You might have read the words ‘skin barrier’ on a skincare product’s packaging. One thing that most skincare products have in common, is that they are created to protect or repair the skin barrier. But what does this mean? The skin barrier is essentially the outer layer of your skin. It is like a protective layer that keeps moisture and hydration within your skin and blocks dirt and irritants out. A strong and healthy skin barrier means glowing healthy-looking skin.
Many people sadly experience a damaged skin barrier. This means that the skin is not protected against the outside world in the way that it should be. But do not worry, there are easy ways to repair a damaged skin barrier!
What is a damaged skin barrier?
Your skin has several layers that each performs a specific, important function to protect your body. The outer layer, the skin’s lipid barrier, is often referred to as a brick wall that protects your body from harmful environmental toxins. You can think of the skin barrier as a brick wall where the skin cells are bricks. If the brick wall is healthy, it helps retain moisture, keep our irritants and fight harmful bacteria. If the brick wall is damaged and one brick disappears, your skin barrier becomes compromised which means that harmful and irritating factors can get into your skin.
How do you know that your skin barrier is damaged? Well, there are some things you can look out for. Symptoms of a damaged skin barrier include:
- Redness
- Itching
- Dry, scaly skin
- Skin can be more reactive
- Increased sensitivity to temperatures and skincare products
- Acne
- Rough or discoloured patches
You might wonder what exactly that can damage your skin barrier. Well, there are both internal and external factors that affects your skin barrier. These include:
- A too humid or dry environment
- Allergens, irritants, and pollutants
- Sun exposure
- Exposure to harsh chemicals
- Over-exfoliation or over-washing
- Genetic factors that increase the risk of skin conditions like psoriasis
- Stress (chronic stress)
Why Is It Important To Look After the Skin Barrier?
It is important to look after your skin barrier because it helps to protect the skin by keeping water in and pollutants out. In many ways you can say that a strong skin barrier equals healthy skin.
Accordingly, as argued by dermalogica a healthy skin barrier takes on three essential jobs which are:
- to protect your body form external stressors i.e pollution and UV rays
- to retain water and help your skin stay hydrated
- transport nutrients into your skin
This means that a strong skin barrier can help prevent dehydration and prevent skin damage from UV rays and other external factors.
How You Can Repair the Skin Barrier?
Arguably no one wants a compromised or damaged skin barrier instead of glowing, healthy skin. If you do however struggle with a damaged skin barrier, there are steps you can take to fix your skin barrier. These are all quite simple and can be done at home.
Step 1: Avoid Products That Makes Your Skin Irritated
If you are using any products that cause your skin to become irritated or sensitive, stop using them immediately.
You should also avoid over exfoliating your skin until it feels healthy again. Exfoliating too much will strip the skin of the moisture it needs to be able to repair the skin barrier.
Step 2: Develop A Simple Skincare Routine
Simplicity is key in many aspects of life, and especially when it comes to skincare. You do not need ten different products to take care of and repair your skin, even though it is sometimes portrayed like that on social media. By keeping the skincare routine easy and just focusing on key products, you are already far when it comes to repairing your skin.
When wanting to repair your skin barrier, you should focus on skincare products that are gentle and soothing on the skin. The products should also include ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and panthenol. Why are they important?
Well, ceramides can help replenish these essential lipids, leading to smoother, more hydrated skin. Niacinamide helps reduce redness, inflammation, and improve skin’s elasticity. Hyaluronic Acid locks in moisture for 24 hours and reduces dryness. Finally, panthenol help repair the skin barrier and reduce inflammation, help improve the skin’s texture and reduce redness and sensitivity.
Step 3: Sunscreen!
This is very, very important if you are often outside. When the skin barrier is damaged, it is easier for the UV rays to penetrate the skin. This can lead to further skin damage, and you do not want that. The simple solution here is to make sure to always use a SPF above 30 every time you go outside.
10 products for repairing the skin barrier
If you are looking for specific products to repair the skin barrier, focus on products that are dermatologically developed to protect and repair the skin. We have already mentioned the kind of ingredients to look out for (ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and panthenol), so make sure that the products include these.
The following list contains 10 products that you can use to repair the skin barrier. They are all dermatologically developed and contain the recommended ingredients.
Cleansers
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
2. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
Moisturiser
3. Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Face Moisturiser
4. CeraVe AM Facial Hydrating Moisturising Lotion With SPF 25
5. CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion PM Ultra Lightweight
Serums and Repairing Creams
6. CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
7. Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide (B3) BOOSTER
8. Uriage Bariederm Repairing Cica Cream with Cu-Zn
Sunscreen
9. La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Ultra-Light Fluid
10. CeraVe Oil Control Ultra-Light Face Moisturiser SPF 30
