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What is the skin barrier and what does it do?
The skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin. It acts as a protective shield, keeping moisture in and harmful elements out. This barrier is essential for maintaining hydration and preventing irritants from causing damage. When it's functioning well, your skin looks and feels healthy, smooth, and supple.
What damages a skin barrier?
Your skin barrier works hard to protect your skin from moisture loss and external irritants, but everyday habits and environmental factors can weaken it over time and contribute to a damaged skin barrier. Here are some of the most common causes of skin barrier damage:
Over-exfoliating: Exfoliating too often or using harsh scrubs can remove too many natural oils and disrupt your skin’s protective layer, leaving it feeling irritated, dry, or sensitive.
Harsh skincare products: Cleansers or treatments containing strong sulfates, alcohols, or overly active ingredients can strip your skin and make it harder to retain moisture.
Hot water and long showers: Regular exposure to hot water can wash away your skin’s natural lipids, contributing to dryness and a compromised skin barrier.
Pollution and environmental stressors: Daily exposure to pollution, smoke, and other environmental aggressors can increase oxidative stress on your skin and weaken its natural defences.
UV rays and sun exposure: Excessive sun exposure can damage the skin barrier by breaking down collagen and reducing your skin’s ability to hold onto moisture.
Stress and lack of sleep: Ongoing stress and poor sleep can affect the skin’s natural repair processes, making it more prone to dryness, sensitivity, and irritation.
Over-cleansing: Washing your skin too frequently or using overly harsh cleansers can disrupt the skin’s microbiome and strip away essential moisture.
Signs of a damaged skin barrier
So, what does an unhealthy skin barrier look like? Common signs include dryness, redness, sensitivity, and a rough or flaky texture. You may also notice your skin feeling tight after cleansing, becoming more reactive to skincare products, or looking dull and dehydrated. In some cases, a weakened skin barrier can make skin feel itchy, uncomfortable, or more prone to irritation and breakouts. If your skin suddenly feels more sensitive than usual, it could be a sign that your skin barrier needs extra care and hydration to help restore balance.
How to repair a damaged skin barrier
Wondering how to heal a damaged skin barrier? Skin barrier repair is all about gentle care and the right products. Here’s five top tips for improving your skin barrier:
The best ingredients to help restore your skin barrier
When it comes to skin barrier repair, certain ingredients are your best friends. Ceramides, found in products like our Pro-Ceramide + Repair Cream Serum, are crucial for restoring the lipid barrier. After using it for two weeks, you’ll find that rough, flaky skin is renewed, redness and irritation from dryness are relieved, and smooth, healthy skin is back in the room. You’ll also find ceramides in Dove Hyaluronic + Hydration Cream Serum. Infused with Pro-ceramides, Collagen Peptides, and Niacinamide, it’s designed to: increase skin resilience, quench thirsty skin with 72 hours of moisture, and give you visibly firmed, radiant skin.
Frequently asked questions
Repairing a damaged skin barrier can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the severity of the damage and the care routine you follow.
Yes, with the right care and time, your skin barrier can repair itself. Using products designed to support barrier repair can speed up the process.
Signs of a damaged skin barrier include redness, dryness, flakiness, and increased sensitivity. If your skin feels uncomfortable or looks dull, it may be time to focus on barrier repair.
