A ceramide-based barrier moisturiser wins every time – heavy creams can trap bacteria and trigger breakouts, while ceramides repair the barrier without clogging pores.

• Heavy, occlusive creams can sit on top of the skin and trap bacteria underneath, which is a problem if you're breakout-prone.
• Ceramide NP works by rebuilding the barrier's own structure rather than just sitting on top of it.
• The liposomal delivery system in Skin Functional's 4% Liposome Ceramide NP helps it absorb rather than sit heavy.
• Use this as your base layer before any treatment actives, especially if your skin is both dry and spot-prone.
• It's fragrance-free and alcohol-free, which matters for compromised, reactive skin.

The fix wasn't adding more products – it was using only a ceramide moisturiser for two weeks to let my barrier recover, and my breakouts actually reduced before I introduced a single treatment serum.

• When skin is dry and compromised, almost any active will irritate it further, even ones that normally work for you.
• I paused every serum and used just a ceramide moisturiser, morning and night, for two weeks straight.
• Breakouts calmed down on their own once the barrier stopped being under constant stress.
• Only once skin felt comfortable again did I reintroduce one active at a time, watching how skin responded.
• Sometimes less really is more, especially when your skin is telling you it's overwhelmed.