Contrary to a conviction sometimes voiced by consumers in every industry - "If a product is for everything, it is essentially for nothing" - there are certain exceptions in the world of skincare on which scientists and specialists, cosmetics manufacturers and users all agree: UNIVERSAL, FOR EVERY SKIN TYPE. This applies both to specific types of products, such as a cream with a high sun filter (a must!), and to active ingredients whose action brings undeniable benefits to every skin. One of them is... ceramides! Allow us to introduce you to them :)

What are ceramides?

For the sake of form, let us start from the chemical point of view: ceramides are a family of lipid substances built mainly from unsaturated fatty acids. Their name comes from the Latin word cera, meaning wax, and amide - a type of chemical compound with a specific structure.

As for where they occur in the body, ceramides are a component of the cell membrane of eukaryotic cells (those with a nucleus), which is responsible for protecting the inside of the cell against harmful external factors. Their most important role, however, is played elsewhere: ceramides are the most important element of the binding material filling the intercellular spaces in the stratum corneum of the epidermis and the main building block responsible for its tightness. For this reason they are often called intercellular cement.

Fun fact: Because of their chemical structure, ceramides belong to a group of lipids called sphingolipids - they consist of a sphingosine molecule and a fatty acid. If the word makes you think of the Sphinx, you are right! Sphingosine was first described and named by Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Thudichum, a biochemist who characterised many previously unknown molecules while studying the composition of the brain. The structure of the sphingosine molecule turned out to be a source of many riddles for him - just like the mythical Sphinx - and that is what decided the name he gave it ;)

The characteristics of how ceramides work

In 1983 the American scientist Peter M. Elias put forward the idea of comparing the stratum corneum of the epidermis to a brick wall. Corneocytes, that is the flat, nucleus-free cells of the epidermis, are a kind of brick, bound together by cement in the form of a mixture of lipids consisting of about 50% ceramides plus 25% cholesterol and 25% free fatty acids. This "mortar" in our skin is responsible for protecting the deeper layers against water loss - it creates an impermeable coating that limits the evaporation of moisture (and at the same time stops microorganisms trying to get through the skin from the outside environment). Ceramides thus contribute, directly or indirectly, to:

• maintaining the proper level of skin hydration, preventing dehydration and dryness,
• strengthening the skin's protective barrier and therefore protecting the skin against negative external factors and preventing irritation,
• soothing irritation, regenerating and repairing damage to the skin,
• giving the skin resilience, an anti-wrinkle and firming action, slowing down the appearance of the first signs of skin ageing,
• preventing excessive shedding of dead epidermal cells,

thereby helping to maintain the skin's homeostasis, so that it can properly fulfil its physiological functions.

Fun fact: Ceramides should be very well known to new parents - they are produced in enormous quantities by the epidermis of the foetus and are the main component of the protective waxy coating (Latin vernix caseosa) that covers the delicate skin of newborns after birth.

Ceramide gains and losses

The biosynthesis of ceramides can take place in any organism and in any of its tissues - it follows three routes, in different cell organelles, which is why ceramides show varied properties and fulfil different (though complementary) functions. In the skin, which is capable of synthesising ceramides on its own, their production takes place in the spinous and granular layers of the epidermis, and their storage in the stratum corneum, where they are its main lipid component.

Our skin produces more than a dozen types of ceramides, numbered in sequence with Arabic numerals - each of them has a different molecular structure, combining different forms of sphingosine and different fatty acids. Altogether, ceramides make up more than 100 different compounds! It is worth mentioning that the presence of some ceramides is characteristic solely of the stratum corneum - they have not been found anywhere else. Ceramides are also a building block of our hair - they fill the intercellular spaces of the hair, influencing its hydration level and resilience.

Ceramide type 1 is considered particularly exceptional; its molecules have the ability to bond with the neighbouring lipid layer, which means it binds the epidermis together even more strongly. Also worth noting is ceramide 6-II, which contains phytosphingosine - a form showing anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to rebuild a damaged skin barrier.

Unfortunately, the ceramide content in the body is not constant. Their production decreases with age, and after the age of 40 it usually stops altogether. It may also decrease under the influence of oxidative stress, the harmful action of external factors (UV radiation, for instance) or hormonal changes linked among others to the menopause, as well as as a result of inappropriate care - especially cleansing the skin with detergents that are too strong, overusing exfoliating products, or heat styling, colouring and bleaching in the case of hair.

An insufficient amount of ceramides makes the skin more prone to irritation, damage and the development of inflammation - excessive sensitivity and flaking may appear, along with a feeling of burning and tightness. As a result of a lowered ceramide level, the skin loses its healthy tone and elasticity, the epidermis and hair become thin, dry and rough, and our hairstyle loses its shine and volume.

Something good for everyone - how ceramides work in cosmetics

Because of their significant role in keeping the skin and hair in good condition, ceramides have found wide application in cosmetics as a valued active ingredient both in home care products and in specialist salon preparations. Since they penetrate into the structures of the intercellular cement of the stratum corneum and effectively rebuild the epidermal barrier, they are used above all in preventing and eliminating states of skin dryness of various origins, including those caused by dermatoses (such as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis) or allergies. They are also used as a supporting treatment for acne: a side effect of dermatological therapies is often skin irritation and a disturbance of the hydrolipid barrier - two factors that favour... the formation of acne lesions. So in order to avoid the so-called "vicious circle", it is best to combine specialist anti-acne preparations with daily care rich in ceramides :)

It is not hard to conclude, then, that ceramides should feature preventively in the care of every skin type, but they will be especially advisable for dry, sensitive, irritated or mature skin. They are worth using at every time of year - they will help regenerate skin exposed to sunlight and sea water, as well as to wind or frost. In hair cosmetics, in turn, ceramides will take care of rebuilding and strengthening the hair structure and sealing the cuticles, protecting against water loss, preventing split ends and giving the hair resilience and shine.

