We are all about learning new things to make our skin flawless. This time, we are sharing a lesson we learned the hard way. If you don’t have any idea what we’re talking about, allow us to give you a hint – a good and healthy skin barrier. It seems like not many people talk about this, yet it is of utmost importance to overall skin health. Lately, we have noticed that people focus on good and quality skincare products (which is fantastic), but they don’t really pay attention to the fundamental parts of skin care. While this may sound very contradictory, it's true!
Everyone has suffered that dreadful blemish period and other challenges to the skin that were treated the best way you could back then. But these are exactly the kinds of events that could have long-lasting effects on the skin’s surface. The skin barrier is the one thing that protects your body from free radicals. Usually, when faced with a damaged skin barrier, it is mostly due to harsh environmental conditions.
Let’s learn more about that, shall we?
The market nowadays is filled with all kinds of products that claim to do wonders for the skin. Some of them rejuvenate and protect the skin, others plump and exfoliate. But, all of these products that you may have heard of or even have at home act on the outermost part of the skin. This part is called the skin barrier.
Okay, we mentioned the skin barrier a few times now, it is time to explain it, right? Today, we are answering all the questions connected to the outermost part of the skin, the best ways to repair damaged skin barrier, and what you can do to protect it.
What’s a skin barrier?
Your skin is created of multiple layers. These layers have unique and very important functions but share the common goal of protecting your body. The part that we keep referring to as the outermost layer is often described as the body’s brick wall. It is made up of strong skin cells that are tightly bound together. And this is what your skin barrier looks like. Inside these skin cells, there are keratins and some natural moisturizers. This layer also holds ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids.
But, what is absolutely the most fascinating thing about this layer is that it is the one that keeps you alive. Without it, all the toxins and environmental stressors can easily penetrate the skin and wreak some serious havoc inside the body. Also, without the skin barrier, the water you retain inside your body would easily evaporate and escape, leaving you behind to deal with a completely dehydrated body.
As you can see, the skin barrier is an essential part of who you are, and your overall health. That’s why you need to protect it – to help your body work properly.
What does all the damage to the skin barrier?
The next question we get to answer here is the causes of damaged skin barrier. In reality, this happens every day. The skin constantly defends you from various threats, most of which come from the outside. These are called external factors or environmental stressors. Now, depending on your lifestyle, they may vary, but some of them that could affect you the most include the following:
- Too much sun exposure
- Over-washing or over-exfoliation
- Some genetic factors like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
- Too dry or too humid of an environment
- Constant exposure to harsh chemicals
- All kinds of pollutants, irritants, and allergens
- Alkaline detergents and soaps
- Continuous psychological distress
Now let’s talk a little bit about the acid mantle. Did you know that your skin is slightly acidic? This acidity, also known as the acid mantle, can help you create a buffer against the growth of any harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses that could lead to a damaged skin barrier. This may cause infections and other serious skin conditions. That’s why it is very important to protect the acid mantle and protect the thing that, in return, protects you the most.
How do you know if your skin barrier is damaged?
There are a few hints that point to a damaged skin barrier. The symptoms are very easy to spot, and they occur because your skin barrier is not functioning as it should. You can quickly note that something is wrong if you only look at your skin. It may be dry and/or itchy, have discolored or rough patches, you may experience acne, an inflamed or sensitive area, or some fungal, viral, or bacterial skin infections.
How To Fix Damaged Skin Barrier
Finally, we have come to the main part of today’s topic. Because maintaining the acid mantle and the skin barrier intact is crucial, you need to have a few tips up your sleeve that will make it happen. We love to help you out in every way we can, so here we are, giving you some of the best ways to repair damaged skin. Take a look at how easy it is for yourself!
-
Make your skincare routine simple
We cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. We know that you are probably one of those individuals who love their skincare products, but sometimes, it is important to keep things to a minimum. The complicated daily skincare routine that includes a whole basket of products may just do you more harm than good. It may contribute to weakening your skin barrier. For example, say you’re trying to exfoliate. Notice how you do that and how your skin reacts to it. If you have more sensitive skin, you may want to use a milder, natural product and a soft cloth to do it. Because some of the brushes and scrubs you use may damage the barrier, if you’re considering purchasing damaged skin products, ensure the ingredients are suitable for your conditions. To be on the safe side, you can always go the all-natural way and go for products that don’t contain any harsh chemicals.
