When you first get into skincare, it’s easy and completely normal to make mistakes. Maybe you accidentally mix up the order of your products. Or perhaps you forget to wash off your makeup before going to bed. Mistakes like these can be resolved quite quickly and easily, and they probably aren’t causing your skin any lasting harm. But things can get trickier and more harmful when it comes to mistakes that can potentially damage the skin barrier. Over-use or improper use of some products can result in a damaged skin barrier, which may take weeks or possibly even months to fix. During this time, while your skin barrier is damaged, you may experience dehydration, dryness, stinging, and redness. Your skin is not as well protected from the environment as it usually is, and thus it is more vulnerable to further damage.
Therefore, it’s important to be careful and protective of your skin barrier! You should always do your best not to damage it in the first place. However, if it does become damaged, there are some things you can do to help your skin heal. It’s essential to be very gentle and careful with your skin during this time so it can heal as quickly as possibly and you can prevent further harm to your skin.
What is the skin barrier?
The skin’s moisture barrier is also known as the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. Interestingly, stratum corneum is Latin for “horny layer.” I never really thought of my skin as being horny, but I guess it is! Anyway, the stratum corneum is composed primarily of three lipids: ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. (This will be important later!) It is a semipermeable layer, meaning that some things can get across it, and other things can’t. It protects us from potentially harmful agents in our external environment, and it also keeps fluids and other good things in our internal environment. But some things can still pass through the skin barrier, which is how our skincare products are able to work!
How can the skin barrier become damaged?
The skin barrier becomes damaged when some of its lipid components are lost or damaged. As a result, there is a decrease in the skin’s natural moisturizing factors (NMF) and an increase in Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL). Essentially, the skin becomes dry and dehydrated. Other symptoms of a damaged moisture barrier may include tightness, flaky skin, redness, and increased sensitivity. Products that previously gave you no problem, may start to burn or sting when applied to the skin.
But how does this damage happen in the first place? Well, some skincare products or habits can contribute to this damage. According to Krave Beauty’s website, these are some causes of a damaged skin barrier: “Harsh or very-alkaline cleansers, strong acne-medication, over-washing, over-exfoliation, over-applying products, and over-using the amount of products in one routine (moderation is key!) Also, stress and hormonal changes weaken the skin barrier function.” In my personal experience, I have found over-exfoliation to be the biggest contributor to skin barrier damage. I think this is partly because many people in my age group were not at all educated on the potentially damaging nature of exfoliants when we were younger. As a result, many of us used them religiously in an attempt to cure our acne, but we actually just ended up drying out our skin and damaging our moisture barriers. AHA, BHA, Retinoids, Vitamin C (mostly Ascorbic Acid), and Benzoyl Peroxide are some of the ingredients you should be most careful not to overuse in order to protect your skin barrier.
What should I do if I damage my skin barrier?
Fortunately, your skin is able to heal itself on its own. So the main thing you need to do is avoid causing any further damage. Stop using any exfoliants, harsh cleansers, or any other products that you think may have contributed to your damaged skin barrier. Further use of these things will only make the situation worse and can cause your skin to take even longer to heal properly.
Because your skin will probably be extra sensitive during this time, you may want to simplify your skincare routine to minimize the potential for irritation. You may consider using fragrance-free products during this time — though I personally haven’t found that it makes a difference for me. Rather, I prefer to pare down my routine to the bare minimum. I cleanse only once per day with a gentle cleanser to prevent unnecessary moisture loss. I also try to put aside any products that are causing stinging. Once you stop using products that could cause more inflammation or damage, the skin will be able to heal better on its own.
There are also some products you can and should use to help the healing process! During this time, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. Personally, I like to use a really gentle hydrating and soothing toner and/or a hydrating serum. Soothing products may help to relieve some of the sensitivity and inflammation your skin is experiencing. And hydrating products full of humectants can help to replace the water that your skin is losing through increased TEWL.
After applying your hydrating product(s), it’s important to follow up with a good moisturizer, preferable one that includes occlusives and barrier repairing ingredients. There are many barrier repair creams out there that you can choose from. They usually contain ceramides and may also contain cholesterol and free fatty acids to help replenish the lipids in the skin barrier. Personally, I like to use a rich barrier repair cream that also contains occlusive ingredients (such as squalane, petrolatum, etc.). These occlusive ingredients will help to lock hydration into your skin and prevent it from evaporating.
Finally, make sure you wear sunscreen during the daytime! Remember that your skin is more susceptible to damage and irritation during this time, so it’s extra important to keep your skin protected from the sun. Some people may find that chemical (or organic) sunscreens cause more irritation when their skin barrier is damaged. Personally, I have not experienced this. But in that case, you can opt for a mineral (or inorganic) sunscreen.
What specific products can I use?
It may take some trial and error before you figure out what works best for your skin. But I can share some of the products that have worked best for me when my skin barrier was damaged! You can also read more about some of these in my post A Comparison of Five Ceramide Products.
Stratia Liquid Gold – this was originally marketed as containing the “ideal ratio” of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids for skin barrier repair. But after a scandal a few years ago, I think it was revealed that this product probably did not contain that ideal ratio, and I haven’t seen the ratio mentioned in their branding since. Nonetheless, I still think this is a great product for a damaged skin barrier. It contains ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. It also has both dimethicone and squalane which both have some occlusive properties. It is also fragrance free. If you have oily skin, you may be able to use this as a moisturizer. But personally, I find it’s too light and I use it as a serum.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream – this is a great basic moisturizing cream and one of the most affordable options out there for barrier repair. Personally, I prefer to use this as a body cream, but it can certainly work on your face too. It is fragrance-free and it contains ceramides as well as cholesterol for barrier repair. This should also be quite occlusive because it contains Petrolatum (the most occlusive ingredient there is)!
Holika Holika Good Cera Super Ceramide Cream – I used this a few years ago when my skin barrier was damaged and I think it worked quite well. This contains ceramides for barrier repair as well as aloe leaf extract for soothing. Additionally, this contains dimethicone and shea butter which both act as occlusives. However, this might not be the best choice for some sensitive/sensitized skin because this does contain fragrance (essential oils) and it does have a pretty extensive ingredient list, so that’s something to keep in mind.
SkinFix Triple Lipid Peptide Cream – I have been using this recently to prevent damage to my skin barrier while increasing my Tretinoin use. I think it has been helping at least a little bit. This contains a 3% “Triple Lipid Complex,” which I believe is a combination of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. It also contains a “Peptide Protein Blend,” which can supposedly help to support barrier function. And a “Seaweed Hyaluronate Blend” pulls moisture into the skin. It also contains some soothing ingredients as well as occlusives such as Squalene, and it’s fragrance-free.
Mamonde Ceramide Intense Cream – this cream can be a little hard to come by these days, but I used it a couple years back and really enjoyed it. It does contain a slight floral fragrance. This cream contains dimethicone (an occlusive), Ceramide NP, cholesterol, and a special ingredient, Ceramide PC-104, which is derived from hibiscus. I can’t find that much about it. But, I do think that this cream really helped my skin out when I damaged my moisture barrier a couple years ago. It is also available in a light version which may be better for oily or combo skin.
Squalane Oil – this is a super simple but effective product you could consider adding to your routine! Straight up squalane oil is actually quite lightweight but still has occlusive properties. It leaves the skin feeling very moisturized and gives me a nice glow as well. This could probably work for for even the most sensitive skin. I generally like use a squalane oil over my moisturizer, especially if my moisturizer isn’t very occlusive and I want another layer to trap in hydration.
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 – this was my skin savior when I first started using Tretinoin. It contains some great soothing ingredients, including panthenol, zinc, and madecassoside. It also contains dimethicone and shea butter which both have occlusive properties. This doesn’t make my skin sting even when it’s irritated and really helps with dry patches.
Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask – this contains some great soothing ingredients such as centella asiatica and panethenol. It also contains squalane and shea butter which have both emollient and occlusive properties. The thick, rich texture of this also feels really comforting on my sensitized skin. Even though this is called a sleeping mask I usually use it as a moisturizer, though I sometimes layer it on top of a lighter moisturizer (such as Liquid Gold) if my skin is extra dry.
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Sources/Further Reading
Paula’s Choice Your Skin Barrier: What It Is and Why It Matters
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