I am an ardent ceramide fangirl. If a skincare product has ceramides, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s probably going to end up in my shopping cart. Ceramides are an essential building block for our skin barriers and an ingredient naturally present in our bodies. I especially love it as an ingredient to help fortify my skin when I use retinol! I bought the SKINRx Lab MadeCera Cream as a cruelty-free replacement for my beloved Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream. It was my hope that it could fill the hole in my routine in the same way, but sadly I discovered it was not to be.
Ingredients
Water(Aqua), Glycerine, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Behenic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Ceramide NP, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycereth-20, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl, Lanolin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/ Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Madecassoside, Fragrance
The goal of the MadeCera Cream is to calm sensitive skin and fight inflammation, two things I’m always trying to do. Madecassoside is a component found in centella asiatica, and it is fantastic for dealing with redness and inflammation. If you have acne, it can help calm redness caused by pimples. Niacinamide is an ideal ingredient for acne-prone skin too. It both regulates oils and is anti-inflammatory. On top of that, it brightens the skin and lessens the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Allantoin is another skin-soothing ingredient that can additionally assist in healing.
There are two more components of centella asiatica in the MadeCera cream: asiaticoside and madecassic acid. They’re both known to be helpful in skin healing. Asiaticoside is an antioxidant that can encourage type 1 collagen production, and madecassic acid aids in moisturizing.
Ceramide is present in the cream in the form of ceramide NP. Ceramides are located in the upper layer of our skin, and they play a role in keeping our skin barriers healthy. They aid in maintaining our skin’s hydration level as well!
I like that there isn’t any hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate in this product. Lately, I’ve been trying to avoid those in my skincare routine. Why you might ask? I highly recommend watching this YouTube video by Dr. Shereene Idriss that explains the real effect that those ingredients have on the skin. They’re both temporary plumpers that end up pulling water OUT of the skin in the long run. Glycerine is a much better alternative that helps maintain a healthy, moisturized barrier.
Usage
This cream comes in a smart aluminum tube that is both attractive and easy to use. I mean really, who of us doesn’t enjoy an aesthetically pleasing product? The tube doesn’t annoyingly leak out excess product as some metal tubes are prone to do. (At least mine didn’t!)
The first thing that hit me (and hit me HARD) with this cream was the intensely strong fragrance. I don’t know that I could describe it exactly, but it’s floral in nature. I was taken aback by its strength since it’s described on the Sokoglam website as being “subtle.” I can’t say I’m in agreement with that assessment!
The texture was somewhat lighter than what I expected as well. I had hoped it would have a somewhat richer feel, like the Dr. Jart+ Ceremidin Cream I had once enjoyed. It works for me during the summer, but I know my skin will require something heavier when fall and winter arrive.
Results & Final Thoughts
In the future, I’d prefer something that has a silkier, more balm-like feel than this one does. (If you have any recs, let me know in the comments!)
This isn’t exactly a product that will make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin, and I’d say that has been the case for me. It’s there for me, and I don’t hate it. But I feel like I’m mostly just putting up with it until it’s gone and I can move on to something better. And ideally, that something will not smell nearly as strong as this does!
I’ve been looking for a cruelty-free replacement for the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream too! It’s one of my faves and I still haven’t found anything that comes close. I’ve heard good things about the COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream, although I haven’t got round to trying it myself.
I just started using that one (on and off, because I’m still trying to use up the Madecera haha), and I think texturally it’s a lot closer! It’s a lot easier on the nose too, that’s for sure! I’m excited to get through this one and be able to use the COSRX one on the regular!