5 tips to strengthen your skin barrier

Here are some straightforward ways to improve your skin barrier and reveal a dewy, healthy complexion.

The health of your skin barrier determines how radiant and youthful your skin looks. Your skin barrier acts as a protective shield, preventing harmful substances from entering the skin while retaining moisture and essential nutrients. By strengthening the skin barrier, you can achieve more of a glowing complexion and reduce a variety of skin issues and flare ups.

A weakened barrier

If your skin struggles to maintain moisture, feels irritated or is often itchy, you might be suffering from an impaired skin barrier. A change in skin colour could also be an indication that your skin barrier has been compromised; it might appear redder or ashier than usual. The good news is that reworking a few steps in your daily skincare routine can help restore this integral part of the skin and boost its natural microbiome.

Here are five tips from Minimalist that can help repair and build a resilient skin barrier.

Simplify

The first step towards a healthier skin barrier is stripping down your daily routine and keeping it simple. This can be particularly helpful if your skin barrier has already been compromised, as you want to eliminate any triggers and go back to basics. Think cleanser, serum and moisturiser – and try to put a pause on using retinoids or overloading on strong acids. The Minimalist range is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, making it a good skincare option when paring back on ingredients.

Serum time

Hydration is key to a healthy skin barrier. The best way to boost hydration is to incorporate serums that are enriched with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and strengthen the skin’s natural defences. The Hyaluronic + PGA 02% Serum (AED 39.99) from Minimalist is a hydrating booster with 4 different types of Hyaluronic acid to provide you with a multi-level hydration throughout the day.

Ceramides

Swap your daily moisturiser with a ceramide rich option, such as the Ceramides 0.3% Madecassoside (AED 39.99) from Minimalist, if you have oily skin. You can use the Ceramide 0.3% with Bisabolol (AED 39.99) instead, if you struggle with dry skin. These everyday moisturisers are packed full of ceramides to restore your skin barrier and prevent any moisture loss, helping to soothe and repair skin damage.

Sunscreen

Excessive sun exposure is one of the main causes of a weakened skin barrier, and this is particularly relevant to women in the region! Protect your skin from harmful UV rays by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which will minimise the damage caused by UV exposure.

Keep it cool

Although often relaxing, hot water can strip the skin of its natural oils, fats and proteins – which are essential for keeping your skin healthy. It can also cause unpleasant conditions such as redness and itchiness. Cooler or lukewarm showers are easier on the skin and will maintain its natural hydration better, so it looks radiant and healthy.

By implementing these five simple steps, you should see a change in the look, feel and strength of your skin in no time!