How to Repair Your Skin Barrier: What You Need to Know

I feel like brands have been heavily pushing “barrier-strengthening” products and ingredients lately – and for good reason! Having a strong skin barrier is crucial to healthy skin, so it’s important to know how to repair your skin barrier if it’s compromised. However, I feel like a lot of people don’t know what the skin barrier is exactly, and how to tell if it’s weak or strong. So today, I’m going to break that all down for you.

First of all, what is your skin barrier?

Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin, also known as the epidermis. Its main job is simple: to protect your skin by keeping the bad stuff out, and the good stuff in. A strong skin barrier protects your skin from environmental elements (think bad bacteria and pollutants) and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Think of it as your first line of defense for your skin. Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is crucial to keep your skin strong and happy.

It’s important to note that your skin barrier can weaken over time due to age and genetics, but incorporating barrier-strengthening products can help. Your skin barrier is made up of ceramides and essential fatty acids, so including these in your routine can help keep it strong.

How do you know if your skin barrier is compromised?

So we talked about what the skin barrier is, but how do you know if your skin barrier is compromised (AKA not strong & healthy)? If your skin is red, inflamed, flaky, or easily irritated/sensitized, your skin barrier is likely damaged. Or, another clue would be if your skin burns or stings when applying products like hydrating toners or moisturizers. If your skin barrier is compromised, this can lead your skin more susceptible to other issues over time (increased breakouts, sensitivity, inflammation, and more).

One of the most common ways you can damage your skin barrier is by over-exfoliation. I love a good chemical exfoliator, but over-exfoliating the skin can wreak havoc on your skin barrier. Overall, anything that leaves your skin dry, tight, or stripped can cause damage. Think over-cleansing, using products that are too strong for your skin, and increased sun exposure. Be sure to listen to your skin, and give it “rest nights” without active products to keep your skin barrier strong!

What should you do to repair your skin barrier?

So now that you know how to tell if your skin barrier is compromised, here’s how to get your skin back on track. You want to do 3 main things: add back hydration, strengthen your skin barrier to help with healing, and soothe the skin. Here are my tips on what to do to repair your skin barrier:

1. Stick with the basics

Strip your routine down to just the core basics: cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF. Eliminate any active or strong products (think exfoliating acids, retinoids, and vitamin c) for at least a few weeks while your skin heals. I always recommend doing this skincare routine “reset” right when you notice irritation or inflammation in your skin. Apply your moisturizer on damp skin to help add back much-needed hydration to your skin.

2. USE PRODUCTS YOUR SKIN LOVES

Along with keeping your routine simple, I recommend sticking with products you know your skin loves. Avoid trying any new products while your skin barrier is compromised, and focus on what you know works well for you. If there are skin-soothing products that you know your skin loves, you can add these into your routine. Stick with this simple, consistent routine until you notice your skin is no longer irritated and inflamed.

3. SUPPORT YOUR SKIN!

When your skin barrier is compromised, it’s crucial to be gentle with your skin and support the healing process! Resist the temptation to exfoliate dry or flaky skin, and avoid using extra skincare tools like high frequency, facial brushes, etc. while your skin is healing.

How to maintain a strong skin barrier

So how do you keep your skin barrier strong? Incorporate products with ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, and fatty acids to strengthen your skin. Regularly using products with these barrier-strengthening ingredients will help keep your skin healthy and strong! Having resilient skin will help prevent irritation, inflammation, and sensitivity in your skin. Here are my go-to products to keep your skin barrier strong:

Stratia Liquid Gold

My holy grail moisturizer! It has niacinamide, ceramides, and cholesterol to strengthen your skin barrier while nourishing your skin. It has a lightweight lotion texture that works well for normal to oily skin, and it layers beautiful under an oil for drier skin as well!

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

This is a newer product that has really surprised me. It’s nothing fancy, but that’s kind of the point – it’s a solid, basic moisturizer that won’t interfere with your other products. I love how affordable and accessible it is (can be found in most drugstores), and is full of ceramides and cholesterol to keep your skin healthy and happy. It’s a super rich, creamy texture that’s perfect for drier skin.

Topicals Like Butter

This is a hydrating, overnight mask that also has niacinamide, ceramides, and cholesterol along with skin soothing ingredients like oatmeal and centella asiatica. It’s a great option for dry to normal skins looking for a little extra TLC. I use it in place of my moisturizer (under an oil) on the nights I’m not using tretinoin.

Those are my recommendations for keeping your skin barrier strong to get healthy & happy skin! Feel free to reach out anytime with additional questions or leave a comment below 🙂 Your skin barrier is such an important part of your skin, so be sure to give it some TLC. Consistently take care of your skin and it will thank you for it!

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