Often described as the ‘mortar’ to the skin cell ‘bricks’, ceramides are naturally occurring fats that make up over ½ the skin's barrier. Ceramides help protect against the environment and preserve moisture. They help minimize water lost through the skin's surface, hyaluronic acid draws in water molecules from the atmosphere towards the skin's surface.

They work in tandem with hyaluronic acid to preserve barrier function.

What do we mean by that? The skin isn’t just there to be ‘pretty’. It keeps our squishy insides in, and also keeps out infections and environmental gunk. In order to be healthy, you need a combination of fats and water. Most clients I see in the studio are lacking oils - - and scientifically skincare needs to be oil soluble to cross the barrier.

As an esthetician I see the primary function as keeping the good stuff -primarily moisture and healthy fats- It's not that easy for many skincare ingredients to penetrate, most sit on the surface and do offer some benefits. It’s also why we need to keep using the products to receive the benefit.

Not all of the products I use in facials are available on the retail site. I like to keep the batches as small (and fresh) as possible. Alchemy’s exclusive ceramide serum is one of the last products I apply during the service. It's lightweight and fortifies the good work we’ve done during your service.

If you're a dabbler, you might like to make you own.The formula I tweaked is from Humble Bee + Me. They have a great series both as a blog and video guides.

https://www.humblebeeandme.com/rose-ceramide-facial-gel/

When I find a formula to try, I like to research the ingredients to see if they meet the Alchemy definition of natural. And you’ll see if you compare the original to my final formula, that I’ve substituted in materials made by mother nature and not a lab. Since the proof is in the pudding as they say, clients LOVE the serum and I can feel good about the product. My formula ingredients are all designated

The serum is built around a ceramide complex manufactured by Making Cosmetics. My formula ingredients are all designated ECO-cert. This makes 20 grams which is easy to scale. You will need a jewelers scale and practice really good hygiene to avoid contamination (you don’t need a whole lab, but this has good guidelines).

All weights in grams

13.54 Distilled Water or Aloe Vera Juice (whole leaf)

4 Hydrosol - any skin safe favorite

.4 Squalane

1 Ceramide Complex

.2 Vegetable Glycerine

.2 Aristoflex avc

METHOD:

Prepare work surface and implements. Use Isopropyl alcohol (90%) to clean everything to avoid contaminations.

Weigh the first seven ingredients into your jar, dish or beaker.

Sprinkle on the Aristoflex avc

Blend: I like the small stick blender used for coffee drdrinks, but a small whisk works too

Because this formula contains water, preservatives are not an option.

I love experimenting with the hydrosol and have tried rose, rose geranium, clary sage and neroli. Any of Alchemy’s skin safe hydrosols would be a great choice. Distilled water and aloe vera give the end product different textures and it’s worth experimenting with both. You can customize your formula further by adding a drop of essential oil to the end product - avoid citrus and stick with flowers and herbs.

Ceramide Serum Exclusive to Facial Clients