Skin Barrier Health

The skin barrier, aka the outermost layer of the skin, is simply the amour that protects the skin from the surrounding environment. It keeps the harmful toxins from the world around us from penetrating to the deeper layers of the skin while keeping moisture locked in. Unfortunately, this protective layer can be broken down by things such as pollution, exposure to UV rays, stress, and many more things one encounters daily. Many skin issues can be related back to the health of one's skin barrier, but luckily in most cases such issues can be resolved by strengthening it. Anyone who has experienced breakouts or extremely dry skin over an extended period of time with no explanation may be dealing with poor skin barrier health.

So, how do you know if your skin barrier is healthy or damaged? Skin with a healthy barrier is hydrated and plump, but signs of damage include redness, flakiness, tightness, itchiness, sensitivity, increased breakouts, and rashes. It is important to stay aware of skin barrier health, because if it is compromised for too long or is not given the time needed to repair properly it can have negative lasting effects. If the skin barrier is not treated with care it can cause dehydration leading to the production of more oil. This overabundance of oil being produced by the skin then leads to breakouts beginning a vicious cycle.

In order to protect and repair the skin barrier hydration is the most important factor. In the case of skin with excess oil there is a common misconception that cutting moisturizing out of one's routine to "dry up the skin" is the way to fix it, however that is just the opposite of what should be done. Moisturizing oily skin is very crucial to regaining the proper balance needed to have a healthy skin barrier. To care for your skin barrier look for products that contain hyaluronic acid, which absorbs water and surrounds each cell with lipids helping the cell to hold on to the water. The cell cycle is about 27 days, so in order to reset the skin find a good moisturizer and stick to a simple one step routine for about a month. It is important to remember that results may not be visible until the end of the 27 days so be persistent! Check out our instagram page to see our favorite moisturizer! Not only is moisturizing a large factor, but to maintain a healthy skin barrier knowing how to properly exfoliate is critical. Exfoliating too harshly or too often can be a main cause of compromising one's skin barrier. One of our favorite exfoliants is the Peter Thomas Roth Firmx Exfoliating Peel Gel which gently lifts away impurities when massaged into the skin. https://www.peterthomasroth.com/firmx-peeling-gel-1201001.html

We only have one skin which is why it is so essential to know how to properly care for it. Having an understanding of your skins health on not only the outside, but on the inside as well makes tending to it that much easier.

Disclaimer: This information is not given by a licensed professional, just a girl with a passion.

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