In the realm of skincare, an essential aspect that often goes unnoticed is the skin barrier. Think of it as a shield protecting your skin from external aggressors and helping to retain moisture within. Neglecting your skin barrier can lead to various skin conditions such as dryness, sensitivity, breakouts and premature aging. Let’s talk about what the skin barrier is, why it's crucial to look after it, and how you can achieve a robust and healthy skin barrier.
Our skin serves as the body's largest organ, and its outermost layer, the stratum corneum, forms the skin barrier. Consisting primarily of a mix of skin cells, lipids, and proteins, it plays a pivotal role in safeguarding our body from environmental factors like UV rays, pollution, and bacteria. Think of it as a sturdy fortress, preventing unwanted substances from penetrating and protecting the vital components within.
Why you should care about your skin barrier:
1. Protection: By establishing a healthy and strong skin barrier, you create a shield against harmful elements that could otherwise lead to inflammation, irritation, and even infections.
2. Optimal Moisture Balance: A secure skin barrier ensures that your skin retains proper levels of moisture. It effectively seals moisture within, preventing excessive water loss and ultimately maintaining well-hydrated, supple skin.
3. pH Balance: The skin's pH level is naturally acidic, which helps discourage the growth of harmful bacteria. A balanced skin barrier plays a crucial role in maintaining this slightly acidic pH, keeping your skin's microbiome in check.
Signs your skin barrier is damaged:
Redness, dryness, irritation, inflammation, sensitivity or dullness all point to a damaged or compromised skin barrier.
Here’s what you can do now...
Tonight: skip the actives, no retinol or exfoliating acids, and go hard on moisturising and getting hydration back into your skin to strengthen your skin barrier. Our restore cream is the perfect companion to strengthening your skin barrier, it replenishes your skins moisture, reduces redness and irritation, and mimics the skin barrier to prevent moisture loss over night and protects against environmental stressors.
This week: no exfoliating. A damaged skin barrier can leave the skin looking and feeling dry and flaky, but exfoliating will only make it worse. Instead use humectants, like glycerin, hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, and facial oils, which will all work to add moisture into your skin and keep it hydrated.
Long term: be sure to always wear SPF, use antioxidant based products, like vitamin c, to shield against free radical damage, use a gentle cleanser and exfoliant, and nourishing moisturisers to keep your skin happy, healthy, supple and hydrated.
Products that contain:
Hyaluronic acid:
Glycerin:
Antioxidants: