A healthy skin barrier is the secret to a dreamy complexion. Your skin barrier acts as a protective layer that protects your skin and seals in moisture. Basically, a happy skin barrier means a bright, even glow. However, your skin barrier needs to be nourished to perform at its best.
Common skincare slip-ups like over exfoliating or using irritating products can strip the layer and throw off its natural balance. This can cause flare ups of hypersensitivity, acne and more. Unfortunately, many people don’t learn what their skin barrier needs until signs of damage show up.
With a little love and care, your skin barrier can be brought back to its strong, resilient self. Keep reading to discover common causes and signs of damage, and explore skin-loving remedies.
What is a skin barrier?
The skin barrier is your skin’s first line of defence. It sits on top of your skin’s outer layer and is made up of a balance of oils, healthy microorganisms and other good stuff like ceramides and fatty acids. Think of it like a shield that keeps moisture locked in. Your skin barrier also gives your skin the nutrients it needs to heal, calm down, stay hydrated and fight infections.
How to know if your skin barrier is damaged
Many people think a damaged skin barrier looks like dry, dull skin. While this is common, there are many skin concerns that can be traced back to a damaged skin barrier. Two of the most common concerns are:
Sensitivity and dryness
Sensitive skin is one of the most common signs of a damaged skin barrier. You may notice your skin is especially red after cleansing. Other signs of sensitive skin include irritation and flaky skin.
Acne
A damaged skin barrier can contribute to a range of acne types, including cystic acne and blackheads. This is because your skin’s ability to fight infection and retain moisture is compromised, leading to an increase of acne-causing bacteria. Additionally, many acne treatments are quite harsh and strip the skin of important oils. This also damages the skin barrier and can cause inflammation in acne prone skin.
Keep in mind that other factors, like hormones or stress, may also be the cause of these skin concerns. It’s important to take all skin-impacting factors into consideration when creating your skincare routine.
How to repair your skin barrier
Repairing your skin barrier is all about getting back to basics. Avoid overcomplicated regimes and find the products that deliver results. Focus on making intentional skincare choices that help protect and nourish your skin while your skin barrier rebuilds its strength.
Cut back the irritants
Consider ditching skincare products with irritating ingredients. These may aggravate your skin more than usual or cause further damage to your skin barrier. We made Jelly Plump without common irritants like synthetic fragrances, parabens and silicones to help your skin barrier thrive.
Invest in a good moisturiser
Your moisturiser plays a big role in repairing your skin barrier for two reasons. Firstly, a damaged skin barrier struggles to retain moisture. A moisturiser can give it the boost it needs to promote healing and reduce sensitivity.
Secondly, the right moisture can help nourish your skin barrier and restore balance. Jelly Plump is enriched with fatty acids and vitamins that strengthen the skin barrier.
Stay hydrated
Help your skin barrier heal faster by drinking around eight glasses of water a day. The Jelly Plump formula includes glycerin, which helps retain moisture throughout the day. This will do wonders for calming your complexion, reducing fine lines and repairing damage.
Be gentle
When faced with a flare up of acne, it can be tempting to over cleanse the skin or apply harsh acne treatments. Treat your skin with kindness by opting for soothing ingredients that clean without stripping.
Jelly Plump can be used as a cleanser, makeup remover and overnight mask – helping to prevent skin overwhelm. It’s crafted with calming ingredients like calendula officinalis flower extract to calm sensitivity at the source.
Listen to your skin
As you work on repairing your skin barrier, make sure you pay attention to your skin throughout the day. For example, if you’re seeing redness after exfoliating daily you may need to exfoliate every second or third day.
At Prime Skin, we believe looking after your skin should feel simple. That’s why we create gentle, multi-tasking products that protect your skin barrier. Tap into our shop to browse our skin-loving essentials.