Neither ceramides nor hyaluronic acid is automatically better. They have different roles in the skin. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that helps attract and retain water, while ceramides are lipids naturally found in the skin barrier that help limit water loss.

For dehydrated-feeling skin, hyaluronic acid provides humectant support by helping attract and retain water. For dry or tight-feeling skin, ceramides are relevant because of their role in the skin barrier. Because dry and dehydrated skin can overlap, both can have a place in the same routine.

What's the Difference Between Dry and Dehydrated Skin?

Before comparing the ingredients, it helps to separate two terms that are often used interchangeably.

Dry skin, or xerosis, is generally used to describe skin with reduced moisture, including changes to its natural lipids and water-holding capacity. DermNet explains that dry skin involves changes to the barrier function of the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin.

Dehydrated skin is commonly used in skincare to describe skin with low water content in that outer layer. Unlike dry skin, dehydration isn't a skin type. Skin that is oily can still feel dehydrated.

The distinction isn't absolute. Changes in barrier function can increase water loss, which is one reason dry skin and dehydration can occur at the same time.

What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule found throughout the body, including in the skin.

In skincare, it's used as a humectant. Humectants attract and retain water, which makes hyaluronic acid particularly relevant in formulations designed to support skin hydration.

Hyaluronic acid also comes in different molecular weights. These vary in size and can behave differently within a formulation, which is why you may see products containing more than one form of hyaluronic acid.

For someone whose skin feels dehydrated or dull, a hyaluronic acid serum can therefore be one way of introducing a water-binding ingredient into a routine.

What Do Ceramides Do?

Ceramides have a different role.

They're lipids naturally found within the stratum corneum, where they form part of the lipid matrix surrounding skin cells. Alongside cholesterol and free fatty acids, ceramides contribute to normal skin barrier function and help limit water loss.

A qualitative review of ceramide-containing formulations describes ceramides as accounting for approximately half of the intercellular lipid matrix by weight.

Ceramides therefore support hydration differently from humectants such as hyaluronic acid. Their relevance comes from their structural role within the barrier that helps skin retain water.

Ceramides vs Hyaluronic Acid: Which Should You Choose?

It depends on what your skin needs.

If your skin mainly feels dehydrated or dull, a humectant such as hyaluronic acid may be particularly relevant because of its water-binding properties.

If your skin tends to feel persistently dry or tight, ceramides may be useful as part of a moisturising formula designed to support skin barrier health.

But this doesn't have to be an either-or decision.

Dry skin can also be dehydrated, and dehydrated skin can benefit from a routine that considers how effectively the skin retains water. That's why humectants and barrier lipids are often complementary rather than competing approaches.

The question isn't really which ingredient wins. It's what role each ingredient is performing in your routine.

Can You Use Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid Together?

Yes. There's no inherent reason that ceramides and hyaluronic acid need to be kept apart.

Because they have different roles, they can complement one another within a routine. A hyaluronic acid product can provide humectant support, while a moisturiser containing ceramides can support the skin barrier and help limit water loss.

If you're using both as separate products, a hydrating serum would generally be applied before a moisturising cream.

Does the Percentage of Hyaluronic Acid or Ceramides Matter?

Yes. The amount of a key ingredient being used is useful information when evaluating a skincare product.

Where a raw-material supplier has established an efficacy percentage or recommended range, the supporting evidence relates to the concentrations at which that ingredient has been tested. If a product uses the ingredient below that level, the same evidence can't automatically be assumed to apply.

This is why percentage disclosure can be useful. It tells you more than simply seeing an ingredient on the INCI list. It can help you understand whether the level being used aligns with the supporting evidence available for that ingredient.

The highest percentage shouldn't automatically be treated as the target. The relevant concentration depends on the ingredient and the evidence supporting its use.

How KEATS Uses Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides

KEATS uses the two ingredients for different but complementary purposes.

The Hydrating Serum (for skin that feels dry, dehydrated or dull) is formulated with 1% Triple Weight Hyaluronic Acid and 0.2% Snow Mushroom. The hyaluronic acid provides humectant support as part of a formula designed around hydration.

The Moisturising Cream (for skin that feels tight, dehydrated or dry) is formulated with 3% Ceramide Complex and 1% Phytolipids to support skin barrier health and soft, smooth skin. It has also been tested and approved for sensitive skin.

Both percentages are disclosed as part of KEATS' approach to using key ingredients at levels informed by the supporting evidence available from its raw-material suppliers.

The products can be used separately or together depending on what your skin needs. If you're using both, apply the Hydrating Serum after cleansing and follow with the Moisturising Cream.

Should You Choose Based on Your Skin Type?

Skin type can be useful, but how your skin currently feels can help you work out what you're trying to address. Oily skin can still feel dehydrated, while dry or tight-feeling skin may benefit from products designed to support the skin barrier.

A more practical question is: does my skin need hydration, barrier support, or both?

That can help you decide whether hyaluronic acid, ceramides or a combination of the two makes sense in your routine.

FAQ

Is hyaluronic acid or ceramides better for dehydrated skin?

Hyaluronic acid may be particularly relevant for dehydrated skin because it's a humectant that attracts and retains water. However, maintaining hydration also depends on how effectively the skin limits water loss, which is where normal barrier function matters. Depending on how your skin feels, humectants and barrier-supporting ingredients may both have a role.

Are ceramides better for dry skin?

Ceramides can be useful in moisturising products for dry or tight-feeling skin because they're naturally part of the skin's lipid barrier. They aren't the only ingredients that matter for dry skin, but their role within the stratum corneum makes them relevant when formulating products designed to support skin barrier health.

Can I use hyaluronic acid and ceramides every day?

They can both be used in everyday skincare products when those products are designed for regular use and your skin tolerates them well. Always follow the directions for the specific products you're using.

Should hyaluronic acid go before ceramides?

If you're using a hyaluronic acid serum and a ceramide moisturiser as separate products, the serum would generally be applied first, followed by the moisturiser. With KEATS, the Hydrating Serum is applied after cleansing and the Moisturising Cream follows.

Do higher percentages of ceramides or hyaluronic acid work better?

Not automatically. The highest percentage shouldn't automatically be treated as the goal. A more useful question is whether the concentration being used aligns with the supporting evidence available for that particular ingredient.

Can oily skin use ceramides and hyaluronic acid?

Yes. Oily skin can still be dehydrated, and ceramides are naturally present in the skin barrier regardless of skin type. Whether you need a particular product depends on how your skin behaves and what the rest of your routine already provides.

Ceramides and hyaluronic acid don't need to compete for a place in your routine. Hyaluronic acid provides humectant support, while ceramides have a structural role within the skin barrier that helps limit water loss. Explore the KEATS Hydrating Serum and Moisturising Cream to see how KEATS uses both approaches within a straightforward skincare routine.