This £35 Korean Hybrid Serum Has Remedied My Sensitive Dry Skin

This time of year always tends to wreak havoc on my skin. For context, I have an acne-prone combination skin type and, when the seasons change, navigating the complexities of skincare acclimation becomes a minefield. Soggy weather and crisp winds outside coupled with bolstered central heating inside is guaranteed to throw my complexion out of whack, think: an oily(er) T-zone and random flakey, dry patches. But this season is tad more complex than usual thanks to a roster of laser facials and prescriptive topical acne treatments I've committed myself to for the best part of the last year. While I'd certainly like to think I've finally formulated a well-rounded skincare regimen, I've admittedly run the risk of giving myself a new problem – over-sensitised skin.

In fact, it was my laser therapist at London's D.Thomas Clinic who first pointed it out. During a routine round of personalised non-ablative laser treatments, she noticed my usual pain threshold had significantly lessened and my skin was far more sensitive than before. She made an executive decision to treat my skin only within the capacity it could handle, customising the session to make it safe and manageable for my current condition. Aside from laying off the topical acne medication I'd been applying religiously, she also implored me to use a product rich in a key ingredient known to repair the skin: ceramides.

Searches for ‘ceramides’ are currently up +50% verses last year and with 690.6M views on TikTok it's no surprise this ingredient is highly sought after this time of year. CeraVe's consultant dermatologist Dr Derrick Phillips explains, 'Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids in the skin that help maintain the skin's barrier function. They can help repair and strengthen the skin barrier, which is especially important for dry or damaged skin.'

The hero ingredient forms the basis of Korean skincare brand Dr. Jart+'s Ceramidin range, a collection of bright bottled products all geared towards deeply nourishing, barrier-strengthening skincare that claims to leave you with 'plumper, softer-feeling skin,' according to the company's website. And Dr. Jart+'s newest launch has not taken those claims lightly.

When my skin became over-sensitised, I began to reach forDr.Jart+'s Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner, £35. A hybrid serum-toner, its pleasant milky, gloopy texture instantly soothed my skin on application and left me with a serious veil of moisture. In fact the moisture is so serious, TikTokers have even been using the product as an essential step in the #wetskinlook trend, which has amassed 202K views and follows in the footsteps of the well-established and highly sought-after K-beauty tend for glass skin.

Having put it to the test over the last few weeks, it's fast-become a necessity in my skincare routine and in hindsight was very much a missing part of my existing regime, in which I desperately craved a comforting, uber-nourishing serum that left my skin looking glossy sans any tackiness. The inclusion of Panthenol (aka vitamin B5) also lends the product further moisturising, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties. If like me, your skin is in dire need of bad weather-induced TLC, follow up with the brand's thick and equally wondrous Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin Ectoin-Infused Cream, £50, you won't regret it. But be quick, after gaining traction online, this product is already selling out fast.

Shop: The Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner