This is how using ceramides in my routine improved my skin
by Becca Ramirez, guest writer
As a teenager, I had extremely oily skin. I swear, I could have given all the oil wells in the Middle East a run for their money for all the excess sebum my skin would produce! In my 20’s, my skin started to normalize: no longer quite as oily but more of a combination type. When I recently hit my late 20’s though, I noticed that my skin would be itchy, red, and peeling all the time. I would apply moisturizer on the dry spots, but would have to deal with them again the following day. This left me feeling very confused. I had a nightly skincare routine but why was I still having so many problems with my skin? After doing a lot of research, I discovered that my symptoms were signs of my ceramide level slowly dropping.
Ceramides are lipid molecules that are found in high concentrations within cell membranes. They are found in the outermost layer of our skin and their job is to protect, plump and hold moisture in our skin. While ceramides are naturally occurring in the skin, by the time you reach your 30’s, the levels of ceramides in your skin will drop by around 43%. They can drop even further by as much as 60% by the time you reach your 40’s!
The solution, of course, is to try putting them back on your skin. Ceramides are best known for their anti-aging capabilities and work with other anti-aging ingredients well. There is no fixed age for when to start your anti-aging routine, so you can start incorporating ceramides into your routine anytime you want. Since I've done so, I’ve noticed that my skin is plumper, better hydrated, and stays moisturized the whole day despite staying inside an air-conditioned office for 10 hours. It's pretty amazing considering that I use ceramide products just a few times a week.
Ceramides can be used in almost any part of your skincare routine, whether as a moisturizer, a serum, or even as a sheet mask!
Since current product options in the Philippines are quite limited, the few products that are available are in the mid to high-level price range. Elizabeth Arden has a very popular ceramide line, which may be too pricey for the average skincare junkie. Their Ceramide Youth Restoring Essence costs around P3,500 at Elizabeth Arden stores. This was my very first ceramide product and I find that it absorbs quickly on the skin. The strong scent kind of bothers me though.
One of my favorite ceramide lines is by Dr. Jart. I highly recommend their Ceramidin Liquid (P2,543 for 150mL at Sephora.ph) since it’s very lightweight and thus perfect for hot Philippine weather. For CosRX fans, the brand also has a Honey Ceramide cream available (P1,997 for 50mL at theskincarecurator.com) but I've yet to try it. Etude House also has their own Honey Cera line (the essence and the cream cost P1,198 each), or you can try their ceramide sheet mask for just P65!
Another benefit of using ceramides is that my skin can better tolerate acids and the addition of new products in my skincare routine. Since incorporating acids a few months ago, I’ve had no bad reactions and still got the benefits without my skin being compromised! If I do get a rare bad reaction, I simply slap on some ceramide product on my skin and my skin goes back to normal the following day. If you make a mistake and overuse acids, including ceramides in your routine would be a great way to help your skin bounce back to its original state.
In my opinion, you should definitely use ceramides if you would like to step up your skincare game and incorporate acids, retinoids, or even 10-step products into your routine. It’s also a great ingredient if you’re looking to start on anti-aging products.
Have you used ceramides in your skincare routine? Are you considering it? And if you have more ceramide product recommendations, I'd love to know what they are!
Sources: huffingtonpost.com.au, stylecaster.com
Becca is a digital content strategist by profession and a crazy skincare enthusiast by choice. Follow her skincare (mis)adventures on Instagram!