I’ve been seeing more damaged skin barriers than usual and I don’t know if it is the uptake of at-home peels or the rising popularity of DIY skincare from social media.
If your skin is flaking, dry, tight, itchy, rough, easily irritated, or all of the above, your barrier is in need of some TLC. At this moment I’m going to be your skin’s best friend: Step away from the at-home peel kit & drop the DIY skincare for now.
Your skin’s barrier has a big job. It kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi, regulates water loss from the inside out, and protects you from UV rays to name just a few.
Your Barrier Repair To-Do List
Putting one or all of these into place will help your skin feel better and help you get your glow back:
- Simplify your skincare routine (if you need help, I’m only an email away)
- Cleanse your skin only once a day at the end of your day (if you wake up with oil or get oily by 10am, you’ll need to gently cleanse in the morning)
- Cleanse with a cleanser suited to your skin type
- Pause all exfoliation, this includes scrubs, retinols, AHA, and/or BHA, scrubbing brushes like the Clairsonic, scrubbing your face with a rough cloth (when your skin is ready, let’s put a plan in place to re-introduce exfoliation to your skin)
- Shower/bathe with warm water – never hot
Cut back on the caffeine (your bones will also thank you) - Use broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, Daily Protect SPF 30 is my go-to
- Use a barrier repair mask. These masks mimic your natural barrier while helping your skin heal. I love Tuel’s Moisture Plus and Osmosis MD’s Tropical Mango masks.
- Book an appointment with your esthetician, eh hem – click here.
Your skin’s best friend,
Alison
A Few Barrier Support Products I Love
Moisture Plus Mask
A rich, luxurious mask with nourishing butters and hyaluronic acid formulated for dry and dehydrated skin. Shea, cocoa, murumuru and sunflower butters deeply moisturize and reveal skin that feels softer and more soothed. Time to say goodbye to dry.
Key Ingredients:
• Murumuru butter
• Shea butter
• Sunflower butter
Tropical Mango Barrier Repair Mask
The combination of nut and fruit butters and oils work to nourish, hydrate, and restore the skin’s lipid barrier. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory properties, this mask will leave the skin soothed and replenished.
Stop sun damage with this medium-weight skin shield created especially for dry skin types and cold climates. Formulated with age-fighting green tea and chamomile, this fast-absorbing moisturizer contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin as it protects. UV filters help neutralize the damaging effects of sun exposure, protecting your skin against burns and premature photo-aging.
Key Ingredients:
• UVA/UVB filters
• Vitamin E
• Hyaluronic acid
Tuel Products – What else you should know:
- Vegan and cruelty free
- Packaging is recyclable
- Formulated without phthalates, sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, synthetic dyes or fragrances
- Made in USA
- Woman owned
OsmosisMD Products – What else you should know:
- Cruelty-free
- Packaging is recyclable
- Formulated without phthalates, sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, synthetic dyes or fragrances
- Made in USA