Phytoceramides have been touted as a “Facelift in a Bottle”, but we like to think of it as the ultimate plant-based building block to beautiful healthy skin.
Let’s start with some basics- Phyto means “plant” and a ceramide is a long-chain, naturally occurring fatty acid (i.e., fat or lipid) that constitutes about 50% of our outer most layer of the skin called the epidermis. See why it is so important?
Ceramides, including the plant based Phytoceramides, work like “grout” to seal the tile like epidermal cells together creating a seal that ultimately reinforces the skin’s barrier function. This thin protective layer of ceramides helps to close off the microtears and cracks in the skin allowing it to stay calm even when applying sensitizing active ingredients like acids, retinols and vitamin C serums. These ceramides ultimately help minimize the inflammatory cascading effect and your skin is the main winner here!
In addition, ceramides play a big role in preventing the “bad stuff”, aka. irritants and pollution from entering the deeper layers of the skin that can create an inflammatory response contributing to atopic dermatitis, rosacea, aging and eczema. They also maintain optimal water and moisture levels within the skin to create homeostasis and a youthful glow.
The body naturally produces ceramides, but the concentration and effectiveness can be greatly impaired or reduced because of common skin irritants like cold weather, UV exposure, air pollution, low humidity, topical acids and aggressive exfoliants and even aging. Plus, the epidermis naturally loses approximately 1% of its thin protective layer each year from age 20 onward. Therefore, by age 60, we can lose as much as 40% of our epidermal layer, which includes ceramides.
The most commonly found ceramides in commercial skincare are non-biodegradable, synthetically manufactured and much cheaper (think plastic film).
LIV + GRACE SKINCARE admires the benefits of high-quality natural ingredients from good old Mother Nature, so we prefer using phytoceramides, not synthetics in our skincare. Find them in these Napa Valley ultra clean skincare products which are abundant in our skincare, especially in products like, Rescue Hydrate, Super Seed Oil, Lazy Gurl, Rose + White Tea Hydrating Mask (sleepwear), Goat Milk Hydrator and Glow Body Oil.
In summary, Phytoceramides lock in moisture, minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, support overall skin health, help with absorption of other skincare products and maintain a healthier microbiome.
LIV + GRACE SKINCARE knows natural ingredients are generally more delicate and expensive to sustainably source and cold press… and that “small batch” can be less economical, but we strongly believe natural phytoceramides and fresh active phytonutrients are better for the health of your skin, support a youthful appearance and protect our planet.
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