Re: skin barrier - this is from an article in The Times (it's long, but hopefully helpful!)
“Think of your skin barrier as a brick wall, with the skin cells as the bricks and the lipid layer as the mortar. It’s a protective barrier that guards the body from things like the weather, pollution and microbes,”
Like K-beauty, skinimalism, retinol and ceramides before it, the phrase “skin barrier” is suddenly everywhere, whether it’s on your products, on social media or in beauty marketing. But before you assume it’s just industry hype, take a moment, because it’s actually a real thing not just a hashtag - and it could also be the reason for many of your skin concerns. If your skin is dry, irritated, red, sore, dull, rough or itchy, you may have damaged its barrier. Or if your inflammatory skin condition - think rosacea, dermatitis or eczema - has suddenly flared up, then your skin barrier could be the problem.
Why is skin barrier damage suddenly ‘a thing’?
Whereas some factors affecting our skin barrier - genetics, UV, stress and pollution, for example - have long been at play, in the past few years we’ve all become armchair skincare experts, chucking more and more on our complexions, which aren’t always thanking us for it. The combination of an increased interest in skincare and the availability of highly effective over-the-counter products means that more of us are using powerful ingredients on our skin without necessarily understanding what they do, as well as the risks and how best to mitigate them. There is also a belief that layering multiple different products at one time will lead to faster results, when, unfortunately, the reality is too many active ingredients used as layers rather than using different, complementary ingredients as a single carefully considered formulation can damage the skin barrier.
How do I know if I have a weakened skin barrier?
Is your skin feeling uncomfortable but you’re not sure if your barrier is to blame? Increased dehydration is a common early pointer, as is sudden sensitivity, but if you’re struggling to pinpoint it, watch out for these three symptoms:
1. Skin feels tight after cleansing.
2. You get a burning or stinging sensation when new skincare products are applied.
3. Dry, flaky patches of skin.
What are the long-term issues with skin barrier damage?
The immediate symptoms of redness, dryness and sensitivity are annoying, but if they are not dealt with there could be consequences. Cracks and weaknesses in our protective shield allow irritants to flood in, causing disruption and inflammation in the skin. Once it is inflamed it becomes weaker and more prone to other conditions such as dermatitis, sensitivity, rosacea, acne and pigmentation. With prolonged irritation and inflammation, the overall ageing of the skin will be affected, speeding up the development of lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity due to less healthy collagen and new skin cells forming.
What can I do to repair it?
Don’t panic, a few simple tweaks and a bit of a skincare holiday should, in most cases, set you right. It takes roughly three to four weeks for your skin barrier to recuperate, so until then simplify your routine and shelve all actives and exfoliation until your skin starts to feel calmer.
Start with a gentle pH-balanced cleanser twice a day and look for products with glycerin [a humectant, so it holds moisture], niacinamide, ceramides, squalane and panthenol. A good moisturiser will contain a combination of occlusives [preventing water loss], humectants [these draw/attract moisture] and emollients [which fill in the gaps or crevices between skin cells]. Next add a barrier repair cream or treatment, and then finally - you should be doing this anyway - always protect your skin with sunscreen.
How can I use active ingredients without harming my skin barrier?
Once you’ve got your barrier back on track you may want to return to actives with a vengeance, but it’s best to tread carefully. If you use retinoids, try the ‘skin sandwich’ technique of applying retinoid on top of moisturiser and then reapply moisturiser on top. Have ‘skip nights’, meaning instead of using the retinoid nightly, use it on alternate nights to give your skin a break. If you are using medically prescribed topical treatments, check in with your dermatologist to see how best to manage, so you can continue with your treatment plan.