Ceramides Can Hydrate Even the Driest Skin. Here’s How to Use Them

Some skin care ingredients get a lot of buzz for their novelty—we’re looking at you, snail mucin. Others have earned their attention through years of science-backed results, and ceramides certainly fall in that tried-and-true category.

For starters, they’re wildly effective: Dermatologists regularly tout the many health and beauty benefits of ceramides. And they’re also a bit of a unicorn since just about everyone can reap those rewards. Unlike harsher, potentially irritating skin care superstars (like retinoids and alpha-hydroxy acids), ceramides are actually ideal for people with sensitive skin. In short, yes, you should probably start using them—especially if you’re dealing with dry skin or sensitivity.

Here’s everything you should know about ceramides—including what they are, why they’re worth it, and exactly how to add them to your skin care routine.

What are ceramides?

Ceramides are lipids (a.k.a. fatty molecules) that exist naturally in the skin. They’re a crucial component of the stratum corneum, the protective outer layer of the epidermis, Mary L. Stevenson, MD, assistant professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Langone Health, tells SELF.¹

“The analogy we usually use [to describe the stratum corneum] is bricks and mortar,” Rajani Katta, MD, a Houston-based board-certified dermatologist and voluntary clinical faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine, tells SELF. Where your skin cells are the bricks, the lipids between them—which include ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids—represent the mortar.²

Stick with this analogy for a second. When the structure of the stratum corneum (or skin barrier) is intact, you have a solid brick wall—with nice, smooth mortar. This helps keep hydration in and potential irritants out.³ But if you have cracks in that mortar—picture a crumbly wall that’s falling apart—your moisture barrier is compromised: It lets water escape (via a process called transepidermal water loss, or TEWL), which can cause your skin to dry out and possibly become more reactive to irritants.

“Ceramide production naturally decreases as we get older, which is part of the reason aging skin may become inherently drier and more prone to rashes and irritation,” Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, tells SELF.² Overusing certain products—particularly ones that are dehydrating—and exfoliating too often can also wreak havoc on barrier function and deplete ceramides, she adds. Finally, folks dealing with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema also tend to have lower ceramide levels or an incorrect ratio of them, Dr. Stevenson says.³