The Science of Ceramides: Essential Lipids for Skin Resilience

Healthy, resilient skin begins at the barrier. While many ingredients promise visible radiance, few are as foundational as ceramides. These naturally occurring lipids are essential for maintaining hydration, protecting against environmental stressors, and preserving long-term skin balance.

What Are Ceramides?

Ceramides are lipid molecules found naturally in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. In fact, they make up nearly 50% of the skin’s lipid matrix. This matrix acts as a protective seal, preventing moisture loss while shielding the skin from environmental stressors.

You can think of the skin barrier as a structured network. Skin cells form the framework, while lipids, including ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids, fill the spaces between them. Ceramides are the key components that keep this structure cohesive and intact.

Over time, natural ceramide levels decline due to aging, seasonal stress, over-exfoliation, and environmental exposure. When ceramide levels are reduced, the barrier becomes less efficient at retaining moisture. This is why replenishing ceramides through topical skincare can significantly improve hydration and resilience.

What Do Ceramides Do for Skin?

When discussing ceramides’ benefits, it is important to understand that their role is structural rather than superficial. Ceramides do not simply sit on the surface. They integrate into the lipid matrix, reinforcing the barrier the barrier itself.
The impact of ceramides is best understood through the structural support they provide:

• Reinforcing the lipid matrix to reduce transepidermal water loss
• Strengthening barrier integrity against environmental stressors
• Supporting smoother texture by maintaining cohesive skin structure
• Preserving elasticity through balanced hydration levels
• Enhancing recovery after exposure to active ingredients or seasonal shifts

The result is skin that appears balanced, hydrated, and resilient. These benefits make them particularly valuable in any skincare ritual focused on long-term skin health.

Understanding Different Types of Ceramides

Not all ceramides are identical. In skincare formulations, they are categorized based on differences in their molecular structure, particularly the fatty acid and sphingoid base components. These variations influence how they function within the lipid barrier.

Ceramide NP

Ceramide NP is one of the most widely used and well-researched ceramides in skincare. It is valued for its stability and compatibility with the skin’s natural lipid composition.

Ceramide NP helps reinforce the barrier and improve moisture retention by integrating seamlessly into the lipid matrix. Because of its structural similarity to naturally occurring ceramides, it is highly effective at supporting barrier repair and maintaining hydration.

Both GLAZE Peptide Lip Conditioner and DEFEND Ceramide Barrier Mist include Ceramide NP, reflecting its importance as a foundational barrier-support ingredient.

When exploring ceramide NP specifically, its primary ceramide benefits include strengthening the skin’s structure and enhancing long-term moisture balance

Ceramide NG

Ceramide NG is another naturally occurring type of ceramide found within the skin’s lipid barrier. While Ceramide NP is widely used for its stability and hydration-supporting properties, Ceramide NG plays a complementary role in maintaining the structural arrangement of the lipid layers.

It helps preserve the integrity and alignment of the barrier, supporting smoothness and overall skin resilience. Rather than acting alone, Ceramide NG works alongside other ceramides to reinforce the skin’s natural lipid balance.

When combined in a ceramide complex, as seen in DEFEND, Ceramide NG contributes to a more complete and biomimetic barrier-support system.

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide EOP contains esterified omega-hydroxy fatty acids, which are crucial for forming stable lamellar structures within the skin barrier. These layered lipid structures are essential for maintaining integrity and preventing water loss.
Ceramide EOP supports deeper structural resilience, helping the skin maintain long-term barrier strength.

DEFEND features a Ceramide Complex containing Ceramide NP, Ceramide NG, and Ceramide EOP. This multi-ceramide approach reflects the way ceramides exist naturally in the skin, working together rather than in isolation.

Ceramide NP vs. Ceramide Complex: Why Formulation Matters

While a single ceramide, such as Ceramide NP, offers meaningful barrier support, combining multiple ceramides can provide a broader structural benefit.

A ceramide complex mirrors the diversity of lipids naturally found in the skin. By combining Ceramide NP, Ceramide NG, and Ceramide EOP, a formulation can support multiple aspects of barrier organization, hydration retention, and long-term resilience.

GLAZE focuses on Ceramide NP to reinforce the barrier with precision and stability. DEFEND includes a Ceramide Complex to deliver comprehensive structural support. Both approaches are scientifically grounded, but they serve slightly different formulation strategies.

How to Incorporate Ceramides into Your Skincare Ritual

Because ceramides are biomimetic lipids, meaning they mirror components already present in the skin, they integrate seamlessly into most skincare rituals. Their role is not to stimulate or accelerate, but to reinforce and restore balance.
Ceramides are typically applied after cleansing and before heavier occlusive products. When layered correctly, they help seal in hydration while supporting the integrity of the lipid barrier.

They pair particularly well with:

• Hyaluronic Acid: draws water into the skin, while ceramides lock in that moisture.
• Peptides: boost collagen and renewal, while ceramides reinforce the skin barrier.
• Gentle exfoliants: smooth skin, and ceramides restore barrier strength afterward.

Incorporating ceramides consistently helps maintain hydration, resilience, and long-term skin balance without disrupting the skin’s natural processes.



At the core of healthy skin is barrier integrity. Ceramides play a central role in maintaining that integrity by strengthening the lipid network that protects and stabilizes the skin.

Different types of ceramides contribute in complementary ways, working together to mirror the skin’s natural composition. When included thoughtfully in a skincare ritual, they provide lasting support for hydration, smoothness, and overall skin resilience.