Your skin barrier is the hardest working layer of your skin. It is the outermost layer of your skin, also known as the epidermis, and it basically acts like a security guard for your skin; keeping moisture, essential vitamins and nutrients, and good oils in, while keeping dirt, dust and harmful bacteria out. However, your skin barrier can easily be damaged or compromised if you don’t treat it well. Read on to find out if your skin barrier has been compromised, and how you can fix it.
Healthy Skin from Within
If you are experiencing breakouts, redness, excessive oiliness or dryness, tightness, itchiness or skin that feels tender and sensitive to the touch, chances are you have a compromised skin barrier. This can be caused by using overly harsh or aggressive products, or putting on too many products at once. If you have a damaged skin barrier, the first step is to rebuild it by nourishing it from within. One way to do this is to lead a healthy lifestyle, something beauty and wellness brand Well Within Beauty strongly advocates.
Drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep every night, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can all contribute to healthier, stronger skin. Give your skin an extra boost by taking nutritional supplements. Well Within Beauty’s supplements are plant-based and packed with all the essential vitamins and nutrients, minerals and antioxidants your skin needs to replenish and renew itself.
Take these small steps and make simple, easy changes to improve your overall health, and you will soon notice a big difference in the way your skin looks and feels.
Gentle Cleanser
Facial cleansers are among the most disruptive products to skin, yet everyone knows that cleansing daily is essential to keeping your skin clean and clear. This results in a peculiar sort of dilemma; your skin needs to be cleaned, but the wrong type of cleanser can badly disrupt your natural skin barrier.
The solution is to switch to a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser. Healthy skin has a pH level of about 5.5, so choose a cleanser with a similar pH level to minimize the disruption to your skin. Avoid cleansers with harsh surfactants like SLS or SLES, and steer clear of sensitizing or irritating ingredients such artificial fragrances and dyes. pH-balanced and sulfate-free cleansers will effectively remove dirt and excess oil from the surface of your skin without stripping it of its natural moisture or leaving it feeling tight and dry.
Nourishing Moisturizer
Your skin needs plenty of moisture to repair and strengthen itself. Keep your skin properly hydrated by using a nourishing moisturizer day and night. Even oily skin needs moisturizer, though thick, heavy creams may not be comfortable for this skin type. Choose a lightweight water-based or gel moisturizer instead, so your skin won’t feel smothered or greasy.
Sun Protection
One thing you should never neglect when rebuilding your skin barrier is adequate sun protection. The sun’s harmful rays can cause severe damage to your skin, and weaken it further. Combat dangerous UVA and UVB rays by choosing a sunscreen with broad spectrum protection and an SPF of at least 30, and be sure to wear it every single day. Yes, that includes cloudy and overcast days, as the sun’s rays are extremely powerful and can penetrate through clouds and even glass windows.
Follow these tips consistently, and your damaged skin barrier will slowly but surely begin to heal and rebuild itself. Above all, be gentle, and resist the urge to add more and more products to your skincare routine to speed up the healing process. What your skin barrier needs is plenty of space to breathe and renew itself, so take a step back and let nature take its course.
Marina Pal is a renowned author and social media enthusiast.