Ceramide NP

INCI: CERAMIDE NP

How it works:

Ceramide NP is an exceptionally pure ceramide containing a stereochemical structure identical to those found in the human skin. Not only does it reinforce the natural lipid barrier of dry and aging skin, it also shows an outstanding ability to maintain the moisture balance of the skin’s surface.

Ceramides are a type of wax that’s naturally found in our skin. The name came from the Latin cera which means wax. Ceramides form a kind of water-proofing barrier in the upper layers of the skin. They’re not only critical for helping the skin retain water, but they also help repair the skin’s natural barrier and regulate the cells. Their signaling function includes regulating the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of the cells. Ceramides have been used to treat skin conditions that are a result of a disrupted barrier function, such as atopic dermatitis, irritant/allergic contact dermatitis, and aged skin. 

Ceramide production decreases with age, which results in dry skin, wrinkles and some types of dermatitis.

Ceramides are made of a long-chain or sphingoid base linked to a fatty acid. Sphingoids make up about half of a ceramide. Different types of ceramides can be made, depending on which base and which fatty acids are combined. There are at least nine different types of ceramides found in nature. 

Ceramides penetrate the skin’s outer layers very well because they are “skin-identical” lipids and  naturally present there. Topically applied ceramides can move into the upper layers of the stratum corneum.

Key benefits of ceramides in skin care:

  • Moisturizing and hydration

  • Restore barrier function

Ceramides are a type of lipid that is abundant in skin tissue, where it exerts both structural and signaling functions. Its structural function includes maintaining the barrier function and retaining water content and hence integrity of the skin. Its signaling function includes regulating the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of the cells.

Ceramides have been used to treat skin conditions that are a result of disrupted barrier function, such as atopic dermatitis, irritant/allergic contact dermatitis, and aged skin, and they might be used against skin cancer as well.

Further scientifically relevant research regarding ceramide NP: