What Do Ceramides Do for Skin? An Australian Guide

Ceramides are one of the most searched ingredients in skincare, and also one of the most misunderstood. Are they good for your skin? What do they actually do? When in your routine should they go? Here is the plain version, written with Australian conditions in mind: air-conditioned offices, hot showers, salty beaches and dry southern winters.

What is a ceramide?

A ceramide is a type of lipid, which is the scientific word for a fat-like molecule. Your skin makes them naturally, and they sit in the outermost layer of skin, the stratum corneum. Together with cholesterol and fatty acids, ceramides make up the lipid mix that fills the gaps between skin cells. A common way to picture it is bricks and mortar: the cells are the bricks and the lipids are the mortar.

Ceramides are generally reported to make up around half of that lipid mix, which is why they get so much attention.

What do ceramides do for skin?

• Help hold water in. They slow the rate at which water escapes from the skin surface, so skin feels less tight and dry.
• Support the skin barrier. The barrier is what keeps irritants and allergens out. A healthy lipid layer helps it do that job.
• Soften and smooth. A ceramide moisturiser fills in the surface, so rough, flaky skin looks and feels smoother.

Research has found lower ceramide levels in very dry and eczema-prone skin, which is one reason ceramide creams are so often suggested for dryness. A cream is a way of topping up the lipids, not a cure for a skin condition.

Are ceramides good for skin?

For most people, yes. Ceramide moisturisers are generally well tolerated, and they suit dry, dehydrated, sensitive or over-exfoliated skin particularly well. They are also fine for oily skin when the formula is a light gel or lotion. As with any new product, patch test first, and stop if you get stinging, itching or a rash.

Which ceramides are on the label?

You will see names such as Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP and Ceramide EOP, or the older numbered names such as Ceramide 3, 6-II and 1. They are different ceramide molecules found in skin. Cream makers often combine several, and add cholesterol and fatty acids, because skin makes all three. A label that lists ceramides alongside cholesterol and fatty acids is closer to skin's own mix than ceramides alone.

When to use ceramides

• Morning and night as your moisturiser step. Apply after toner or serum, and ideally while skin is still slightly damp.
• After over-exfoliating or using strong actives, when skin feels raw or stings.
• In winter and in air-conditioning when skin feels dry.
• Alongside retinol, acids or vitamin C, as the cream step that follows them. If you are new to these actives, start slowly regardless.

If you want to see how this sits in a bigger picture, our guide to rebuilding a damaged skin barrier with ceramides covers the signs of a compromised barrier, and bifida ferment lysate is another barrier-friendly ingredient worth knowing.

How to increase ceramides in skin

You cannot switch your skin's ceramide production on at will, but you can protect what you have and top it up:

1. Use a moisturiser containing ceramides, ideally with cholesterol and fatty acids.
2. Choose a gentle cleanser and avoid very hot water, as both can strip skin lipids.
3. Do not stack several exfoliating acids or scrubs in one week.
4. Wear sunscreen daily. See our sunscreen collection, and use SPF 50+ when the UV index is 3 or above, as Cancer Council Australia recommends.

Choosing a ceramide cream in Australia

All of these are stocked at Eastern Curlew, and prices are as at the time of writing:

• ANUA 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream ($40): a non-comedogenic cream with three ceramides and panthenol, described by the brand as soothing and hydrating.
• COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream ($32): a matte-balm cream built around 10,000ppm Ceramide NP and centella, per its product page.
• COSRX The Ceramide Skin Barrier Moisturizer ($32): a 5-ceramide formula with cholesterol, fatty acids, panthenol and hyaluronic acid.
• Torriden SOLID-IN Ceramide Cream ($32): a richer, solid-to-silk texture with a 5-ceramide complex.

Browse more in our moisturiser collection, or the sensitive skin and dry and dehydrated collections. Claims such as hours of hydration are the brands' own and depend on how they were tested, so treat them as a guide.

Around Australia

In humid Darwin, Cairns and Brisbane, a gel-style ceramide cream usually feels better than a heavy balm. In Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart and the high country, winter heating and wind call for a richer cream, used night and morning. Near the coast in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, salt, chlorine and frequent showers dry skin out, so a ceramide moisturiser after swimming is a useful habit.

Frequently asked questions

What do ceramides do for skin?
They are lipids that help hold water in and support the skin barrier, so skin feels softer and less dry.

What is ceramide in skincare?
It is a skin-identical lipid added to creams, serums and cleansers to replace what skin loses to dryness, weather and harsh products.

Is ceramide good for your skin?
For most skin types, yes. It is generally well tolerated, but patch test any new product.

When should I use ceramide?
As a moisturiser morning and night, or after exfoliating and active treatments when skin needs comfort.

Can I use ceramides with retinol, vitamin C or acids?
Yes. Ceramide cream is commonly used after them to reduce dryness, though you should still introduce each active gradually.

How do I increase ceramides in my skin?
Use a ceramide moisturiser, keep cleansing gentle, avoid very hot water and do not over-exfoliate.

What is ceramide 3?
Ceramide 3 is the older name for Ceramide NP, one of the ceramides found naturally in skin and used in many creams.

Can oily or acne-prone skin use ceramides?
Yes, choose a light gel or lotion and a non-comedogenic formula.

Is ceramide skincare safe in pregnancy?
Ceramides are generally considered gentle, but check your full routine and ingredient lists with your doctor or midwife.

Do ceramide serums work as well as creams?
Serums can add to a routine, but a cream is usually what seals moisture in, so most people need a cream step.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If your skin is very itchy, scaly, cracked or not improving, or you notice a new or changing spot, see your doctor for a skin check. Product details come from brand and product pages and may change.

Ready to start? See the ANUA 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream at Eastern Curlew.