So you want a ceramide serum. Maybe you’re starting to face the dryness that sets in as the years advance; maybe you’re struggling with irritation and a damaged skin barrier from acne, over-exfoliation, or eczema; maybe you’re just feeling the (in my opinion well-deserved) hype. Ceramides are finally having their day as a Big Deal in skincare, and as your friendly neighborhood ceramide-loving skincare fanatic, I swear by a ceramide serum and have some specific opinions on the leading ceramide serums that feature the Skin Barrier Holy Trinity of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acid.

But First — What are Ceramides? And Why are Cholesterol and Fatty Acids Relevant?

Ceramides are lipids that comprise roughly 50% of the skin’s lipid layer. They are invaluable for keeping the skin barrier intact because they help keep the top layers of the skin glued together. That skin barrier reinforcing function is part of why they’re useful for tackling dryness and dehydration, as well as any sort of skin barrier irritation — they help keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out.

The three most popular types of ceramides are Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP (yes, these are the three used in CeraVe). Other ceramides that you might have seen on an inci list include Ceramide NS, Ceramide AS and Ceramide EOS. Ceramides that may not look like ceramides on an INCI list include precursors and pseudoceramides. There two ceramide precursors Phytosphingosine and Sphingosine are also becoming more common. Because ceramides are expensive to formulate with, synthesized pseudoceramides are becoming more popular, and will typically have MEA somewhere in the name. Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA and Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide MEA are two examples, with the latter being the famed MLE of the Atopalm brand and its child brands Real Barrier, Zeroid and my beloved Derma:B.

Cholesterol, despite being something you want to watch out for in your lipoprotein panel, is actually critical for the skin, and becoming much more common in skincare. It is another type of lipid, and helps reinforce the structure of the membranes of skin cells. While ceramides comprise about 50% of the skin’s lipid layer, cholesterol comprises an additional 25%.

That last 25% of the skin’s lipid layer? Well, most of it (15% of the overall lipid layer) is fatty acids. We naturally break the fat in our food down into fatty acids, such that with the exception of the omega fatty acids, you rarely see them as an explicit addition. The same goes for skincare: many of the oils we know and love in our skincare, like jojoba, avocado, squalane, rosehip and sea buckthorn, just to name a few that you’ll see below, are all great sources of fatty acids.

The Products: Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum vs RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus vs Stratia Liquid Gold

Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum is one of the first dedicated ceramide serums that folks in the Western market tend to run into, and it’s a popular choice due to its ability to reduce redness and support the skin barrier. This serum includes cholesterol, five ceramides (Ceramide NP, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide EOS) as well as fatty acid + ceramide precursors Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine.

Per the name of this serum, it also uses avocado oil and avocado fruit extract, which is the source of its characteristic color as well as one of its main sources of fatty acids (this also leans on jojoba). It amplifies its redness reducing benefits with rice protein and rice bran oil, and calming benefits with allantoin. This serum is one I would consider to be in the k-beauty style, as it has a variety of plant extracts for antioxidant benefits.

Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum comes in a pump bottle that matches the color of the serum itself. It’s very thin and spreadable, but I found that I needed a pump and a half in order to cover face, neck and chest. Because it’s Glow Recipe, it is relatively pricey: $42 USD / 30 mL.

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide EOS, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex (CI 75810), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dextran, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Wood Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate.

Ingredients for Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus

RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus is the only k-beauty pick on this list and an impressively well-rounded formula. This serum includes cholesterol, five ceramides (Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide AS, so a slightly different mix-up than the Glow Recipe), and fatty acids from avocado oil and squalane.

In what I consider to be true k-beauty style, this serum is also chock-full of peptides: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1. It also includes a variety of plant extracts and waters for antioxidant benefits. Additional goodies include beta-glucan, niacinamide, and prebiotic fructooligosaccharides.

RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus has what I consider to be a “classic” ceramide serum texture, in that it’s a bit gloopy and works well in a “cocktail” — mixed in your palm with another serum for spreadability. The price for this 30 mL bottle varies by retailer, but it’s currently listed at $32 on YesStyle.