Let us decipher the ingredients

The ceramides used in cosmetic products can be obtained from various sources. The most commonly used are phytoceramides: compounds of plant origin with a chemical structure similar to the ceramides present in human skin. They are obtained from cereals, rice, maize, potatoes (including sweet potatoes) or soy, among others. Less often you can come across natural ceramides extracted from animal tissues - usually the brain or the spinal cord. Far more popular, on the other hand, are the so-called pseudoceramides, that is synthetic counterparts of natural ceramides. Thanks to the development of science and technology, advanced biotechnological processes allow the production of ceramides identical to those found in our skin: ceramide 1 (EOP), ceramide 3 (NP) and ceramide 6-II (AP). It is precisely their combination in a cosmetic formula that brings the best care results in terms of rebuilding the skin's protective barrier and restoring its proper functioning.

When looking for ceramides in the INCI lists given on cosmetics packaging, you may come across the following names:

• Ceramide EOS
• Ceramide NG or Ceramide NS
• Ceramide NP (the one most frequently found in cosmetic formulations)
• Ceramide AS
• Ceramide AP
• Ceramide EOP

The individual types correspond to the ceramides naturally occurring in human skin and complement their action. Behind each letter abbreviation, in turn, is information about which chemical compounds the molecule of a given ceramide is built from - for example, S stands for sphingosine and P for phytosphingosine.

What may come as a surprise, ceramides often appear closer to the end of the ingredient list than to its beginning (at this point we would remind you that ingredients in INCI are listed by decreasing percentage content in the formula, while those present in a concentration below 1% may be listed in any order), but this is no cause for concern - ceramides are extremely effective even in very small concentrations :)

Even more possibilities

Cosmetics may also contain the precursors of ceramides themselves, that is compounds involved in their natural production in the skin, such as sphingosine or phytosphingosine (in INCI under the names Sphingosine and Phytosphingosine respectively), as well as active ingredients that stimulate the natural synthesis of ceramides - among others niacinamide (vitamin B3), vitamin C or lactic acid.

Both cosmetics manufacturers and consumers are also taking an interest in the raw materials known as ceramide analogues - bioactive substances with a similar molecular structure and analogous properties to a given ceramide. One of them is a unique derivative of the fatty acids obtained from the seeds of the plant Limnanthes alba. It is a flowering plant from the family known as meadowfoam, growing in the damp, grassy environment of the American states of California and Oregon. Its seeds consist of as much as 20-30% fat - the cold-pressed Meadowfoam seed oil is one of the most stable plant oils, rich in the antioxidant vitamins A and E and distinguished by a unique, exceptionally high content of long-chain fatty acids, which gives it its special nourishing properties.

Fun fact: The tiny white flowers of the Limnanthes alba plant look like foam floating on a meadow. Its English name, white meadowfoam, was created precisely from the combination of the words meadow and foam.

But let us return to the raw material mentioned above and take a closer look at it. This clear, amber-coloured liquid is a vegan cosmetic raw material, compliant with the standards of the COSMOS and Ecocert organic certificates, and appearing in INCI under the name Meadowfoam Estolide. If we wanted to render it in full, we would have to say: oligomeric esters of the fatty acids of meadowfoam seed oil. Phew ;)

In skincare cosmetics they mainly perform a moisturising and protective function - the Meadowfoam Estolide molecule is structurally similar to ceramide 3B (also designated IIIB or NP), which is essential in the process of storing water in the epidermis. It shows a high capacity for binding moisture, thanks to which it helps effectively reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), increasing not only the level of hydration but also its distribution in the skin. It thus contributes to a visible improvement in the skin's tone, texture and overall look, as well as to greater softness and elasticity. Meadowfoam Estolide also provides a conditioning action in hair care - it builds into the structure of the hair and raises the level of intracellular hydration, restoring the hair's elasticity and reducing the friction coefficient of the cuticles. In this way it helps create an effective protective barrier, shielding each hair against both mechanical damage and damage caused by high temperatures (during drying or straightening, for instance).

Ceramide analogues in practice

Thanks to its properties, Meadowfoam Estolide finds particular use in products for care aimed at hydrating and nourishing the skin and at anti-ageing action, as well as in shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products, and even in dyes. In addition, it is also used in the production of colour cosmetics, where it provides a more elegant texture and finish, greater colour saturation and better pigment adhesion as the product is applied to the skin.

In the Ministerstwo range you can benefit from the valuable properties of the ceramide analogue mentioned above by reaching for our Milk-Honey-Oat or Green Tea shampoo bars and the Active elixir for the eye and mouth area Rose-Raspberry + Ximenynic Acid. It is this ingredient, among others, that gives hair regularly treated with our shampoo bars nourishment without weight or greasiness, hydration and resilience, and gives the skin under the eyes cared for with the elixir smoothness and a daily shot of the anti-wrinkle vitamins A and E.