Ceramides, free fatty acids and cholesterol are the three main components of the skin physical barrier (read more about the skin barrier here). Ceramides are fats and lipids found in skin—and they make up 30-40% of your skin’s outer layer. They’re incredibly important, because they help your skin retain moisture and protect against UV, pollution, and allergens.
Ceramide levels decrease as we age, but you’ll also find those levels decrease in skin conditions such as:
- Dry skin
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Acne
- Ichthosis
The Magic Ratio
So using skincare with ceramides seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, yes and no.
First off, using products that contain ceramides, free fatty acids, and cholesterol at a ratio similar to what your skin naturally produces is critical.
Products that contain ONLY ceramides, but no cholesterol or fatty acids may actually UPSET your skin’s lipid balance—especially if you have eczema, dry skin, or other conditions that are already affected by a lack of balance between these three components.
In summary… ceramides are great! But look for products that contain a balanced concentration of all three lipids.
Ceramides and Cholesterol are easy to find on product ingredient labels, but free fatty acids come in different flavors and under different names. The good news is that they are common in many plant oils, so if the product contains oils, such as sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, or shea butter, it contains fatty acids.
The Solution: Soteri Skin
At Soteri Skin we use ceramide complex that is similar to your skin’s composition of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Our products also maintain skin surface pH at the optimal level for your skin to product ceramides on its own, which is the best way to keep your skin healthy and balanced.
In skincare as in life, it’s all about maintaining the perfect balance.