“I used a new AHA exfoliant.” “I started a stronger retinol/retinal.” “I went ham with The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution.”
If any of those statements sound familiar, you’ve come to the right place! I have 100% been in your shoes after being a little too overzealous with my new chemical exfoliators. It is totally fine, perfectly understandable, and certainly reparable! In this blog, I will walk you through what I personally do to help restore my skin barrier. I rely on specific products, but I will also focus on the ingredients so that you can find some good dupes in case these products are out of your price range.
What is a skin barrier?
Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin. It is what you see when you look at anyone’s face. It helps keep the bad guys (bacteria, viruses, salts) out and keep what your body needs in. It is important because when you disturb your skin barrier, many of these foreign invaders can now enter. A compromised skin barrier is not only potentially detrimental to your physiology, but it is also super frustrating, annoying, and irritating. Literally, it is itchy, feels like it is burning, and appears extremely red. A damaged skin barrier is certainly not the look that you want, especially if you have something important coming up like an interview, a hot Zoom date, or a cute selfie you need to take right now.
How does the skin barrier get damaged?
Typically, it becomes damaged when you use too many irritating ingredients like AHAs, physical scrubs, or retinoids. These products work their glowy magic by chemically or physically breaking up the molecular bonds that hold skin cells together. This results in a sloughing off of the top layer of your skin to reveal more youthful, healthier skin.
Using a gentle exfoliator is a great practice that you should incorporate regularly because it promotes regular cell turnover to 1) keep you looking youthful and 2) prevent pores from getting clogged and becoming acne. However, finding that Goldilocks-just-right amount of exfoliation per week is a deeply personal journey. No one has skin just like you and you have to go through trial and error to find the right amount of times for you, unfortunately. No one can do that for you.
With that said, I typically will exfoliate with an AHA (Allies of Skin Mandelic or Farmacy Beauty Honeymoon Glow) two times a week with one pump of the serum. These two serums have about 15% AHA or lower, meaning that this is the maximum my skin can handle (for now, at least). They are tingly when they go on and if I use too much of it, I do see more irritation on my skin. Remember that with exfoliation, there is such thing as too much. And you need to understand your limits.
You have a damaged skin barrier and now you’re here.
Okay, so now that we have a good understanding of what a skin barrier is and how we may have damaged it (we are not going to be pointing fingers!), we can chat about how to fix it. If you prefer to consume this content as a video, I made an Instagram Reel on just this topic!
Some products that I completely rely on
Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief Serum ($28): It smells a little funny, but it really restores your skin barrier by providing nourishing oils and moisture. Specifically, it has tamanu oil, safflower oil, and rosehip oil. They all work to diminish irritation and redness without being overly greasy. In fact, even with my combo-oily skin, I do not see any shine from this serum. Other key callouts: niacinamide (this is CRUCIAL for any irritation or acne. I swear by it so much!); fats like cetearyl olivate, glyceryl oleate, squalane; oat extract for calming down your skin, sodium hyaluronate for hydration, and honestly so many goodies. I 100% recommend this product if you have a compromised skin barrier.
Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream ($58): This is a holy-grail product for me even if I do not have a compromised skin barrier. I use this nightly because it is so nourishing and I wake up with gorgeously soft, supple skin. We all know that squalane is an extremely moisturizing ingredient that every brand loves to use nowadays. Other amazing ingredients in this product include omega fatty acids (of course), ceramides, and plant sterols which all help to nourish, plump, and hydrate your skin. There is no greasy feel, but I like to use this at night since it is a heavier cream and it would be too much for me during the daytime. I do also want to flag that this has a weird-ish smell. Not nearly as strong as the GBR from Krave, but it has a similar medicinal/herbal smell. It doesn’t bother me, but it is something to note!
Glow Recipe Banana Souffle Moisture Cream ($39): This has a super thick texture that is extremely scoopable. Once you start spreading it, it smooths evenly. Some of the key ingredient callouts here include banana (Mg and K) for hydration and healing and for the delicious smell, centella asiatica for calming irritated skin, and turmeric which helps decrease inflammation. Don’t these ingredients just sound amazing and target EXACTLY what you are experiencing with a damaged skin barrier? Yep, that’s why I use it when I mess up my skin barrier!
Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque ($59): This smells like paint. I will be very upfront about this! However, it does do a great job of putting nutrients back into your skin! I do find that this stings a little bit when I first put it on, which is not really a promising sign when you are using it on a damaged skin barrier. However, bear with me! It packs a punch with vitamin A, C, E, and linoleic acid. These help give you moisture and antioxidants to fight free radicals. It also has oat extract in it (again to help with calming!), camellia sinensis leaf extract for some extra vitamin sources, and a ton of good fats in it.
Maxwell Moisturizer ($30): I had to include this as a great budget-friendly alternative. I love the texture of this (and I actually use this as my current daytime moisturizer). It is just moisturizing enough without actually leaving a shine or any amount of oil. Some key ingredient callouts include witch hazel, silk amino acids, allantoin, and plankton. Specifically for the compromised skin barrier, plankton helps with extra fatty acids, allantoin helps with soothing skin and promoting repair, and silk amino acids help give your skin peptides so that it can actively grow. This is one of my favorites to recommend to people because it is such a versatile, dependable moisturizer.
The wrap up
Do you need to go out and buy a new line of products? Probably not. You probably have products on hand that will give you the different ingredients that your skin craves! Reach for things that are more nourishing, moisturizing, and hydrating. Do not go for things that are going to be irritating such as exfoliants and retinols. Give your skin a break. Pretend as if they were sore muscles. You would want to stretch and give your muscles nutrition. That is exactly what you are doing for your skin right now. You went a little too hard at the gym (and threw out your back; it’s funny because I have thrown out my back twice already and I am only in my 20s), and now you are in recovery mode. If you’re able to grab some of these products, I think they will really help you get back to your fighting shape. I have faith in you! Stick to these solid products, drink your water, and don’t get frustrated! Your glowing skin will come back soon!