Editor's note: This article has been adapted with permission from our sister brand's, Skin Inc.'s, monthly column, "Jar Deconstructed." In it, the editors review research and commercial reports about an ingredient of interest, along with spa and professional products that apply said ingredient. It is offered soley for your consideration and further investigation. This month's piece is borrowed from the November 2020 edition.
Many spiritual paths teach us that happiness and the answers to life “lie within.” Skin care has taken direction from this edict—with ceramides.
Previously: Inside Ingredients: Pot Marigold
Ceramides are natural molecules found in the skin. The general consensus estimates the stratum corneum to be approximately 50% ceramides, along with 25% cholesterol and 15% free fatty acids.1 Taken together, these create a water-impermeable and protective organ to prevent water loss from the body and the entry of microorganisms.
Ceramides are present in the body at sites deeper than the skin, however. These waxy lipid molecules, composed of sphingosine and a fatty acid, are found in high concentrations in animal cell membranes in general.1 Specifically, they are one of the component lipids that make sphingomyelin—a major lipid in the bilayer that forms a continuous barrier around cells.2
Furthermore, ceramides link with other molecules to create other compounds, e.g., sphingomyelin, gangliosides, glucosylceramide, etc., that are vital for brain and nervous system development.3 Indeed, according to Healthline, ceramides have been noted for their role in this capacity, although they have more recently gained interest for potential skin health benefits.4 This may be due to findings that they engage in cellular activities.
Continue reading about the skin benefits of ceramides here...
