Moisture Barrier Repair When You Did A Little Too Much

I have been using prescription-strength retinoid off and on since my teens. After not using tretinoin for a while, I decided to start using it again, and instead of easing into it as I should have, I went full speed ahead. As a result, my face ended up inflamed, swollen, and covered in a red, itchy, and painful rash. I had successfully disrupted my skin barrier.

Our skin has layers that function as protection for our bodies. The outermost layer of our skin can be considered a brick wall. This brick wall is made up of keratin and other natural moisturizers. This wall is all that stands between us and the environmental pollutants and other pathogens that could ravage our bodies. Maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier is also essential to our skin staying hydrated.

When we disrupt this protective wall with over-exfoliation, harsh dryness from winter, or exposure to pollutants, restoring the skin barrier is paramount to our skin staying healthy and keeping premature aging at bay. So how do we restore our skin barrier?

It is important to use a gentle soap-free cleanser to avoid further inflammation. SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser is designed for sensitive and dehydrated skin. It contains emollient-rich surfactants to soften and restore the skin’s surface.

SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser, $35

Follow-up cleansing with SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel. It helps to hydrate and soothe with botanical ingredients while improving redness.

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel, $67

Kiehls Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream contains madecassoside, an active compound extracted from the Centella Asiatica plant to soothe the skin. It also contains D-Panthenol, which helps to fortify, protect, and repair the skin barrier.  

Kiehls Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream, $44

Dermalogica’s Barrier Repair is a waterless moisturizer that helps shield skin against stress triggers such as pollutants and pathogens. It alleviates discomfort and helps restore the skin barrier while combating free radicals with a proprietary blend of evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, and vitamins C and E.

Dermalogica Barrier Repair, $49

For the swelling that could sometimes accompany disruption of the barrier, we recommend clean brand Alchimie Forever’s Dry Skin Balm. It contains willow bark which has anti-aging properties, and watercress which reduces the look of swelling ($25).

Alchimie Forever Dry Skin Balm, $25