learn everything we need to know about the powerhouse ingredient.
What are ceramides?
In short, ceramides are lipids (fatty molecules) that are found in the topmost layer of the skin to function as a barrier to protect the skin and help lock in moisture, explains certified physician assistant Kendra Joseph and board-certified dermatologists Dr. Julia Tzu and Dr. Cameron Rokhsar.
Joseph describes them as “building blocks of your skin that protect or provide a link with other building blocks of your skin to prevent exposure to the outside world,” which then creates a barrier. Rokhsar adds that the barrier helps to keep water from evaporating from the skin and prevent dehydration.
What are the benefits of using products with ceramides?
Joseph and Tzu agree that hydration is one of the main benefits of using products that contain ceramides. “We already know ceramides are naturally found in the skin, so when you’re using a product with a ceramide in it, it’s only going to boost your hydration. It’s going to make your skin feel moist and supple,” Joseph says.
Ceramides are also beneficial for anyone dealing with aging skin, Joseph, Tzu and Rokhsar tell us. They explain that, as you age, you naturally lose ceramides, so using a product with that ingredient can be helpful in the long run.
Similarly, having dry skin conditions like eczema or atopic dermatitis can mean that you have less ceramides. Using a product with ceramides can help restore moisture, Rokhsar shares. However, it's important to note that using a ceramide-filled product isn't a cure all that will completely prevent eczema or rashes, Tzu warns.
Whether you’re looking for a ceramide-based product to provide hydration, tackle aging skin or manage dry skin conditions, here are a few expert-recommended and top-rated products that could help.
Best ceramide products
Best for eczema-prone skin:
Size: 8 oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, castor seed oil
Featuring star ingredients like ceramides and colloidal oatmeal, the brand claims this cream can significantly improve hydration, relieve itchiness due to eczema and relieve red, irritated skin. One verified five-star reviewer on Amazon said this cream has “serious moisturizing power.”
Best face cleanser:
Size: 16 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, hyaluronic acid
Shop TODAY associate editor Emma Stessman is a fan of all CeraVe products, but says this one is her absolute favorite. “I’ve been using the cleanser every morning and night for the better part of five years. I have very dry skin, so I love how it makes my skin feel clean without stripping it.”
Best for acne-prone skin:
Size: 2.5 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin
If you have acne-prone skin, Joseph recommends this face moisturizer. Shoppers love it, too. It has over 38,000 verified five-star ratings on Amazon.
Best for sensitive skin:
Size: 6.76 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides
Production coordinator Camryn Privette loves this cream that’s all ceramides. “Korean skin care never fails me and this stuff is the real deal,” she says.
Best firming cream:
Size: 1.7 oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, peptides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, jojoba oil, squalene, rosemary leaf extract
Made with active lipids, peptides and hyaluronic acid, this cream is meant to brighten, firm and plump the skin, according to the brand. It promises firmer, plumper and brighter skin.
More top-rated ceramide products
Best nighttime face moisturizer:
Size: 3 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, glycerin, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
Joseph calls out this facial moisturizer from CeraVe, describing it as "great for dry, eczematous skin." It's lightweight, oil-free and also contains two other buzzy active ingredients: hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
Best full-body moisturizer:
Size: 16 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid
Once your face is moisturized, don’t forget about the rest of your body! This cream can be used from head to toe. It has a near-perfect average rating from more than 124,000 shoppers. One recent shopper even called it “the cure to their problematic skin.”
Best serum:
Size: 1.52 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, tamanu oil, squalane, lactic acid
Editorial assistant Madison San Miguel loves this serum that she says can also work as a lightweight moisturizer. " It will always be a repeat purchase of mine!" she raves.
Best for skin barrier repair:
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream
Size: 1.69 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, panthenol (vitamin B5), glycerin, shea butter, cocoa seed extract
Formulated with a complex of five ceramides, this cream is meant to help strengthen the skin barrier and reduce water and moisture loss. Sephora reviewers can't get enough of it, with one reviewer emphasizing the tears they'll shed should this product ever be discontinued.
As an eczema-sufferer, this cream is a personal favorite of mine. It's thick without feeling greasy or suffocating and provides long-lasting moisture. I keep it at my desk so that I can reapply after washing my hands.
Best splurge:
Size: 1.6 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, glycerin, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil, rosemary leaf oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil
Recommended by Joseph as an option for aging skin, this treatment is formulated to improve the look of skin texture, fullness and evenness with ingredients like vitamin E and essential oils.
Meet the experts
- Kendra Joseph is a certified physician assistant at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
- Dr. Julia Tzu, MD, FAAD, is a triple board-certified dermatologist and founder and medical director of Wall Street Dermatology.
- Dr. Cameron Rokhsar, MD, FAAD, FAACS, is a double board-certified dermatologist and the founder and medical director of the New York Cosmetic, Skin, and Laser Surgery Center.
