13 Ceramide Moisturizers Your Skin WIll Love This Winter

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Ceramides may be a trending, but they’re not exactly new. In fact, ceramides are naturally found in our skin's protective barrier, or stratum corneum. The skin barrier is often described as a brick wall, made up of skin cells which are the bricks and lipids that act as the mortar, keeping the structure intact, explains board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. "The lipids are made up of ceramides, along with cholesterol and fatty acids, that seal water in the skin to keep your skin hydrated and block irritants out to keep it healthy."

Here's the thing though: We lose those natural ceramide lipids when our skin barrier is disrupted by aggressors, including anything from hot water to harsh ingredients, dry air, and sun exposure. But! Ceramides in skincare mimic the ceramides naturally found in the skin to restore and replenish it's protective barrier. This is why using a ceramide face moisturizer (you may also see them labeled barrier creams) in your daily skincare routine is so important...and also why I rounded up the 13 best ceramide moisturizers (with the help or Dr. Zeichner and Dr. Gohara) below. Here's a quick peek:

Keep reading for the full list of best ceramide moisturizers (I even included a gentle ceramide face serum and buzzy ceramide face essence for you to check out too) along with tips for choosing the best ceramide moisturizer for your skin type and concerns.

Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

Our experts cited this as a gold standard ceramide moisturizer. “It was formulated to be bio-identical to the lipids found the skin barrier,” says Dr. Gohara. "It's pretty much the exact ratio of 2 percent ceramides 1 and 3, 4 percent natural cholesterol, and 2 percent fatty acids that are naturally found in the upper layers of the skin.” Dr Zeichner adds that this moisturizer has even been found to shorten the adjustment period to retinol and retinoids by nurturing the skin barrier.

• Size: 1.6 oz

• Skin types: Dull, sensitive, dry

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “I know the price tag hurts a little bit, but when I say it is worth every penny, it really is. No other moisturizer I’ve used has helped me consistently use a retinol every night without waking up like a scaly mess. This does, and it’s so rich but doesn’t weigh you down and make your skin oily.”

PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

I LOVE this ceramide moisturizer from CeraVe, and so does Dr. Gohara. “Besides three types of essential ceramides, the formula also contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties,”Dr. Gohara says. Personally, this is my go-to nighttime moisturizer, and the one product that soothes my dry skin when it’s irritated from too much active ingredient action.

• Size: 3 oz

• Skin types: All

• Format: Lotion

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “This product definitely lives up to the high praise it’s given. It’s lightweight, glides on, absorbs quickly, and leaves your skin feeling soft. Another plus is that it is completely unscented.”

Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer SPF 30

I use this ceramide moisturizer every single day, even when it's cloudy or rainy. It’s not sticky like some SPF formulas, nor is it oily or heavy, so I can wear it under makeup. Dr. Gohara is a fan of this SPF moisturizer too. "It's one of my favorites, especially for sensitive skin, and contains excellent humectants, ceramide 3, niacinamide, and their prebiotic thermal water, which has anti-inflammatory selenium to calm redness," she says, adding "on top of that, it’s got broad spectrum sun protection too."

• Size: 3.38 oz

• Skin types: All

• Format: Lotion

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “I love this! Such good skin barrier building ingredients, moisturizers, and SPF for my semi-sensitive skin! The texture is creamy and smooth but lightweight, and doesn’t feel sticky like some sunscreen products can.”

Barrier Renewal Complex Facial Moisturizer

Dermatologists don't just love Elta MD’s sunscreens, they're fans f the brand's science-driven skincare products too. They have clinical data backing up their formulas and use tried-and-true ingredients, says Dr. Zeichner. Exhibit A: This ceramide moisturizer, which contains five different types of ceramides and cholesterol near the top of the ingredients list, as well as moisturizing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, niacinamide, and squalane. It's a perfect for choice for dry, dehydrated skin types or anyone dealing with irritation,

• Size: 1.7oz

• Skin types: Dry, sensitive, dull

• Format: Lotion

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “My skin is dry, extremely sensitive, and can be acne-prone. This makes my skin feel soothed, soft, and calm. It’s been a lifesaver for my skin, and better by far than other products I’ve put on my face.”

Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Refillable Face Cream

“Ceramides are effective emollients, and this product has 3 essential kinds,” says Zeichner, “but ceramides are only part of the story. A good formula has effective humectants and occlusives as well.” This cream has it all: Humectants like glycerin and seaweed sodium hyaluronate, moisturizing squalane, and jojoba oil and macadamia seed oils, plus shea butter to name a few. It’s also got peptides–a non-irritating alternative to retinol for boosting collagen production.

• Size: 1.7 oz

• Skin types: Combo, dull, sensitive, dry

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “This is my go-to, especially for dry winter months. It feels like my skin is drinking in the hydration, and saying ‘Aaahhh.” LOL. Seriously though, it’s super moisturizing, not irritating at all, and has a creamy pudding consistency that doesn’t feel heavy.”

Clinical Ceramide Enriched Firming Moisturizer

This is a great one-and-done anti-aging moisturizer because it contains ceramides along with retinol (one of the best ingredients for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles) and vitamin C (an excellent skin brightener). Because it’s enriched with ceramides and other moisturizing ingredients like cholesterol, the retinol plus antioxidant formula is not as likely to make your skin red, itchy, or flaky. In fact, ceramides can help improve the tolerability of potentially irritating actives like vitamin C or retinol, explains says Dr. Zeichner.

• Size: 1.7oz

• Skin types: Dry, dull, combo, oily

• Format: Lotion

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: "I researched products for weeks and decided on this one because it has retinol and vitamin C. My skin looks and feels great, with fading of dark spots, a brighter skin tone, and even less breakouts.”

Cloud Cushion Airy Brightening Moisturizer

A brightening cream that works for all skin types to address dryness, barrier repair, and hyperpigmentation—an especially common issue for skin of color. This ultra-lightweight moisturizer has a fluffy, cloud-like texture and uses plant-derived ceramide and natural oils to moisturize, as well as niacinamide, an antioxidant that can help to minimize dark spots and uneven skin tone.

• Size: 1.68 oz

• Skin types: All

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “This moisturizer has completely changed the appearance of my skin in the two months that I’ve been using it. My dark marks had faded and my skin looked brighter.”

Lala Retro Whipped Cream

Attention clean beauty lovers, this one's for you. The cult-favorite cream contains phytoceramides, along with other natural botanical lipids such as marula oil and plant-derived African baobab, passionfruit, and mongongo oils. It also includes antioxidant-rich fermented green tea extract.

• Size: 1.69oz

• Skin types: Dry, sensitive, combo, dull

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “This cream is so hydrating for my dry skin. Even though the price is a little much, it is SO worth it! This product is a 10-the best I have ever used!”

Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream

This bestselling formula boasts a whopping five different ceramides in the brand’s patented “5-Cera Complex." Does a variety of ceramides make it a more effective ceramide moisturizer? Not necessarily. “We don’t really know the concentration of all of these ceramides in most products, so it’s hard to know if the efficacy of the cream is due to the ceramide ingredients or the formula as a whole,” says Dr. Zeichner. This one also adds other excellent moisturizers such as panthenol, glycerin, and shea butter.

• Size: 1.7oz

• Skin types: Dry, combo, dull, sensitive

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “I have perpetually dry and super sensitive skin, and it gets worse in the winter. This hydrates my skin like no other product. I slather it on every night.”

Keys Soulcare Skin Transformation Cream

Right up front, I’ll tell you that there are two versions of this radiance boosting cream. One is fragrance-free (my personal preference, as well as our derm experts) and one that’s subtly scented. Why is this? No idea. But both versions are enriched with three key ceramides, hydrating glycerin, emollient cholesterol, niacinamide, and honey (a natural humectant and anti-inflammatory). It also has bakuchiol, a plant-derived alternative to retinol that’s excellent for smoothing and plumping skin.

• Size: 1.76 oz

• Skin types: Dry, dull, combo

• Format: Cream

• Fragrance-free? Depends on the version

Glowing customer review: “A perfect product! I’m so grateful for the fragrance-free version of this moisturizer. I put it on at night, and it makes my skin look amazing, supple, and soft when I wake up.”

Ceramide Barrier Serum

Already have a moisturizer you love, but still want to incorporate ceramides in your skincare routine? Look no further than this ceramide-infused face serum. It's ultra-moisturizing and enriched with 5 types of ceramides, soothing aloe, glycerin, squalane, and plant-derived vitamin E. It’s also got a dash of lactic acid to gently exfoliate dead skin cells that helps boost skin’s absorption of lipids. Plus it easily layers with other products, so it's easy add-on to any type of skincare routine.

