For your skin
The third (and most often missing) lipid in the skin barrier triumvirate. Without it, even ceramide-heavy creams underperform. Topping it up is what lets compromised, aged, or eczema-prone skin actually rebuild its waterproof layer.
Want the science? Keep reading ↓Mechanism of action
One of the three physiologic stratum corneum lipids (with ceramides and free fatty acids). Cholesterol synthesis is upregulated immediately after barrier disruption; topical application at a ~3:1:1 ratio with the other two lipids accelerates barrier recovery, while application of any one lipid alone delays it.
Why we tier this strong
5 cited papers across 1 country. Multiple positive efficacy results plus regulatory backing. Clears our published bar (Strong = 15+ studies with multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or a single large longitudinal cohort).
Read the research
Cited research
Sugarman JL, Parish LC. Efficacy of a lipid-based barrier repair formulation in moderate-to-severe pediatric atopic dermatitis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2009;8(12):1106-1111. — ceramide/cholesterol/fatty-acid triple-lipid formulation reduced disease severity, pruritus and improved sleep at days 14 and 28.
Chamlin SL, Kao J, Frieden IJ, Sheu MY, Fowler AJ, Fluhr JW, Williams ML, Elias PM. Ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids alleviate childhood atopic dermatitis: changes in barrier function provide a sensitive indicator of disease activity. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;47(2):198-208. — physiologic ceramide:cholesterol:fatty-acid lipid mixture; SCORAD improved significantly in 22 of 24 patients.
Zettersten EM, Ghadially R, Feingold KR, Crumrine D, Elias PM. Optimal ratios of topical stratum corneum lipids improve barrier recovery in chronologically aged skin. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1997;37(3 Pt 1):403-408.
Man MQ, Feingold KR, Thornfeldt CR, Elias PM. Optimization of physiological lipid mixtures for barrier repair. J Invest Dermatol. 1996;106(5):1096-1101.
Mao-Qiang M, Brown BE, Wu-Pong S, Feingold KR, Elias PM. Exogenous nonphysiologic vs physiologic lipids. Divergent mechanisms for correction of permeability barrier dysfunction. Arch Dermatol. 1995;131(7):809-816.
Sources: PubMed · KCI · J-Stage · CNKI · Wanfang · SFD · MFDS · Cochrane · SCCS · CIR. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for what each outcome label means.