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone/​Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Betaine, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide AS, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Algae Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Squalane, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Glyceryl Stearate, Beta-Glucan, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sucrose Distearate, Acrylates/​C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Hydrolyzed Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Ingredients for RNW DER. CONCENTRATE Ceramide Plus

Stratia Liquid Gold

Last but never least, Stratia Liquid Gold is possibly when many of us first heard about the need for a ratio of cholesterol, ceramides and fatty acids, as this product explicitly includes all three at 25%, 50% and 15%, respectively. This includes cholesterol, of course, as well as ceramides NP, AP and EOP and phytosphingosine.

The iconic color that gives the product its name comes from sea buckthorn seed oil, which is considered to be a great source of vitamin c, but it also includes rosehip oil, cranberry seed oil and squalane — all those good fatty acids. Niaciniamide, panthenol and urea also help support the skin barrier.

Stratia Liquid Gold is technically a moisturizer (how my husband uses it), though its texture is lightweight enough that many, including myself, can use it as a serum. We’ve gone through a lot of bottles of this, and I find that three pumps cover face, neck and chest. Because of its moisturizer status, this is the most cost-effective option: $27 USD for 60 mL or $49 USD for 120 mL.

Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Rosa Mosqueta (Rose) Hip Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Squalane (sugarcane-derived), Cetyl Alcohol, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA

Ingredients for Stratia Liquid Gold

The Face Off: When To Use Which

Alright, so that’s the basic breakdown of the ingredients, but which should you use to really make your skin barrier all it can be?

What you’ll get from all three: that good skin barrier support. Truly, I think you can include be doing a lot of great things for your skin barrier but aren’t doing everything you can unless you have ceramides in your routine, whether it’s from a dedicated ceramide product or no. If you’re concerned with dryness, dehydration, irritation or redness, get thee to a ceramide product. That these three include cholesterol and fatty acids, in addition, make them the creme de la creme, in my opinion.

What you’ll get from Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum: built-in redness reduction from the color, rice and allantoin, in a lightweight but bougie formula.

What you’ll get from RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus: extra anti-aging and dehydration-fighting benefits from the peptides and focus on hydrating ingredients.

What you’ll get from Stratia Liquid Gold: a really fun aesthetic, in an inexpensive formula that provides additional vitamins and can multitask as a serum or moisturizer.

So, which one should you pick? If you’re me, the answer is all of them, eventually. If you want to quickly pick something up at Sephora (in the US, anyway) in a redness- and irritation-fighting emergency, or just feel like you’ve got the coin to spend roughly $20 USD on ceramides a month, go for the Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum. If you’re a skincare fanatic who wants to try something many folks haven’t heard of while to fight signs of aging and dehydration, you need to try the RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus (bonus — they have a whole ceramide line). If you’re into a minimal skincare routine (I refuse to normalize the phrase skinimalism) and don’t like heavy layers on your skin, grab the cult favorite Stratia Liquid Gold. No matter what you pick, your skin will thank you.

Honorable Mentions

I try a lot of skincare, so there will certainly be some follow-ups to this post as I dig into all the other ceramide serums I’ve tried and will continue to try. At the moment I intend to do a “Hydrating Ceramide Serum Face Off” with Beekman 1802 vs Ample:N vs Cocokind, and a “Creamy Ceramide Serum Face Off” with Kate Somerville vs Pacifica vs Inkey List. Interested in product comparisons of moisturizers or toners with ceramides? Or any other flavor of Face Off? Let me know.

Other Face Offs

Like this post format? Check out my other posts in this format: Face Off of the Propolis Serums: iUNIK vs COSRX vs Beauty of Joseon, Face Off of the Starter Retinols: Versed vs Stratia vs Indeed Labs, Face Off of the Cica Creams: COSRX vs Isntree, Face Off: Dear Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner vs Etude House SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner and Face Off: Laneige Cream Skin Refiner vs I’m From Rice Toner

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