If colder weather has put a damper on your skin's naturally smooth texture, don't panic. Weather changes and seasonal stress can cause unwanted skin problems to arise out of nowhere. While it may not seem like it, your skin is constantly at work, especially the outermost layer of it, known as your skin barrier. Your skin barrier works to protect your skin from potential irritants that it comes in contact with daily. When this skin barrier is weak, these irritants can pass through, altering the skin condition to become more sensitive [1]. That being said, one of the best ways to protect your skin and keep it glowing all year long is by maintaining a strong, healthy skin barrier.
If you believe your skin barrier is compromised, there are several ways you can restore it and reap the benefits, such as incorporating a hydrating serum or anti-aging cream into your daily regimen. Our Kate Sommerville Skin Health Experts reveal how to know if your skin barrier is damaged, as well as their top tips to help repair your damaged skin barrier.
Signs You have a Damaged Skin Barrier
While it's relatively easy to damage your skin barrier unknowingly, the good news is that it's even easier to fix it! There are many ways to spot a compromised skin barrier: the appearance of redness and inflammation or itchy, flaky skin. If you notice your skin quickly reacting to a product or feel a burning sensation when applying skincare, then it's likely that your skin's barrier has weakened.
Aside from environmental irritants, a skin barrier can also be jeopardized due to over-exfoliating or using products that are too harsh for your skin. Because of this, you must always know what you're applying to your skin’s surface and choose products based on your skin type.
Additionally, if you think that your skin barrier is compromised, you’ll want to act quickly. While a skin barrier can be nursed back to health, you want to start nourishing it as soon as the damage begins. Once your skin barrier is severely damaged, it's much harder to restore.
How to Repair Your Skin Barrier
Stick to Simple Skincare
When nursing your skin barrier back to health, it's essential to evaluate all of the products you've been using. Products that are too harsh might end up contributing to the damage, making things worse for your now-sensitized skin. KateCeuticals™ Total Repair Cream is an excellent product to incorporate into your skincare regime when your skin needs a bit of extra love. Kate’s clinic-inspired, peptide-powered age repair cream works to boost skin's elasticity and smooth the look of wrinkles while also repairing skin's barrier.
Steer Clear of Scrubs
While you may think exfoliating is a great way to remove bacteria, if your skin barrier is compromised, it's best to cut back on physical exfoliation for now. Using a brush, cloth, or product that is too harsh for your skin’s surface can cause further problems to arise. Instead, stick with a gentle cleanser like the Kate Somerville DeliKate™ Soothing Cleanser. Made with amino acids and ceramides, this recovery cleanser helps relieve visible redness and tightness while restoring your skin's moisture barrier.
Know Your Ingredients
When searching for the best products for sensitive skin, it's important to know what ingredients you're looking for. Goat milk, peptides, and niacinamide are all excellent ingredients for sensitive skin. If you're having trouble finding a product that works, we recommend starting with something like the Kate Somerville DeliKate™ Recovery Cream. Designed to provide long-lasting relief for stressed skin, it's made with a specially formulated peptide complex and ceramides to reduce visible redness and improve the skin's protective barrier.
Hydration is Key
A damaged skin barrier requires a lot of moisture. Keeping your face and body well hydrated is key to restoring and maintaining your skin's health. When searching for new products, choose one that contains powerful hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, one of the many essential peptides for skin health. Not only will this work to re-boost your skin barrier, but it also acts as an anti-aging ingredient locking in moisture and helping your skin maintain its natural elasticity.
For the ideal hydrating serum, try out the KX Concentrates Squalane + Hyaluronic Serum. A clinically proven serum, it's formulated with Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane to help hydrate, plump, and replenish damaged skin. For those interested in developing an anti-aging skin care routine , incorporating hyaluronic acid is highly recommended as it delivers instant and lasting hydration which helps combat dullness and dryness that naturally occurs as skin ages.
Apply Sunscreen
An easy way to protect your skin's barrier is by applying sunscreen daily. Sunscreen will work to protect your skin’s outer layer from the sun's damaging rays, as well as other environmental stressors. However, when purchasing sunscreen, you'll want to choose the right one. Products like the UncompliKated SPF Soft Focus Makeup Setting Spray Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen are a no-fuss way of adding SPF to your face routine while also instantly setting your makeup.
While It's easy to damage your skin's protective barrier, with a little love, consistency, and care, your skin's barrier can be restored quickly. By following this guide on repairing your damaged skin barrier, you can ensure that your skin stays healthy and moisturized throughout all seasons. And remember, everyone's skin type is different. When trying out new products, allow them time to work before determining their efficiency.
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