CERAMIDES

Ceramides aren't simply moisturizing ingredients. They are lipids naturally found in your own skin, where they make up a major portion of the lipid structure of the stratum corneum your skin's outer protective barrier. That barrier is responsible for keeping essential water in and environmental stressors out. Ceramides are part of what holds that protective seal together.

And we lose them. Age, climate, frequent bathing, harsh cleansers, exfoliation and environmental exposure can all contribute to a depleted or disrupted skin barrier. On the body, the signs are familiar: dryness that keeps returning, tightness, flaking, rough knees and elbows, ashy-looking skin, crepey texture and fine dehydration lines. Mature body skin can become particularly vulnerable as its natural lipid environment changes with age.

This is what makes ceramides fundamentally different from simply putting something rich on dry skin. Ceramides help replenish the lipids the barrier itself needs, strengthening its ability to prevent excess water from escaping. In other words, they help your skin lock moisture in. The result is deeper, longer-lasting moisture rather than the temporary softness you can get from a body lotion that feels wonderful when applied but leaves skin dry again a few hours later.

For the body, that difference can be significant. Chronically dry skin becomes softer, smoother and more supple. Rough knees, elbows, hands and feet feel deeply conditioned. Dry, crepey texture looks smoother, and fine lines exaggerated by dehydration can appear softened. Skin feels more flexible and comfortable, and—most importantly—it is better equipped to hold onto hydration for longer.

Ceramides become especially valuable for mature body skin, when dryness, crepiness and loss of suppleness can become more noticeable across the neck, décolletage, arms, stomach, thighs, legs and hands. Every inch of body skin has a barrier, and supporting that barrier is fundamental to keeping skin looking smooth, resilient and beautifully conditioned as it ages. That's why ceramides are an essential part of The Signature Body Butter™. Shea, Buriti, Pomegranate and the other botanical lipids surround the skin in rich nourishment, while ceramides help reinforce the barrier responsible for locking that moisture in. Because deeply moisturized body skin isn't simply skin with cream sitting on it. It's skin with a healthy barrier capable of holding onto the moisture it needs.