How to Use a Ceramide Moisturiser for Face
Updated November 1, 2026 · 2 sources
Use a ceramide moisturiser after your serum, morning and night. Smooth a small amount onto your face and neck in upward strokes until it's spread evenly. In the morning, follow with sunscreen as the last step. Epidora Barrier Repair Moisturiser contains ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
What a ceramide moisturiser does in your routine
Ceramides are lipids found naturally in the outer layer of the skin, where they make up a major part of the lipid layers between skin cells and play an essential role in the skin’s water barrier.* [1] A ceramide moisturiser applies lipids similar to the skin’s own to the skin’s surface. Epidora Barrier Repair Moisturiser contains a Ceramide Complex (3 ceramides + cholesterol) with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. For the science behind ceramides, read Ceramide Cream for Face.
Step by step: how to use a ceramide moisturiser
Morning
- Cleanse with your usual face wash and pat dry.
- Serum. Apply 2–3 drops of niacinamide serum and pat in.
- Moisturiser. Take a small amount, about the size of a pea to start. Dot it on your forehead, cheeks and chin, and smooth it onto your face and neck in upward strokes.
- Sunscreen. Apply it generously as the last step.
Night
- Cleanse to remove sunscreen and the day’s dirt.
- Serum, 2–3 drops.
- Moisturiser, a small amount over the serum.
How much to use
Start with a small amount and add a little more only if your skin still feels tight. Oily skin usually needs less; dry areas may need a little more. If the moisturiser feels heavy, you are probably using too much.
How much to use
Start with a small amount; use a little more on areas that feel tight.
Through the seasons
- Summer and humid months: Use a smaller amount in humid months if you prefer.
- Winter and air-conditioned rooms: skin can feel tighter. Use a little more, and apply it at night on slightly damp skin after the serum has been patted in.
- After a long day outdoors: cleanse well at night to remove sunscreen and sweat, then follow with serum and moisturiser as usual.
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying it before the serum. Serum goes first, moisturiser second.
- Using too much. A small amount spreads further than you think.
- Skipping it on oily skin. Keep the step, just use less.
- Applying it over sunscreen. In the morning, sunscreen is always last.
- Rubbing hard. Smooth it on with gentle upward strokes.
- Forgetting the neck. Carry it down onto your neck.
- Not patch testing. Try it on a small area first, especially if your skin reacts easily.
What’s inside
| Ingredient | What it’s there for |
|---|---|
| Ceramide Complex (3 ceramides + cholesterol) | Ceramides and cholesterol: lipids found in the skin’s barrier |
| Hyaluronic acid | A humectant that holds water in the skin’s surface layers |
| Niacinamide | Vitamin B3; in lab studies it increased skin cells’ ceramide production* [2] |
| Allantoin | Skin-conditioning ingredient |
| Licorice root extract | Plant extract |
| Vitamin E | Antioxidant support |
It also contains fragrance. Check the full ingredient list on the pack.
This was a lab study on skin cells and did not test a skincare strength. These studies did not test Epidora products.
Precautions
Patch test before first use. Contains fragrance. For external use only. Avoid the eyes. Stop if irritation persists. Avoid it if you are allergic to any listed ingredient. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or under a doctor’s care, ask your doctor before starting new skincare. See a doctor if a skin problem is persistent, painful, spreading or getting worse.
Pairs with
- Epidora Niacinamide 10% + Zinc PCA 1% Serum: apply first, then the moisturiser. Read How to Use Niacinamide Serum.
- Epidora Sunscreen: apply after the moisturiser in the morning, as the last step.
The whole routine is in Skincare Routine for Oily Skin.
Saved on this device. View wishlist on epidora.in (separate list there).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a ceramide moisturiser twice a day? Yes, morning and night, after your serum.
Do I need it if I use a serum? Yes. They do different jobs. The serum carries the main actives; the moisturiser adds water-holding ingredients and barrier lipids to the skin’s surface.
Should I wait after moisturiser before sunscreen? Let the moisturiser settle into the skin before you apply sunscreen, so the layers don’t slide around.
Can I use it on my neck? Yes. Smooth it onto your face and neck.
Is it only for dry skin? Skin-type guidance for Epidora Barrier Repair Moisturiser will be added once the label review is complete. Ceramides are part of every skin type’s barrier.
Published research on these ingredients (not studies of Epidora products)
- Coderch L, López O, de la Maza A, Parra JL. Ceramides and skin function. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2003;4(2):107-29. PMID 12553851. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12553851/ doi:10.2165/00128071-200304020-00004
- Tanno O, et al. Nicotinamide increases biosynthesis of ceramides as well as other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal permeability barrier. Br J Dermatol. 2000;143(3):524-31. PMID 10971324. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10971324/ doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2000.03705.x
*Ingredient results from published studies. Results may vary with skin type and routine.