Skin hydration is significantly increased by a cream formulated to mimic the skin’s own natural moisturizing systems

Figures & data

Table 1 Ingredients listed on the product labels of moisturizers tested in this study

Ingredient class	Ceramide cream	Placebo cream	Reference product 1	Reference product 2	Reference product 3
Base	Water	Water	Water	Water	Water
Humectant	Glycerin			Betaine	Glycerin
	Sodium PCAa			Glycerin
Occludent	Dimethicone		White soft paraffin	Squalane	Caprylic/capric triglyceride
	Petroleum				Dimethicone
Emollient	Paraffinium liquidum 1,2-hexanediol caprylyl glycol		Liquid paraffin	Elaeis guineensis oil Olea europaea fruit oil Olus
Ceramide promoter	Niacinamide Lactic acida				Phytosphingosine
Ceramide/cholesterol/fatty acid	Ceramide NP				Ceramide 1
	Ceramide EOP				Ceramide 3
	Cholesterol				Ceramide 6-II
	Carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil				Cholesterol
Other	Cetearyl alcohol	Cetearyl alcohol	Cetearyl alcohol	Pentylene glycol	Behentrimonium methosulfate
	Ceteareth-20	Ceteareth-20	Ceteareth-20	Acetamide MEA	Carbomer
	Glyceryl stearate SE	Glyceryl stearate SE	Citric acid	Carbomer	Ceteareth-20
	Laureth-3	Laureth-3	Methylparaben	Hydrogenated lecithin	Cetearyl alcohol
	Sodium hydroxide	Methylparaben	Propylparaben	Hydroxyethylcellulose	Dipotassium EDTA
	Stearic acid	Propylparaben	Trisodium citrate	Palmitamide MEA (PEA)	Hyaluronic acid
	Xanthan gum	Stearic acid		Sarcosine	Methylparaben
		Xanthan gum		Sodium carbomer	Polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate
				Xanthan gum	Polysorbate 20
					Potassium phosphate
					Propylparaben
					Xanthan gum

Notes:

a Also an NMF component.

Abbreviations: PCA, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid; NMF, natural moisturizing factor.

Figure 1 Mean difference for hydration scores (treated minus untreated) over time (h) following the single application of (•) Ceramide cream, (•) placebo cream, (•) Reference Product 1, (•) Reference Product 2 and (•) Reference Product 3 (n=10 for each group).

Notes: *P<0.0001 vs Ceramide cream, ^#P<0.001 vs Ceramide cream, ^{^}P<0.01 vs Ceramide cream and ^‡P<0.05 vs Ceramide cream.

Table 2 TEWL measurements (g/hm²) following a single topical application of Ceramide cream over time (h). The mean percentage change in TEWL compared to baseline (t=0) is given in parentheses.

Time (h)	TEWL (g/hm^2)
0	8.45±0.65
2	6.35±0.56 (–25.4±1.2)*
4	6.56±0.44 (–21.6±2.2)*
6	6.58±0.40 (–21.0±2.6)*
24	6.54±0.38 (–21.2±3.0)*

Notes:

* P<0.001 vs t=0. Results are presented as mean ± SEM.

Abbreviation: TEWL, transepidermal water loss.