Damaged Your Skin Barrier? These 8 Ingredients Will Repair It

There has been an influx of skin barrier repair creams and damaged skin solutions in the market. While it is certainly good to have all these options, the trend is raising concerns over our skin health.

Over the last few years, it has become increasingly popular to use various exfoliating product to achieve smoother, clearer skin. This led to various concerns about dehydrated skin, redness, irritation, and heightened sensitivity—classic signs of skin barrier damage. Perhaps, it was only a matter of time before the complexities of layering actives and intricate skincare routines began taking a toll on our skin health.

So it’s not surprising to see the rise in demand for barrier repair solutions to address the issues caused by harsh skincare practices. While these creams and moisturizers are undoubtedly effective, there are some alternative approaches to mend your skin barrier.

Before I share some expert tips on how to repair your skin barrier naturally, let’s first understand the root causes of barrier damage.

But What Exactly Is Skin Barrier Damage?

Well, our skin is made up of different layers and has its own defence mechanism to protect itself from harm. The outermost layer of our skin (known as the stratum corneum) takes care of this crucial task.

This layer is made up of skin cells(bricks) which are held together by moisturizing lipids(cement) produced by our body. Together, the cells and lipids form a protective layer that keeps out the bad stuff that can damage your skin(harsh weather, pollutants and germs) and retains moisture within the skin to keep it hydrated and happy.

Now, if the layer is damaged, our skin is no longer able to protect itself and is left vulnerable to external aggressors. The moisture from the skin evaporates easily leaving it dry while harmful germs and harsh skincare ingredients can easily irritate the skin causing inflammation, infections, and damage.

4 Signs You Have Damaged Skin Barrier.

• Dehydrated, dry skin: Your skin feels flaky, and dry and loses its radiance. 
• Irritation: Your skin looks red, gets itchy, and can sting on applying skincare.
• Sensitivity: The ingredients and products that worked well for years are no longer tolerated by your skin.
• Infections: Your skin is suddenly facing more pimples and other bacterial and fungal infections.

While this barrier protects our skin, it needs to be protected by us to keep our skin healthy. 

Top Causes of Damaged Skin Barrier

Skin barrier damage has become quite common these days and many people tend to experience it at some point. It can either happen due to skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea or by using harsh products and skincare practices that strip the skin of its natural oils. 

Here are some of the most common factors that can damage your skin barrier.

• Using a cleanser or exfoliant that is too strong for your skin or overusing it.
• Applying too much pressure while using physical scrubs.
• Keeping chemical peels for longer periods or using them too often.
• Applying products with allergens or skin irritants like artificial fragrances, colourants, drying alcohols, etc.
• Using essential oils directly on the skin without diluting them properly.
• Products that have either too high or too low pH. Examples include saponified oil soaps, lemon juice and baking soda.
• Combining strong actives (eg. retinoids+AHA), applying them too often, or using higher concentrations.
• Not using the right moisturizer for your skin type or skipping it completely.
• Taking hot water showers that can strip away moisture from the skin.
• Environmental factors like prolonged exposure to pollutants, sun rays, and even dry climate.

These are some of the top causes that lead to damaged skin barrier. It’s best to avoid these mistakes to maintain and repair the skin barrier naturally.

Also read: 18 Healthy Habits That Will Transform Your Skin

How to Repair Damaged Skin Barrier In 3 Steps

If you have ended up with a damaged skin barrier, the first thing to do is Don’t blame yourself!

Even the best of us end up making mistakes that have bad consequences. You may be tempted into overhauling your skincare routine, but here’s what to do instead.

Step 1: Avoid Bad Skincare Habits

To fix your damaged skin barrier, the first thing you need to do out is find out what caused the damage. Once you figure out the culprit, eliminate the particular product or skincare step from your routine immediately to protect your skin from future damage. Here are some examples.

• Were you overusing your actives? Time to slow down and use them sparingly.
• Was your cleanser or exfoliator too harsh? Discontinue it and switch to gentler alternatives.
• Was your skin dehydrated? Build a skincare routine that prevents moisture loss and use a moisturizer infused with humectants(water-binding ingredients).
• Was your skin’s pH level disrupted? Use products with a skin-friendly pH(≈4.5-6.5).

Step 2: Strip Down to Basics

Less is always more when it comes to your skincare routine. And there is no better time to practice this skincare philosophy than when your skin barrier gets damaged.

Simplify your daily regimen to focus on gentle, nourishing essentials that aid in the recovery of your damaged skin barrier. It’s best to stay clear of all actives and targeted treatments for a while and allow your skin barrier to repair itself. Even avoid exfoliation until your skin has recovered fully.

