Repairing the skin barrier: recognize the damage and repair it step by step

• What do ceramides do for your skin
• What types of ceramides are there
• What skin type are ceramides suitable for
• What happens when there is a deficiency of ceramides
• Combining ceramides with other ingredients
• Frequently asked questions

• Ceramides are natural skin lipids that make up approximately half of the lipids in your stratum corneum.
• They keep the skin barrier strong and limit moisture loss.
• Together with cholesterol and free fatty acids, they form the lipid matrix of the barrier.
• They are suitable for all skin types, including oily and sensitive skin.
• A broader ceramide complex, combined with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, works best.

Ceramides play a supporting role in healthy skin. This is what they do.

• They keep the skin barrier strong and complete
• They limit moisture loss, so your skin stays hydrated longer
• They help your skin feel soft and supple
• They make the skin less sensitive to external influences, such as cold and dry air

Ceramides are naturally occurring in the skin, so they supplement what your skin produces itself.

Ceramides are a type of sphingolipid, made up of sphingosine and a fatty acid. In the skin barrier, they do not work alone. Together with cholesterol and free fatty acids, they form the lipid bilayer that keeps the barrier complete and strong.

There are many different ceramides. In skincare, you will mainly come across these.

• Ceramide NP, one of the most common in the skin
• Ceramide AP
• Ceramide EOP
• Precursors such as phytosphingosine, which help the skin produce ceramides itself

A single ceramide helps, but your skin naturally uses a mix. That is why better formulas opt for a broader complex. Many well-known products use three ceramides. Barrier+ combines five, so that the formula is closer to the natural composition of the skin.

Ceramides in skincare can be plant-based or synthetic. Synthetic ceramides that are identical to those in your skin are well recognized and are animal-friendly. What matters is not so much the source, but whether the ceramide resembles that of your own skin.

Ceramides are naturally found in the skin, so they are suitable for all skin types. Even oily or blemish-prone skin needs a healthy barrier.

Ceramides are particularly beneficial for dry, sensitive, or easily irritated skin, which is often deficient in them. They are mild enough for daily use.

Your skin produces ceramides itself, but the amount decreases due to age, weather, and too many active ingredients. When there is a deficiency, the skin barrier weakens.

The result is often dry, tight, or sensitive skin, and skin that loses moisture more quickly. Your skin may also benefit from extra ceramides after a period of using a lot of retinol or exfoliants. You can read more about this in our guide on repairing the skin barrier and on dehydrated skin.

Ceramides work best in combination with other ingredients.

• With niacinamide, which stimulates the skin's own ceramide production. This way, you replenish and stimulate at the same time.
• With humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerine, which attract water that the ceramides then help retain.

This combination is reflected in Barrier+. The cream combines five ceramides and niacinamide, supplemented with hyaluronic acid in three molecular sizes, ectoine and squalane.

Ceramides are one of the building blocks of strong, healthy skin. They keep the barrier complete, limit moisture loss, and are suitable for all skin types.

If you want ceramides in your daily routine, the Syrene Barrier+ Cream was developed for that purpose. The cream combines five ceramides with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid in three molecular sizes, ectoine, and squalane to support the skin barrier.

If you want to read on, also check out how to repair your skin barrier and what dehydrated skin needs.