"By far the best pharmacy product I’ve used": 12 women try the new ceramide-spiked cleanser and lotion duo.

Ask any skin expert about ceramides and they'll nod intently and sing its praises. It really is the next big ingredient in skincare, and for very good reason (actually, there's a bit of a list going).

Ceramides are little-known heroes of our skin barrier, that naturally decline in their effectiveness with age and sun damage – notably during our thirties and forties. But ceramides are also cuties that can be made synthetically for our use in skincare: to help replenish and restore what we've lost, and for maintaining skin that looks healthy and feels hydrated.

She's a seriously underrated superstar ingredient. Ceramides deserves better, you guys!

So when added to our skin routine, ceramides bolster a whole buffet of delicious things for us: strengthening the skin barrier to keep yuckies out, sealing juicy moisture in, and aiding in reducing the visible signs of ageing.

Now, onto some ceramides-spiked products we wanted investigated: the QV Ceramides Cleanser ($12.99) and QV Ceramides Lotion ($13.99).

Both products are formulated with a blend of 3 ceramides (EOP, AP and NP, for the beauty biology buffs playing at home), glycerin and niacinamide to help support the skin barrier for a hydrated, balanced and glowing complexion. This QV duo is ophthalmologist and dermatologically tested (fancy!) and pinky promises to increase skin hydration too – all without us feeling any tightness or flaring sensitivities. 

Sounds cute and hard-working. If I was single and searching, I'd say I was VERY interested. And at such a savey price point, the Mamamia team definitely wanted the dirt first: do they actually stack up? 

So we had 100 women from the You Beauty Panel trial and review them first, and tell us every little detail about their performance.

90.5 per cent of Panellists rated the duo a 4/5 or 5/5 (impressive!), with 83 per cent saying they'd repurchase them both!

Here are some of the Panellists' real, honest thoughts after trialling for themselves.

Danielle, VIC: "These products have delivered above and beyond."

"For the price point these products have delivered above and beyond my expectations. I love using the cleanser in the shower and love the milky consistency (great for sensitive skin) & the lotion feels like a dream to smother on post shower, it’s super thin and sinks into the skin without leaving that greasy feeling! Amazing, would purchase both of them again!"

Marlise, NSW: "Both super nourishing products I would recommend." 

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"Loved them. Both super nourishing products I would recommend using too. They were really great on my skin as I was naughty and had a sunburnt back!"

Uaan, VIC: "Effective and amazingly gentle on my skin."

"I have thoroughly enjoyed using both the QV Ceramides Cleanser and QV Ceramides Lotion. I am usually sceptical about using hybrid face/body products on my face, but I find both products effective and amazingly gentle on my skin as part of my face skincare routine. They are nice, hydrating products, and I particularly liked the cleanser."

Sarah, QLD: "I was prepared for the cleanser to irritate my skin but it didn’t at all!"

"I have super sensitive skin so I was prepared for the QV Ceramides Cleanser to irritate my skin but it didn’t at all!!! Very impressed. I'd give this duo a 5/5."

Georgina, QLD: "By far the best pharmacy cleanser I’ve used."

"Both thoroughly exceeded my expectations. I don’t usually love the sorts of cleansers that are designed for sensitive skin but this one was great. Loved that it actually lathered a little bit. By far the best pharmacy cleanser I’ve used. And the lotion genuinely amazed me, I was sceptical that it would be hydrating enough for my normal-dry skin (I usually use a night cream rather than lotion) but I woke up each morning I used it feeling very hydrated. Loved the size of both and that they were pump packs too."

Megan, NSW: "It's honestly a versatile product."

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"I loved using it on my back (acne prone)! I usually hate using moisturiser on my entire body and feeling greasy, but now I love how my skin feels and looks since using the products. I was unsure of the product working equally as good on the face AND body but it is honestly a versatile product. They have become new staple items in my routine."

Madeline, WA: "He felt they're the best products he has used for his sensitive skin."

"Amazing product. My partner also used it, who has dermatitis and suffers recurrent flare-ups. These products have really helped him, and he felt they were the best products he has used for his sensitive skin."

Anastasia, SA: "Left my skin feeling refreshed and plump with moisture."

"I have dry sensitive skin prone to dermatitis and histamine reactions so I’m always wary of what products I use. The sensitive formula didn’t irritate or flare my skin at all and the products were really lightweight and left my skin feeling refreshed and plump with moisture. Really positive! I’ll definitely continue to use the products!"

Sarah, QLD: "It didn’t leave my skin feeling tight and stripped afterwards."

"Surprisingly great! The cleanser was a great second cleanse, and it perfectly got rid of the oil residue from my first cleanse and didn’t leave my skin feeling tight and stripped afterwards. The lotion was great for face and body too, and I used it on my legs at night and it absorbed very well. I liked the feeling of it on my face! Not too thick which I prefer."

Shay-lee, QLD: "Gentle, reliable and effective."

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"Loved that niacinamide was actually listed quite high in the ingredients! Winning! The QV Ceramides Cleanser and Lotion combo is exactly what one would expect for the brand: gentle, reliable and effective. It’s unscented but delivers a noticeable glow."

Ashley, WA: "In short: I loved them."

"In short: I loved them. I have heard lots of great reviews about QV products so I had high expectations. The products were just as good as I was expecting! Would repurchase and recommend."

Whitney, VIC: "Next level hydration."

"My whole family uses QV so I had high expectations for these two products... but I absolutely loved this range. As someone with sensitive skin and eczema prone, I have been using the normal line from QV for years, but QV Ceramides provides next level hydration. The Ceramides Lotion is lightweight, yet deeply hydrating and the Ceramides Cleanser takes off my makeup and doesn't strip my skin or leave it feeling tight. I have been using these two products daily and it has not flared up my eczema at all, despite the weather being extremely cold and dry."

Try the dermatologist recommended and tested duo, QV Ceramides Cleanser and QV Ceramides Lotion, for yourself. They're pH balanced, non-comedogenic and scientifically formulated for a hydrated, balanced and visibly healthy complexion.

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.