I get frequent questions about individual anti-aging ingredients. Can it REALLY reverse aging? Is it natural? Dangerous? Last time, I reviewed idebone, a powerful antioxidant. Today I’m evaluating ceramides. I’ve seen it advertised on a number of products and thought it was finally time to do a little research.
Here’s how it works: The cells of the top layer of the skin are held in place by fatty ceramides, a substance which kind of acts like glue to keep the cells in order. In addition ceramides hold onto water molecules, helping to attract and retain moisture in the skin. And it will probably come as no great surprise that ceramide levels decrease as we get older. By age 60, we have lost so much ceramide that the upper layer of the skin is 30% thinner.
Ceramides are used lotions, creams and cleansers formulated primarily for dry skin, but there is some debate about how effective it actually is. Conventional wisdom holds that it is very difficult for ingredients like ceramide to travel through the layers of the skin. However new research indicates that substances can travel down the hair follicles and pores to reach the growing levels of skin and make a diffference in the health of skin cells.
Loss of ceramides is just one of the age related changes that occur to our skin– so this ingredient can’t do all the heavy lifting in anti-aging skin care. However if dry skin is constant problem a ceramide-rich product can work effectively.
Ceramides are expensive ingrediets and are usually found in higher end lines such as Elizabeth Arden Ultra Cold ( $60) and Elizabeth Plump Perfect Ultra Night Repair ($65). Now they are also used in the very affordable line of CereVe products that includes CereVe Facial Moisturing Lotion PM and CereVe Daily Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ( $12 for 3 ounces).
Dry skin was not a daily problem for me until I started using Retin A products. Then flaking and redness became a real issue. I was standing in a drugstore looking for something, anything that would help when two separate women asked the sales person for CereVe. Curious, I saw that it was fragrance-free, did not clog pores and contained one of my all time favorite moisturizing ingredients– hyaluronic acid. I didn’t know what ceramides were, but the other ingredients made it worth a try. That night I smoothed CereVe over my Retin A treated skin and by morning, my skin felt better than it had in months. I went back and bought the daytime product with sunscreen and now use both frequently in by day and night routines. I don’t know if its the ceremides or the hyaluronic acid, or maybe the combintion of the two, but CereVe products really delivered for me.
If you have tried other ceramide products, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Yikes!? Not good! Full of parabens!
WHich one are full of parabens?
They (http://www.cerave.com/home/) have a very detailed ingredients list on their website. I checked out the Moisturizing Lotion and the PM lotion and the cleanser. They have two parabens listed in each.
I personally have had very bad experiences with anything with parabens in it (also another chemical preservative often found in lotions etc called Diazalydinal Urea (sp?)) There seems to be some argument still happening about the toxicity of parabens, but for me they have proved highly toxic and hugely problematic. I was told to use Cerave by a Derm once when I went to him because my eye area (lids and under) developed this horrible rash. (oozing, itching, bright red, swollen) He told me to use this brand because in his ignorance he told me it was excema. It turned out (after a traumatic 3 months) and 2 other doctors later, that I had developed (due to consistent use of parabens etc over many years) an allergic reaction to parabens…they build up apparently…and sometimes in combination with other preservatives they can kick off this kind of reaction. Arrghh!
So now, I’ve been much happier and feeling and looking so much better when I research a little and never use anything with parabens or the urea preservative…its a formaldehyde releaser apparently! (nice, huh?!)
omg that’s a really terrible reaction. THanks for the warning.
The Cerave moisturizing lotion is the best I have ever used, and believe me I have tried a lot. It moisturizes and soaks in without leaving any greasy feeling so I can use it after bath and before I go to bed. It does contain parabens which I do not like. I have also used the Cerave pm and like that also. I do with it did not contain parabens and have considered writing to the company, but it does what I need it to do.
I’m so glad that you found CereVe as helpful as I did. I know there are concerns about parabens and I count it as a plus if a product is paraben free. However when a product hits all the factors that I am looking for, parabens are not a deal breaker for me. Writing to CereVe about the issue is a great idea. Let me know how they respond.
Hi Deb,
I think you can get Ceramide from eating wheat germ which is much cheaper than commercial cream and better for you because the whole body benefits when ceramide is ingested – full of Vitamin E as well.
