Do you have episodes of redness and inflammation out of the blue that ruin a perfectly good day? I know I did, and it threw me off my skincare regimen. The indiscernible trajectory of the said concerns made the treatment an uphill battle, leading me to be slightly frazzled. Afterall, I had been vigilant in practising my beauty regimen. Scrubbing my face meticulously, so could there possibly be a reasonable explanation behind this? Upon digging some more I concluded that the answer to the aforementioned is yes. I let out a sigh of relief as this is a prevalent skin concern that many spar. And today I am divulging everything under the sun to help circumvent the issue.
According to my research (surveying the internet for hours at a stretch) the above was an outcome of an impaired skin barrier. Pretty sure that you have heard the term casually floating around in skincare conversations, especially with makeup enthusiasts taking over every social media channel present to enlighten us (and aren’t we grateful)! And for those who aren't privy, below is a quick refresher of what skin barrier means. In layman’s terms, the skin barrier or the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum) acts as a medium between your body and the outside world. Think of it as an actual wall made up of skin cells, lipids and ceramides meant to fence off external aggregators like pollution, dirt and the harmful rays from the sun. It is also responsible for locking moisture into your skin. However, extrinsic agents are not the only ones responsible for the pertinent issues. Your skin barrier can be marred due to ageing, stress and excessive washing that strips the skin off its natural oils. So here’s why you need to worry about the skin barrier.
How To Care For An Impaired Skin Barrier
Now that I have helped you unveil the reasons for these skin woes, it’s time to nip it in the bud. Caring for your skin barrier is pivotal even if your skin is not showing any signs of stress. Prevention is any day better than cure, right? So, let me walk you through the measures that ought to be undertaken to ensure that your acid mantle is intact.
1. Hyaluronic Acid For Hydration
For the uninitiated, hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant responsible for retaining moisture in your skin. As we age, the natural level of this miraculous water binding molecule in our body depletes. Thus, using extrinsic products to replenish the water content in the skin becomes essential. Not only because dry skin looks flaky and patchy on the surface but because diminished moisture content can really set havoc on your skin by proving detrimental to the barrier. It further impacts the skin’s cellular turnover and makes it susceptible to outside aggregators.
2. Moderation For A Mighty Acid Mantle
Finding the right balance between too simplified a skincare routine and one that is overly intricate is necessary. Slathering a slew of skincare products that don’t serve a purpose or treat a concern can backfire, often posing a hurdle in your skin’s natural healing process. Thus, as a good practice, ensure to identify the underlying issues, impacting your skin’s health and align your products’ purchase accordingly. We also recommend using mild chemical exfoliants that don’t devoid your epidermis (outermost layer of the skin) of its natural oils, keeping the skin barrier a.k.a acid mantle, unscathed.
3. Ceramides For Strengthening
Ceramides are a subset of the lipid family, and a major structural component of the epidermis (they make up nearly 50% of your skin barrier). Picture ceramides as the mortar that holds the skin cells together. Which is why the loss of ceramides leads to harmful bacteria slipping through the cracks, leading to recurring inflammation and irritation. As we age, the natural levels of ceramides in our skin dwindle, generating the need for restoration. We recommend incorporating a ceramide based moisturiser into your skincare to ensure bolstering the acid mantle. A healthy and rejuvenated barrier is optimal for absorbing the rest of your skincare (laced with actives), skin regeneration and moisture retention, and ceramides help supervise this process.
