Your Epidermis is Showing
;)
Hello dear friends!
It has been a while since you last heard from me. In addition to the ongoing process of moving, there have been birthdays, new work opportunities and a lot of schoolwork. I realized that I needed to “do less” so I took a step back and it has been great for both my productivity and mental health. Sometimes you just need to do less and that’s ok! Doing less is exactly what we are going to talk about today as we tackle this question:
I was recently informed that I have a compromised skin barrier and I’m supposed to stop using actives and harsh ingredients for a bit. I didn’t even know this was a thing! What is my skin barrier and how did I damage it? How do I know when it is safe to start using my products again?
Don’t you just love when you find out you’ve caused damage and you didn’t even know? Skin is so much fun. You’re not alone in this situation – I’ve pissed off my skin barrier plenty of times and I’m sure nearly everyone has, whether they know it or not.
What and where is your skin barrier?
Simply put, your skin barrier is the outermost layer of your skin. It is a protective barrier that keeps outside pollutants and environmental aggressors out, while also preventing water loss, locking in natural moisture and oils and allowing beneficial ingredients to pass through into the deeper layers of your skin. A healthy skin barrier is crucial to the optimal functioning of your skin. It’s the first line of defense against pretty much everything. It’s also waterproof! It’s the reason you don’t drown when you shower or get caught in the rain. A damaged skin barrier is not a barrier at all.
If you want to get a little more specific… Remember learning about the epidermis in school? You laughed, you made a joke that sounded inappropriate but wasn’t and you moved on. Yes, the epidermis is the outermost layer, but itself has 5 layers AND is protected on top by additional factors. Your skin barrier is composed of 3 parts: the microbiome, the acid mantle and the lipid layer. The lipid layer is actually part of the stratum corneum, which is the outermost layer of the epidermis. The microbiome is an ecosystem of microbes on the surface of your skin that prevent pathogens and irritation, among many other things. Everyone’s microbiome is unique. The acid mantle is a very thin, slightly acidic film made up of things like sweat, sebum, lactic acid and water. You might feel it after washing your face once it starts to rebuild. The lipid layer consists of ceramides and other natural moisturizing factors (NMFs) that are essential to elasticity, prevention of water loss and a whole bunch of other things.
I’ll be honest – you can find all sorts of diagrams and differing explanations about these microscopic layers that will confuse the heck out of you. Don’t worry too much about it. Just remember that a healthy skin barrier = healthy skin.
How do you damage your skin barrier?
Very easily! Overexfoliating with too many acids, using cleansers that strip the skin, not moisturizing enough, harsh wind or AC, extreme temperatures and, most importantly, forgoing sun protection. When your skin barrier is damaged, you are susceptible to harmful pathogens and bacteria, have increased transepidermal water loss (the fancy way of saying water evaporating from the surface of your skin), and are extra vulnerable to UV rays.
A damaged skin barrier can present itself in many ways, but most commonly you may see dehydration, redness, flakiness, bumps or uneven texture and stinging when applying products. When your barrier is compromised, your skin becomes more prone to inflammatory skin disorders like rosacea, acne and eczema. Does your skin feel tight right after cleansing? Persistent redness or flakiness? Does it burn when you apply moisturizer? These are all signs of a damaged barrier. Wearing masks also is a recipe for barrier damage, so everyone’s barrier can probably use some TLC.
I once heard a dermatologist say that you know your skin is healthy when you don’t notice it. You don’t notice your stomach unless you are hungry or have a stomachache. Same goes for your skin, or any other organ!
What should you do when you have a damaged skin barrier?
Here’s where we do less. Say it with me: Do Less! You’ll notice from my description of your skin barrier that I didn’t mention anything about products. All of the functions of your skin barrier happen naturally. Yes, topical products help, but your skin barrier needs some independence. It needs space to build strength and confidence. It’s a moody teenager that wants to be left alone for the most part! Do you want to be on the receiving end of an unhappy, hormonal, moody teenager? Me either. When you damage your skin barrier, you want to play a supporting role and then get out of the way.
Play a supportive role by going back to basics: cleanse, hydrate and protect. Use a gentle, pH balanced cleanser, moisturizing products filled with ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and probiotics and be extremely diligent about sunscreen. Stop using all actives (this includes vitamin C) and exfoliating scrubs or cleansing tools.
When can I use my products again?
Depending on the severity of the damage, it depends. Your skin is resilient and sometimes just needs a few days to reset. Other times, you need a few months. Pay attention to how your skin is feeling throughout the day and right after cleansing. When you feel like it’s time to start incorporating actives again, go slow! Once a week and build up. Diving right back in is the surest way to undo all of the work your skin just repaired.
What products should I use if my skin barrier is damaged?
I highly recommend keeping some of these skin barrier boosting products on hand if and when you need them (and you will). Don’t forget to use code CELEBRATE for up to 25% off most Dermstore products through 8/17.
The Inkey List Ceramide Hydrating Night Treatment
Have a great weekend! Do less and take care of your skin barrier. In the meantime, shop the shelf and send a question. You might just see it answered in a future issue (or get an email back from me if you catch me in the right mood!)
xoxo, Jolie