• Size: 1 oz

• Skin types: Dry, combo, dull, sensitive, acne-prone, oily

• Format: Serum

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “I have combination, acne-prone skin and was worried that this would break me out, but I’m happy to report that it has improved my skin, absorbs beautifully and is light enough to wear under makeup. I noticed an immediate change in my skin–it feels soft and soothed.”

Glazing Milk

Again, not technically a moisturizer, but this milky ceramide-enriched essence is so damn moisturizing I couldn't not include it on the list. “Ceramides can be mixed into a variety of vehicles, so putting them into a serum or an essence is like sneaking vegetables into a brownie recipe for picky kids—it’s a healthy ingredient in a cool product," says Dr. Gohara.

• Size: 4.7 oz

• Skin types: Dry, combo, dull, sensitive, oily

• Format: Liquid

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “I got this product because of the hype it received on social media, and absolutely love it! After using it, my skin felt super hydrated, glowy, and dewy. The texture is very lightweight, yet creamy.”

Hydration Boosting Cream Face

While this ultra-hydrating formula is packed with five different ceramides, as well as moisturizing squalane, jojoba oil, and macadamia seed oil. It’s not at all oily or heavy on the skin and it's super versatile. You could wear this lightweight lotion under makeup, or layer it over a retinol at night.

• Size: 1.7 oz

• Skin types: All

• Format: Lotion

• Fragrance-free? Yes

Glowing customer review: “Lightweight, but this hydrating day/night moisturizer works! And, a little goes a long way. I use this before applying tretinoin too.”

What do ceramides for for skin?

Ceramides are natural lipids in the uppermost layers of the skin that keep water in and irritants out. “Ceramides make up about 40 percent of the skin barrier,” says Dr. Gohara, “and without them, the barrier would not function effectively.” Ceramide ingredients in skincare mimic natural ceramides in your skin to moisturize and maintain a healthy barrier.

BTW there are different types of ceramides in the skin, so on the ingredients list of a ceramide moisturizer, you will often see more than one kind. For example, there are ceramides EOS, NP, and AP, “which correspond to ceramides 1, 3, and 6—the most common, and biologically similar, ceramides naturally found in the skin barrier," says Dr. Gohara.

Is a moisturizer with ceramides good?

A moisturizer with ceramides isn't just good, it's essential for healthy, functioning skin. We lose ceramides when the skin barrier is disrupted and weakened by things like drying topical ingredients, over washing and exfoliating, dry winter air, and sun exposure," explains Dr. Gohara. A ceramide moisturizer replenishes those natural lipids to restore your skin barrier and minimize inflammatory skin conditions.

Are ceramides or hyaluronic acid better for skin?

Neither ceramides nor hyaluronic acid is better for skin—they're apples and oranges," says Dr. Gohara, adding that "both ingredients are good for you, and naturally found in the skin, but they do different things." Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws water into the skin to keep it plump and hydrated, while ceramides are emollients that seal in that moisture. Ideally, you want to look for both ingredients in a good face moisturizer.

How to choose the best ceramide moisturizer:

Consider your skin type.

If you have dry skin, then you'll want to go for a ceramide moisturizer that's formulated as a rich cream or thicker lotion. If your skin is oily or acne-prone, a lightweight lotion, gel-cream, face serum, or essence that's labeled oil-free and/or non-comedogenic will be your best choice.

And contrary to what you may think, ceramide moisturizing ingredients won’t cause breakouts, so they work for any skin type, says Dr. Zeichner. “Ceramide deficiencies and barrier dysfunction have been proven to contribute to inflammation and acne, so it's actually beneficial to add one to your routine,” he adds.

Look for ceramides at the top of the ingredients list.

“They should be close to the top, and if ceramides are way down near the middle or bottom of the list, that means there’s probably not much in there,” says Dr. Gohara.

Meet the experts:

• Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist, an associate professor of dermatology and the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

• Mona Gohara, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Connecticut and associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Gina Way is an editor, copywriter, and professional skincare junkie. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Allure, Marie Claire, and more. Follow Gina on Instagram.

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