10-06-2025
Are Ceramides The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine?
It's the hero ingredient that's long been the superpower of many skincare formulations, and now it's readily available in the supermarket aisle.
Ceramides are known as the building blocks of skin - the hardworking lipids which help to rebuild the skin barrier and provide long-lasting hydration.
These lipids (or fatty acids) occur naturally in the skin, helping protect it from dryness and defending against infection.
The buzzy substance is coming for your skincare routine, too, having reached cult status globally for its ability to boost your skin barrier, leaving it better equipped to fend off the harmful effects of environmental aggressors like pollution.
Now, best-selling New Zealand skincare brand Glow Lab is tapping into the skin barrier boom by unveiling its new dermatologically tested, fragrance- and cruelty-free Ceramides Skincare range, a four-strong selection of products designed to offer deep hydration to dry or sensitive skin types.
Formulated to restore and repair the skin's natural barrier and promote a healthy skin microbiome, Glow Lab's Ceramides range is brimming with active ingredients including triple ceramides, hyaluronic acid, postbiotics, cica and pro-vitamin B5.
The result? A complexion that appears radiant, and skin that's more resilient to whatever the day throws at you.
The primary role of ceramides in skin is to help retain moisture and dodge any pesky germs that threaten to enter the body.
They do so by supporting optimum skin barrier function – or the body's first line of defense against external stressors like pollution or toxins.
Thanks to technological advancements in the realm of skincare, we're now able to replenish our skin's ceramide stores by applying the ingredient topically, in the form of moisturisers, creams, serums and essences which can help top up ceramide levels.
What can ceramides do for your skin?
In the same way that our collagen stores deplete as we age, so too to the ceramide levels in skin.
This can often lead to dryness, redness, and irritation, or can manifest in the form of skin conditions like eczema or dermatitis.
This is where Glow Lab's unique triple ceramide complex steps in, helping to replenish any lost moisture levels, support a healthy skin barrier once more and soothe any surface sensitivity, meaning skin appears plump, smooth and healthy.
Beyond these benefits, using topical ceramides can also help to improve the health of skin cells, and slow the effects of ageing by keeping skin moist and supple.
'Supporting the skin barrier is one of the most important skincare steps, with dryness and sensitivity being the number one skin concern globally. We wanted to create a solution that makes healthy skin accessible to everyone,' says Glow Lab head of marketing, Nic Guise.
'With clean, derm-tested formulas and powerful hydration, our Ceramides range gives your skin the strength it needs—without the hefty price tag.'
How to incorporate ceramides into your skincare routine
A fusion of nature and science, all four products in Glow Lab's Ceramides range work to replenish and restore, leaving skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable (a must for those with sensitive skin).
Start with the Foaming Oil Cleanser, $17.99, a lightweight oil-to-foam formula which helps to gently remove makeup and impurities without leaving skin feeling stripped or dry. A nourishing blend of triple ceramides, squalane and betaine helps to cleanse skin and leave the skin barrier intact.
Next, apply one pump of the Replenishing Facial Serum, $29.99, and allow the silky and lightweight formula to soothe irritation, lock in moisture and boost the skin barrier. It does so thanks to a blend of triple ceramides, hyaluronic acid and cica – promising instant comfort on sensitive skin types, not to mention a dose of long-lasting hydration.
Lock in all that goodness with a pea-sized amount of the Daily Moisturising Lotion, $17.99, which absorbs quickly into skin (good news for regular makeup wearers). The deeply hydrating lotion is supercharged with a blend of ceramides, cica and SymRelief100 (a patented ingredient comprised of ginger root and bisabolol). Together, this soothing skin cocktail is scientifically proven to reduce redness by up to 49% in just two days.
On the days when you need to call in the reinforcements, consider the Ultra Repair Cream, $24.99, and allow the rich, creamy texture to alleviate the symptoms of dryness or skin that's prone to redness or discomfort. It combines triple ceramides, niacinamide and squalane with SymReboot L19 (aka probiotic Lactobacillus ferment) to boost the skin's moisture levels while strengthening the skin barrier to help protect it against environmental stressors.
The best part? As with all of Glow Lab's range of nourishing skincare, hair care, baby care, body care and home fragrance, the Ceramides range is made right here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
