Skin Barrier 101: What it is & How to Repair it After Damage
A couple of years ago I visited Sephora looking for a new foundation to try out. A Sephora rep asked me what my skin type was, and I immediately said “dry and irritated.” Her follow-up question was “is your skin is always dry and irritated?” My response was “no, it happens here and there, but it isn’t always this way.” She then introduced me to the term skin barrier. She said that I’m likely doing something in my skin care routine that’s damaging my skin barrier and causing it to react in a negative way.
I had no idea what a skin barrier was, and that it could be damaged, but I started to do some research and realized that she was absolutely right. My skin type isn’t dry and irritated; I have combination skin that leans towards the sensitive side, but it is all good if I take proper care of it. There are times when I get too aggressive with my skin care routine, my skin reacts negatively, and my skin barrier becomes damaged, which results in my skin feeling dry and irritated.
It was then when I started paying a lot more attention to my skin and how it reacts to certain skin care habits. I’m here to share the knowledge that I learned along the way.
What is the skin barrier?
The skin is the largest organ in your body, and consists of three different layers of tissue:
Hypodermis: The hypodermis is the innermost layer of skin. This layer is made up of fatty tissue that protects your muscles, bones, and internal organs from injuries, excessive heat, and excessive cold.
Dermis: The dermis is the middle layer of skin, found above the hypodermis. This layer is made up of collagen which keeps the skin flexible and strong. The dermis has a few roles including oil production, hair growth, touch sensations, body temperature control, and fighting off infections.
Epidermis (Skin Barrier): The epidermis, also known as the skin barrier, is the outermost layer of the skin (the visible layer). The skin barrier is the first layer of defense. It protects the skin from environmental stressors and other harsh elements, helps retain moisture, produces pigment/melanin, and helps to renew dead skin cells.
How do I know if my skin barrier has been damaged?
What a damaged skin barrier looks like can vary from person to person. For some, the skin appears dry, inflamed, and sensitive to touch. For others, your skin may actually feel oiler than usual. Over secretion of oil doesn’t necessarily mean that you have naturally oily skin. Your skin is smart, and knows how to repair itself without assistance. Oiliness may indicate that you’re stripping the skin of its natural oils by being overly aggressive with your skin care routine. In response, your skin will try to secrete more oils in order to repair your now damaged skin barrier.
Play close attention to how your skin acts when utilizing gentle products vs. how it behaves when you get a little aggressive. You’ll begin to spot what a damaged skin barrier looks like for your skin specifically.
Different ways you can damage your skin barrier
Over-exfoliating & over-washing
Using too many products at once
Harsh cleansers/treatments
Over exposure to the sun or wind
How to repair a damaged skin barrier
Stop use of all harsh products until your skin builds back up its strength. This means no alcohol, acids, acne treatments, exfoliators, etc. Your skin is at its weakest when its barrier is damaged, so you want to ensure that you’re not causing more harm by utilizing harsh products
Stick to gentle face washes. Use simple-ingredient cleansers. Oil cleansers and micellar water are great products to use when your skin barrier is damaged. Also, make sure you’re washing your skin for 30 seconds or less
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Utilize a hydrating moisturizer to help prevent water loss and strengthen your barrier
Nourish your skin. Use an oil-based serum. This will lock in hydration, soothe irritated & inflamed skin, and aid as a nourishing treament
Wear sunscreen! Harmful UV rays can damage your skin even further. Wear sunscreen everyday to avoid this. (& Yes, you need to wear sunscreen during the colder months as well)