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I don’t have a problem/reaction with parabens but don’t like them being overused in products when there are natural altenatives. To those who have sensitive skin that IS affected by harsh preservatives etc, why not purchase the “raw ingredient” and combine it with your favourite and skin-friendly moisturister? I only buy cheap creams/lotions etc and add my own active ingredients, or make up a serum or gel with water soluble ingredients. All/most of the ingredients are readily available for purchase to the public. In the UK where I am, Aromantic is a good supplier. Since I travel a lot to the USA where most everything is cheaper, I also found a company called MakingCosmetics and shall be ordering from them on my next trip. The DIY approach is much cheaper, more effective and more skin-friendly.
Some of the top anti-aging ingredients that aren’t available as cosmetics ingerdients (at least in the UK) or are excessively overpriced on cosmetic ingredients sites can actually be purchased as food supplements in capsule form – the best way in my opinion to purchase CoEnzymeQ10, and yes it does work wonderfully but only as a night treatment because of the yellow/orange colouring.
If you don’t have sensitive skin and/or don’t want to mess with DIY, then I highly recommend the brand Derma V10 – most of their products are £2-3 (or $3-5) and are highly effective.
Just for info, I used to be a research scientist and simultaneously ran my own cosmeceuticals company.
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Has anyone tried oral ceramides and do they work?
THere have been studies about oral ceramide supplements and the results showed there was no benefit. No problem, they work beautifully on the skin
Hi I use the Cereve with great success as well. Another that is equally good, has ceramides and recommended by the eczema society of Canada is Cetaphil Restoraderm.It is a little cheaper or around the same price as the Cereve. I started using it for dry skin but now after a year of use of both products I have seen a dramatic slow down of wrinkling in my skin.
I’m so glad you liked Cereve. Cetaphil Restoraderm is new to me and I will look for it. THanks for the tip!
Cetaphil is phenomenal. I started using it recently. I was very pleased with the decreased pimples. Is Retin A the same as retinol? I would love to try Cera ve.
I have been using Cerave for only a few days, but boy what a difference in my skin. it was so dry there were white flakes all over my clothes. Now it is soft , supple, and NOT dry!!! It really works and very affordably priced compared to “Beauty” brands.
I’m so glad it worked so well! I believe that CeraVe has more super hydrating ceramides than the much more expensive department store brands.
you can get ceramides in capsule form from Life Extension .. i take them orally and open them up for a deep penetrating mask, it goes on sort of sticky but absorbs in very well with a bit of massaging. i might try adding them to lotions soon.
helpful if you are avoiding paraben.
Using ceramides as a mask is a great idea. You’ve inspired me to experiment, adding ceramides to homemade sprays, masks and serums. For example adding ceramides to a maskmade from an egg yolk and honey.
I was watching Dr. Oz and one of the derm doctors on the show said to find a mega moisturizer packed with Ceramides and CeraVe is what I found and I love it! I thought I would have some reaction to it as I usually do when I try a new product-not this! I use the am and pm as well! They also said to find a face wash to use only 1x a day with AHA and look for gycolic acids in it as well. This is my new skin regamine for anti aging skin!
You are right on track! Did you know that the CeraVe Am also has a sunscreen as well as ceramides. Since up to age 60, 70% of skin aging is due to sun exposure, a sunscreen is an essential part of any anti-aging program. I would suggest using Cetaphil gentle facial cleanser in the AM and use a glycolic wash at night. If your skin tends to be a bit oily, you can use a gentle exfoliator like CLarisonic with the glycolic wash.
I had used the Cetaphil but now use Neutrogena healthy skin anti-wrinkle anti-blemish cleanser at night. It has all the ingrediants that the Dr. Oz Derm Dr. had mentioned ( Salicylic Acid, Alpha Hydroxy, Glycolic acid). I use this only at night and it, too, has been great for my skin. My skin tends to be more on the dry side.
Neutrogena often has great formulations and a cleanser with three of my favorite ingredients is a great addition to their line-up.
I just went to my dermatologist yesterday and she also said they are 3 of her favorite ingredients-Salicylic Acid, Alpha Hydroxy, Glycolic acid. She also thinks tha CeraVe is a great moisturizer. And I too love that the am moisturizer has the spf30…as I tend to get those ugly sunspots on my face-YUCK!
There is so much science behind these ingredients. So glad you are on a great routinue.
I am 60 and was looking the other day for something to help keep moisture in on my face and bought the CeraVe. just now was looking up the ingredients and was pleases to find this site and all the positive comments. I too like how it makes my skin feel
I’m so glad it worked for you!
My dermatologist recently recommended CeraVe to me and I use the daytime and PM and love the result.
I am such a fan of their products. THey recently added a new 50SPF sunscreen that I use on my neck and hands. It has a less irritating zinc oxide formulation but with hydrating ceramides. Perfect.