Just cleanse your skin with a mild, hydrating cleanser, apply a moisturizer to replenish the lost lipids and protect your skin from the sun with a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen.

While repairing your damaged skin barrier, the focus should be on keeping your skin hydrated, calm, and protected. 

P.S. As a precaution, it’s best to avoid products that contain ingredients known to be skin irritants or allergens. This includes citrus essential oils, artificial fragrances, dyes, sulfates, alcohol, and certain preservatives.

Step 3: Repair the Damaged Barrier 

When your skin barrier is damaged, it’s the perfect moment to pamper it with soothing ingredients. Skin barrier repair products can come to your rescue. 

Several natural ingredients have exceptional anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties. Applying this ingredient will help calm down the redness and pain and will help your skin return to its former healthy state. 

8 Ingredients That Help Repair Damaged Skin Barrier

1. Aloe Vera 

There are a great many humectants that help hold moisture within your skin- glycerin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid etc. But pure aloe vera gel is my personal favourite as it is cheap, easily available and extremely soothing too.

If you have an aloe plant at home, simply scoop the transparent gel from the leaf and apply it to your skin as a cooling face mask. You can also buy pure aloe vera gels and use them every day as a moisturizer or soothing facemask to fix your skin barrier.

Also Read: 5 Creative Ways To Use Aloe Vera on Your Skin

2. Colloidal Oats

Another natural ingredient that can repair your damaged barrier is colloidal oats. It is often recommended for people with skin conditions like rosacea or dermatitis since it is one of the gentlest cleansers that also soothes your skin.

Colloidal Oatmeal is also well known for reducing itching and moisturizing your skin as well. So it will help restore your skin barrier with its lipid and protein content.

As an alternative, you can also grind oatmeal into powder. Mix it with water to form a soothing cleanser cum face mask and use it every day until your barrier recovers.

Also Read: How To Use Oats For Calming Your Skin

3. Plant oils

Since the damaged barrier is unable to hold moisture, the fatty acids from carrier oils are super helpful. They protect and repair our skin from drying out by replacing the lost lipids and forming a protective barrier on our skin.

Carrier oils also have anti-inflammatory properties which will help in soothing irritated skin. Cold-pressed jojoba oil, grapeseed and olive oil are the best choices for barrier repair but hemp seed, rosehip, almond and other oils also work well as face moisturizers.

4. Niacinamide

Niacinamide aka Vitamin B3 helps stimulate the production of ceramides that are part of the skin’s barrier function. So you can use serum or moisturizer with at least 5% niacinamide to help your skin rebuild its protective barrier.

Niacinamide also helps reduce redness and balances oil levels to minimize the appearance of large pores. If you have oily, acne-prone skin, niacinamide will be a great addition to your skincare routine.

5. Ceramides

Ceramides are an integral component of our skin’s protective lipids. Since these lipids play an important role in protecting and moisturizing our skin, they can help maintain a healthy barrier and aid up barrier recovery process. So incorporate a moisturizer with ceramides to fix your skin’s barrier.

Also Read: Vaunt Calm Cream Review

6. Botanicals

Calendula, chamomile, gotu kola, vetiver, rose water, honey and green tea are some natural herbs and botanical ingredients that can soothe and heal your skin with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They help calm redness and itching and even nourish the skin with vital nutrients to aid skin repair processes.

Also Read: 25 Natural Ingredients That Will Supercharge Your Skincare Routine

7. Squalane

Olive-derived squalane is an emollient quite similar to squalene present in our skin. The oil-like substance is therefore easily absorbed by our skin and can be used to hydrate, soothe and repair damaged skin barrier without irritating it further.

8. Humectants

Apart from aloe vera gel, other humectants like glycerin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, etc. can attract and hold moisture in the top layers of your skin. If your skin is feeling dehydrated due to a damaged barrier, these humectants can help prevent moisture loss from the skin to repair it.

Also Read: Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums in India

Best Skin Barrier Repair Products in India

1. FormulaRx Barrier Relief Lightweight Moisturizer

A lightweight gel cream formulated with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide and other barrier-repair ingredients. It is suitable for sensitive, oily and acne-prone skin. Read the full review here.

2. Vaunt Barrier Boost Face Formula

A creamy moisturizer formulated with ceramide complex, bakuchiol, niacinamide, pea protein and amino acids to restore the skin barrier and fight signs of ageing. It is suitable for all skin types.

3. Juicy Chemistry Prebiotic Barrier Repair Serum

A watery serum with fermented Pichia Mushroom extract, Gotu Kola(Centella Asiatica) and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, soothe and strengthen your skin barrier within 7 days. Suitable for all skin types. Read the full review here.

Skin Barrier Repair FAQs

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