-
Notice your pH levels
This may sound like a tricky one, but it is actually a very easy thing to do. The first thing you need to know here is that the acid mantle has a pH of 4.7. The pH of some skincare products may vary between 3.7 and 8.2. But, so far, findings have proven that the best products to cleanse your face should have a pH between 4 and 5. By keeping your skin’s pH at a healthy level, you maintain the skin’s barrier health. Also, you protect the skin from some conditions such as acne, candida albicans infections, dermatitis, ichthyosis, and more.
-
Plant oils
Plant oils have always been the best thing about skincare products, especially natural ones. Certain plant oils can help repair damaged skin and prevent it from losing the moisture it needs. There is another exceptionally good thing about these types of oils. Most of them contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Think about adding some of them to your daily skincare routine. If you don’t know how to do that, then check out some natural products that have them in their ingredient list (but more on that later)!
The best plant oils you can utilize include primrose, almond, argan, jojoba, coconut, sunflower, soybean, black currant, rosehip, borage oil, and more.
-
Formulas that include ceramides
Let’s talk a little bit about ceramides. These are waxy lipids that are found in increasingly high numbers in the stratum corneum. They are of very high importance to maintain if you want to avoid damaged skin barrier at all costs. As logic would suggest, the products that contain ceramides can improve dryness, itchiness, and scaling. For instance, if you opt for a moisturizer that is filled with ceramides, you may just improve the structural integrity of your skin barrier.
Another thing you should be mindful of is that ceramides can help you battle acne. If you are dealing with acne-prone skin, it means your barrier is often compromised. All the acne treatments you use can do some good, but they can also do a lot of damage. Once you implement products that contain ceramides, you can take care of that issue. Also, if you have darker skin, ceramides can help you deal with that too. Darker skin tones have lower ceramide levels, meaning that a product that contains it may be the perfect choice!
-
Petrolatum, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid
This trio is the best combo you can use if you are dealing with dry skin. Now, for dry skin, it is usually recommended that you use moisturizer. And that sounds perfectly normal. But, once you take a look at the back of the package, you still need to know what you are looking for. For example, an occlusive moisturizer can repair damaged skin by reducing the amount of water lost from the skin’s surface. Such a product can help you add a “top coat” to your skin that will act as a thin film. It will prevent any future moisture loss.
Another thing that can help you deal with this is humectants. These work in a completely different way, but are equally powerful. The way the humectants work is that they draw water that either comes from the environment or from inside the body, and they bind it into the skin barrier. This is why many skincare experts recommend using products that contain honey, urea, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.
Before we wrap things up here, we would like to remind you of one thing – not all ingredients work for everyone. It is in cases such as these where we discovered that, while there are many successful and powerful products on the market, not all of them can be truly labeled “for everyone”. That is what made us think. After all, there still should be some products that are excellent for the skin. People should be able to use them without having to fear any side effects, such as a damaged skin barrier. After much consideration, we came up with some of the most incredible products you can find! These are natural skincare products that are perfect for you. They don’t have any harmful ingredients and are able to work magic on your skin! While our product palette is vast, below, we’re sharing some of the most incredible products we have for you!
Luv me lotion bar
If you’re interested in giving your skin a sweet treat, then this is the perfect thing for you. This moisturizing solid bar can help you protect the skin from any environmental stressors, calm inflammation, and keep it completely moisturized at all times. If you are dealing with dry and itchy skin – it can help you too! It is perfect for those who are dealing with dermatitis and eczema too. The sweet coconut cream pie fragrance will transport you into another dimension. The ingredient list is filled with amazing choices – jojoba oil, castor oil, primrose oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, and mango butter. This may be a dry lotion, but it gives extra hydration!
Soothing lavender intense moisture balm
Another solid lotion that is perfect for all of you who are dealing with dry skin, especially those who fall under the more severe side. The magnificent natural formula includes avocado oil, almond oil, olive oil, argan oil, vitamin E oil, cocoa seed butter, mango seed butter, shea butter, and sunflower extract (and a lot more). It is easy to apply since it comes in a twist-up tube – making it perfect for you if you are constantly on the go. Try it out and give your skin what it needs.
The skin barrier is an important subject, and you need to take care of it constantly. Whenever you don’t know where to begin, you can always start from here – we have the best ways to repair a damaged skin barrier, and we are happy to share them with you! Keep on reading – our site is filled with useful information!