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Words by Bridget March

How to strengthen – not strip – your skin’s most important layer

A decade ago, skincare ‘actives’ (ingredients responsible for stimulating measurable changes in the skin) were rarely considered outside of a clinic setting, but now we’ve shaken off any fear of acids and retinoids, upping our own doses with abandon – and in some cases, veering into over-use which results in greater harm than good by compromising our skin barrier.

Resurfacing products have become the pawn in the industry’s mission to encourage us to slough off our skin’s surface layers in an attempt to obtain unified, smooth complexions – encouraging us to aim for ultra-reflective ‘glass skin’ or bouncy, dewy ‘dumpling skin’. Focusing on skin health over appearance has felt like a contrarian point of view. Until now.

For many of us, those extra-strength, cell-decimating products that drew us in (regardless of whether our complexion really needed them) did the opposite of what was intended, leaving us feeling the burn.

Think of the problem like this: The skin is designed to keep certain things out– think environmental aggressors, pollutants and allergens – and other things (such as water) in, and it achieves this with help from the skin barrier. If your barrier is weakened you can experience a whole host of skin issues.

What is the skin barrier?

“The skin’s barrier is the outermost layers of skin (technically called the stratum corneum),” explains industry authority Paula Begoun, founder of Paula’s Choice. “It is made up of a mix of very important protective and nourishing substances – including ceramides, linoleic acid, cholesterol, amino acids, and a complex assortment of fatty acids – which help prevent water loss and shield skin from environmental factors such as sun damage, pollution, and allergens. When the skin’s barrier is healthy, all of these elements work together to form and maintain skin’s first line of defence to the outside world.”

Clearly, our skin barrier is an important ally – but, as Dr. Kemi Fabusiwa, director of clinic Joyful Skin explains, over-use of high-strength skincare could be causing damage. “Many people damage their skin’s barrier unintentionally by piling and combining too many irritating actives onto their skin, unaware of the damage that they are causing to the barrier. For instance, combining two exfoliating acids, an acid and a retinol or a retinol and vitamin C in one sitting is enough to irritate and inflame the skin, leaving behind tiny breaks in the skin’s barrier.”

 

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The signs of a damaged skin barrier

“Barrier damage almost always involves the loss of skin’s vital substances (especially ceramides and fatty acids) which it needs to remain intact and smooth,” says Begoun. “These substances are the mortar that keeps skin together. When they become depleted or disorganised, skin loses its ability to prevent water loss and has less ability to defend itself from external assault, which makes it vulnerable to dehydration, redness and itching. It causes noticeable signs of ageing in the short term and, if not corrected, in the long term as well.”

Aesthetician Sofie Pavitt says that when diagnosing a compromised skin barrier she looks for signs such as “dryness, tightness, sensitivity to even gentle products, itchy, flaky skin, rashy or even breakouts”.

However, the symptoms of an unhealthy skin barrier aren’t always visible on the surface. “The problems a damaged skin barrier causes that you can’t see (at least not immediately) are collagen and elastin breakdown, an impaired microbiome, and abnormal skin shedding,” adds Begoun.

The remedy needn’t involve ditching your active products – at least, not on a long-term basis. Ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C and exfoliating acids can be truly transformational, but it’s vital to use them in a way that respects, rather than challenges, your skin, working them slowly into a consistent routine.

If you’re seeing the signs of a depleted skin barrier, it’s crucial to first rebuild that outer layer – here, the experts explain exactly how.

How to repair a damaged skin barrier

“Barrier repair should focus on hydration, protection against free radicals and pollution, and nourishment in the form of occlusive moisturisers,” explains Pavitt. “Lightweight serums such as hyaluronic acid, layered under a rich, emollient cream is a great approach for any skin type. Dryness will dissipate, oil levels will be rebalanced (dry sensitised skin with a weakened barrier will ultimately try to produce more oil to compensate) and you could see results from this in as little time as a month from working on repair.” But be mindful of these specific dos and don’ts:

AVOID PHYSICAL EXFOLIATORS

Both Begoun and Dr Fabusiwa agree that the first step to rebuilding a skin barrier is to ditch any physical exfoliants. “Resurfacing products such as harsh abrasive scrubs should never be used,” says Begoun. “Many people think using an abrasive scrub or a rough cleansing brush is the best way to exfoliate skin, but those create micro-tears in the skin’s surface.”

FINE-TUNE YOUR ACIDS

If an active product seems to be too strong for your skin, don’t stubbornly carry on, no matter how hyped the formula may be: in skincare, ‘no pain no gain’ should not apply. “Switch to gentler exfoliating acids such as mandelic or lactic acid if glycolic acid is too strong for you,” says Dr Fabusiwa. What’s more, learn to spot the signs of inflammation: redness, swelling, discomfort and warmth. If you detect any of these, your skin is telling you to scale back.

ROTATE YOUR ACTIVES

Spacing out your use of active products is the key to achieving results while respecting the skin barrier. “Don’t combine actives together in one sitting: for example, an acid, a retinol and vitamin C,” says Dr. Fabusiwa. “Instead, use them on alternate days or one as part of your morning routine, rather than both at night.”