Ceramide 3B

Ceramide 3B (CAS 178436-06-1), also known as Ceramide NP and supplied under trade names such as Cytomide IIIa and Cytomide IIIb, is a synthetic sphingolipid that mirrors the ceramides naturally present in human skin.

It functions as a barrier-restoring and moisture-retention active in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations targeting skin integrity. In prestige and mass-market skincare, it is incorporated into moisturizers and serums.

These products replenish the stratum corneum lipid matrix and reduce transepidermal water loss. Hair care formulators use it in conditioning treatments and leave-in products to smooth the cuticle surface and improve fiber manageability.

Pharmaceutical topical preparations, including emollient creams for eczema and dry skin conditions, rely on it to support skin barrier function alongside active drug ingredients. It is also used in color cosmetics and primers.

These applications benefit where improved skin adhesion and surface wetting are required. Ceramide 3B is typically supplied as a white to off-white powder or waxy solid for various industrial manufacturing processes.

Standard grades include cosmetic-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material, with purity specifications commonly at 95% or higher. Packaging ranges from small quantities for R&D sampling to bulk supply for commercial manufacturing.