Barrier Repair: How to Rebuild and Strengthen Your Skin Naturally
Skin is your body’s first line of defense and a natural barrier that aims to protect your skin from pollution, environmental stressors and pathogens. Stress, harsh skincare routine, UV exposure and poor eating habits can weaken the skin barrier leading to skin irritation, dryness, redness and breakouts. Let us know the ways to repair and strengthen your skin barrier naturally with the right ingredients and approach.
Key Insights
What is the Skin Barrier?
The skin’s protective barrier, also termed as the stratum corneum comprises flattened skin cells called corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix. This skin barrier plays a key role in retaining skin moisture and protecting them from harmful substances. A damaged skin barrier may look
- Dry and flaky
- Skin looks sensitive
- Redness and inflamed
- Breakouts or stinging when you apply products
Why Does the Skin Barrier Break Down?
Multiple factors account for skin barrier damage
- Physical or chemical over-exfoliation
- Using Harsh cleansers or alcohol-based products
- Extreme weather conditions like cold, dry, or hot climates
- Pollution and UV exposure
- Lack of sleep and high stress
- Poor diet
- Decreased level of essential fatty acids
Impaired skin barrier is less efficient and cannot retain skin hydration and protect it against environmental stressors
Natural Ways to Rebuild and Strengthen Your Skin Barrier
Simplify Your Skincare Routine
Distressed skincare can strip your skin’s natural moisture, making the skin look dull. Follow a basic skincare routine with a cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen with SPF 50. Avoid retinol, AHAs and BHAs until your skin barrier gets back to normal.
Use Barrier-Boosting Ingredients
Certain natural ingredients aid in repairing the skin barrier
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Ceramides
These are natural lipids aid in strengthening the skin barrier and retains moisture as well.
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Squalane
It’s a non-comedogenic ingredient that has power to inhibit natural sebum production.
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Niacinamide
It’s a vitamin B3 which helps to clam skin inflammation along with boosting lipids.
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Aloe Vera
Skin soothing agent as it soothes irritated skin along with healing
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Colloidal Oatmeal
Maintains skin hydration and calms down sensitive and inflamed skin
Choose products with above mentioned ingredients that are free from synthetic fragrances, drying alcohol and harsh preservatives.
Moisturize Consistently
The key point to restore healthy barrier is maintaining its hydration. Choose moisturizers with a blend of humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid), emollients (like jojoba oil), and occlusives (like shea butter) as they all help to maintain the moisture in the skin along with retaining its softness and sealing the hydration.
Protect with SPF Daily
The foremost way to impair a damaged skin barrier is to protect from UV damage using a sunscreen with SPF 50 even when indoors and on cloudy days.
Nourish From Within
Follow a proper diet with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins as you should strengthen the skin barrier from inside as well. Consume salmon, flaxseeds, avocados, leafy greens and berries in your diet.
Sleep and De-stress
Sleeping makes the skin repair and rejuvenates. Target to sleep 7-8 hours every day and manage stress through meditation, yoga and deep breathing as chronic stress increases cortisol levels which can weaken the skin barrier and trigger skin inflammation.
Final Thoughts
Regaining the strength of your skin barrier can be achieved with a gentle and consistent routine and mindful lifestyle. Deal your skin sensitivity, dryness, breakouts and prioritize the barrier health as it is the aids in maintaining skin radiance and resilience.