#MasqueSundays - Psy Ceramide Sheet Mask

20140405-105219.jpgEverybody needs to take time out to pamper themselves a little bit! It is hard with our busy schedules, but if you mark a certain time once a week, or every two weeks, or even once a month, your soul will thank you! Last night I gave myself 20 minutes ;) I put on my silly Psy Ceramide Sheet Mask, marked my timer, and hung out with hubby, and watched "Swamp Pawn" >_< He's very much into shows relating to the swamp....#duckdynasty #swamppeople...you know... lolz

The mask was pretty impressive. It had a light, perfume-y scent. Definitely not overpowering, at all. It was felt fresh, and cool on my just washed skin. Actually, my skin was feeling a bit drier than usual, and so I was looking forward to the ceramide's hydrating effects.

What is Ceramide?

First, our outer most layer  = epidermis, and the top layer of the epidermis = stratum corneum (SC). The SC is super thin, but is super important as it is the main barrier of the skin. It keeps chemicals that come in contact with the skin from absorbing into the body, and it keeps water inside the skin from leaching out.

The SC contains three types of lipids-- ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids. These lipids have different chemical compositions and different functions throughout the body. There are nine different types of ceramides in the SC, conveniently named ceramide 1 through ceramide 9, and they account for 40-50% of the lipids in this outermost layer.

photo-3And......

Scientists have learned that people with eczema have significantly fewer ceramides in their SC. So, low ceramides = dry skin!

Don't worry! Replacing Ceramides Improves Dry Skin!!!

Recent studies have shown that lipids can be replaced with topical preparations. Interestingly, all three lipids have to be replaced at a certain ratio to restore the barrier function of the skin. If the incorrect balance of lipids is applied, it actually takes longer for the skin to heal.

So did the mask work?

Well, my skin was dry and irritated before the mask. After the mask, my skin felt soft, plump, and moisturized! I hope it had the correct lipid ratio....I'll have to ask my hubby to reread the label to me....lolz






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