STEP 02 · TREAT
Serum
Light glide. Never tacky
A barrier-support serum with ceramides, niacinamide, and a peptide blend. Sinks in fast, layers weightlessly under moisturizer, and never feels heavy or tacky. Fragrance-free, on purpose.
$68
No added fragrance · No essential oils · No drying alcohol
Most serums chase "glow." Not repair.
You’ve probably used a serum that felt good going on and did nothing for the real problem — a compromised moisture barrier. Actives alone don’t fix that. Without barrier support, hydration doesn’t stay, sensitivity creeps in, and everything else in your routine has to work harder than it should.
Serum is built to repair first. Ceramides and niacinamide rebuild the barrier while a peptide blend supports what’s underneath — in a texture that absorbs in seconds.
01
Absorbs fast
Melts into skin in seconds — no pilling, no tacky residue, no waiting around to layer your moisturizer.
02
Repairs barrier
Ceramides and niacinamide rebuild what’s been stripped, so the hydration you put on actually stays put.
03
Calms on contact
Centella and ectoin quiet redness and sensitivity while the barrier rebuilds underneath.
Skin that never got what it needed.
Barrier damage doesn’t stay in one lane. It shows up at fifteen from acne treatments, at thirty-five from actives and retinoids, at sixty-five from time and dry air. The damage looks the same. So does the fix.
Serum is fragrance-free, dye-free, and made for skin that’s already compromised — which, sooner or later, is most skin.
PaxDerm Barrier Complex™
Our skin-identical blend of Ceramides NP, AP & EOP with cholesterol and phytosphingosine — the exact lipids your barrier is built from, in the ratio it recognizes. Delivered here in a rich, occlusive base.
Every ingredient, and what it's doing there
We publish the full ingredient list, in order, with the job each one does. No proprietary complexes, no numbers next to names, no asking you to trust a marketing term.
Never in this bottle
Fragrance. Essential oils. Drying alcohol. Dyes.
Fragrance is the most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy, and it is in most premium serums on the market — including several that cost three times this one. It does nothing for your skin. So it’s not in ours.
How to use it
- Start with clean, slightly damp skin.
- Two to three pumps. Rub between palms, then spread over face and neck.
- Follow with moisturizer to lock it in.
Morning and night, after cleansing. A little goes a long way — two to three pumps is enough for face and neck.
Tip: smooth it on while skin is still damp from cleansing — barrier lipids absorb best before skin fully dries.
Questions
Will this feel heavy or greasy?
It’s built specifically not to. The formula was reworked for a lightweight body with fast dry-down and no tack — the difference between a serum that sits heavy and one that disappears into skin. You should be able to apply it, move on with your routine, and not think about your face.
Can I use it with retinol or acids?
Yes, and it’s a reasonable thing to pair them with. Actives put stress on the barrier; a barrier-support serum is a straightforward way to give some of it back.
Is it really fragrance-free?
Yes — and not as an afterthought. No parfum, no essential oils, none of the citrus or lavender oils hiding in most “clean” formulas. Fragrance is the single most common cause of cosmetic skin reactions, so we left it out on purpose. It’s not a box we ticked. It’s the whole point.
Is it OK for a teenager?
Yes. Nothing in it is age-specific, and teenagers using acne treatments are among the people whose barriers take the most damage.
Is it OK for sensitive skin?
It’s formulated for it — fragrance-free, dye-free, no drying alcohol. We haven’t yet completed third-party sensitivity testing, so we won’t put a claim on the label we can’t back. When we have, we’ll say so here.
Why glass bottle?
It’s inert, it doesn’t leach, and it doesn’t end up in a landfill in eighteen months. It’s also heavier and more expensive, which is a trade we made on purpose.
Returns?
Contact us and we’ll sort it out.
Complete the Routine
“Serum works best paired with what comes before and after.”
Cleanser
- Surfactants that lift oil and makeup without stripping the barrier.
- Ceramides and niacinamide support skin while you wash.
- Fragrance-free, with no tight or squeaky after-feel.
$48
Cream
- Shea and ceramides that lock hydration in overnight.
- Rich enough to hold it in, light enough to wear all day.
- The seal — ceramides and emollients that hold moisture where it needs to stay.
$64