How to Repair your Skin Barrier

Skin barrier has become a buzzword in the beauty industry in recent years, but what does it mean and how can we help repair a damaged skin barrier? If your skin feels tight, irritated or suddenly more sensitive than usual, then your skin barrier may be compromised.

Think of your skin barrier as the first line of defence, and when it becomes damaged (more on this later), then everything from dryness and sensitive areas to breakouts can happen next. But with the right skincare steps and some lifestyle adjustments, you can repair your skin barrier and restore it to a healthy, glowing complexion.

In this guide, we’ll be sharing what the skin barrier is, how you can tell if it’s damaged and how you can fix it.

What is the skin barrier?

Let’s start with the basics. Scientifically, your skin barrier is known as the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of your skin. It acts like a protective wall, locking in moisture while protecting you from pollutants, bacteria and environmental stressors.

When your skin barrier is strong, your skin feels smooth, hydrated and resilient. But when it’s weakened, you’ll notice problems like dryness, redness and blemish flare-ups appear.

What damages the skin barrier?

There are a few factors than can damage your skin barrier, and it’s important to work out which it could be, or a combination of, to help restore it again.

• Over exfoliating with harsh products. In our days of acids and clever trend-led products, these can easily strip the skin of its natural oils.
• Sun exposure and pollution can trigger oxidative stress
• Lifestyle habits such as poor diet, stress or lack of sleep
• Skin conditions like eczema, rosacea and psoriasis

Signs of a damaged skin barrier

You may start to notice a few of these signs, or a couple might appear at the same time. So, take note and listen to your skin barrier and what it needs to improve.

• Persistent dryness, flakiness or rough patches
• Redness, irritation, or burning sensations
• Increased sensitivity to the skincare products you normally have in your routine
• Breakouts or blemish flare-ups that appear from nowhere

How to repair your skin barrier

• Simplify your skincare routine. Take out strong actives like retinoids and acids and stick to hydrating and soothing basics to help calm your skin.
• Look for barrier repair and soothing ingredients. Think of ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which are all great for restoring, hydrating and calming the skin.
• Always wear your SPF. Daily exposure to UV rays weakens the skin barrier, so apply a broad-spectrum protection even on the cloudy and rainy days.
• Review some lifestyle factors. Keep yourself hydrated, get 7-8 hours of sleep, manage any stress with relaxation techniques and turn down hot showers which can strip the skin of its natural oils.

Best products to repair your skin barrier

At SkinSense we’ve curated a complete skincare routine to help with your skin barrier, called Ceramide24. Each product features our Ceramide NP complex of naturally occurring lipids that help restore and reinforce the skin’s protective barrier. Plus, it helps retain moisture, preventing dehydration whilst it soothes and calms the skin.

Let’s get into the best skincare routine for barrier repair:

Cleanser

This step is to lift away makeup, oils and other impurities from the day, but often cleansers can include drying and stripping ingredients that can upset the skin barrier. Our Ceramide24 Delicate Cleansing Cream is a nurturing cream-to-milk formula that feels like silk on the skin and effortlessly removes makeup with the gentlest touch.

Treatment

This stage includes your serum and eye products, both with targeted functions and work best when applied before a moisturiser. Our Ceramide Complex Serum works on the lower levels of the skin to visibly improve skin elasticity, tone and texture for a stronger and healthier skin barrier.

The skin around our eyes is more delicate and thinner than the rest of our face, so it deserves a targeted treatment. Our Ceramide24 Comforting Eye Cream is light in texture but packed with nourishing butters and oils to deeply hydrate, while the ceramide lipids help strengthen the barrier and reduce puffiness.

Moisturiser

What your moisturiser is designed to do is hydrate parched and dehydrated skin and leave a protective moisture layer on your skin, which is why it’s the last step in your skincare routine. We have two great options in our Ceramide24 collection, depending on when you use them.

First our Ceramide24 Pro-Resilience Day Cream rejuvenates the skin with a burst of moisture, niacinamide to brighten and safflower oil to help calm and soothe. It’s whipped into a deliciously light texture and leaves the skin soft and smooth.

For the evening, the Ceramide24 Recovery Support Night Cream delivers a rich blend of ingredients to improve cell turnover and moisture retention. Added shea butter and soy and sweet almond oils strengthen and repair the skin barrier.

The extras

These upcoming products are perhaps not ones you reach for every day but can slot into a weekly point for when you need to elevate your routine. We have our Ceramide24 AHA Treatment Mask, which includes the gentle Lactic Acid to help with dull complexions, but the Ceramide NP complex balances with calming and soothing benefits.

A neck and decollete cream is a great addition for mature skin, giving this delicate area a nourishing boost and support to combat early signs of ageing. We love our Ceramide24 Sculpting Neck & Decollete Cream for a targeted firming and nourishing treatment.

While sometimes retinols can be disruptive to a skin barrier, we’ve created the perfect balance of this active ingredient with ceramides, so you can get the best of both worlds. Our Ceramide24 Retinal Silk Night Serum helps restore the skin’s radiance and smooth out uneven skin texture, while strengthening the skin barrier too.

A great way to boost your skin’s radiance is with a facial oil, and our Ceramide24 Glass Skin Elixir does just that! Designed to restore balance, clarity and a stunning glow to the skin, with our ceramide lipid complex that replenishes the skin’s barrier.

Overall, your skin barrier is the foundation of healthy skin and it’s important to look after it. When it’s damaged, your complexion suffers but with the right care, products and steps you take, you can repair and protect your skin barrier again. Keep your skincare simple, moisturise generously, protect with SPF and support your skin with barrier-strengthening ingredients.