We've all been there: The latest serum, face mask, cleanser (anything!) comes out and we have to try it. But the formula is a little too harsh and suddenly that “tingling sensation” it warned may happen has your skin feeling hot, irritated, and tight. And thus, the skin barrier damage ensues. Luckily, you can repair a damaged skin barrier using ingredients your skin actually loves with our recommendations below.
What Damages Skin Barrier?
First, let’s define the skin barrier. It's the outermost part of your epidermis and is responsible for your skin’s overall health. Knowing this, you can understand why it’s so important to keep your skin barrier intact. But you’re probably wondering what damages the skin barrier in the first place. So glad you asked.A lot of things can contribute to a damaged skin barrier, but these top the list:
- UV exposure
- Smoking
- Pollution (even just walking around the city!)
- Over-exfoliating (looking at you, active ingredients!)
- Stress overload
- Lack of sleep
- Dehydration
How Do I Know if My Skin Barrier is Damaged?
What does a damaged skin barrier look like? If you think one of the above factors is impacting your skin barrier, there are a few signs your skin will give you if the barrier is damaged.
Signs of A Damaged Skin Barrier
You’ll likely see the following symptoms if your skin barrier is damaged:- Discoloration
- No skin elasticity
- Water loss
- Visible infections or dermatitis
- Wrinkles
- Dry skin
- Irritation
- Redness
Remember, you don’t need to exhibit each of these symptoms to have a damaged skin barrier. Even just having acne or sensitivity can be signs something is off with your skin barrier. But it’s not all doom and gloom! At Beekman 1802, we pride ourselves on making Clinically Kind skincare that’s specifically formulated to strengthen your skin barrier and give you the skin you’ve always wanted.
And after using too many active ingredients, there’s one skin barrier protocol we recommend: keep it simple.
Restore Skin Barrier with Ceramides
Knowing how to repair skin barrier damage is key when it comes to loving the skin you’re in. And one ingredient you have to look for when restoring your skin barrier is ceramides.
Ceramides are fatty molecules that are super important for maintaining a healthy skin barrier as they retain water and make up 30-40% of your epidermis. When you’re experiencing signs of a damaged skin barrier, ceramides can instantly soothe irritation, deliver moisture to the skin and fight dullness.
So, if you’re worried about a damaged skin barrier, let us break it down for you.
Two-Step Repair for Damaged Skin Barrier
Let’s say you just removed a face mask that had a really high concentration of salicylic acid and your skin is tingling—to say the least. Here’s where the repairing begins:Step 1: Apply a few drops of our Ceramide Serum to your face and massage into your skin.
Step 2: After letting the serum soak in for a few minutes, apply our microbiome-friendly face moisturizer, Bloom Cream, to your skin.
That’s it! Of course, if you find your skin could use even more hydration, we suggest finishing the routine with a few drops of our Barrier Boosting Facial Oil, Oh! Mega Milk (named for the fatty omegas in the product! Yeah, we thought it was cute too).
Continue this protocol for as long as you’d like. You may even find your skin is more glowing than it’s ever been—and that’s the beauty of a healthy skin barrier.