I'm sure at this point you've heard some kind of skincare expert talk about the skin barrier and how key it is for the overall health of your complexion. Honestly, I wish I knew more about it when I was younger and really struggling with breakouts. I always thought the solution was to keep drying my pimples out, but I couldn't have been more wrong. A lot of dehydration and skin barrier damage later, I finally realized that was not the way and that I needed to do some damage control. Now, while there is a lot of information out there on the internet about the skin barrier, it can be overwhelming. I found that a lot of the information I was reading or hearing from experts on TikTok didn't quite help. After some trial and error, though, I finally found the products and advice that worked for me.
If you're struggling with barrier damage and inflamed acne, keep reading. I'm sharing what worked for me ahead along with advice from board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein.
Marchbein's Advice for a Damaged Skin Barrier
I want to preface this by saying that repairing a damaged skin barrier takes time. It doesn't always happen over night. You definitely have to be careful not to over do it on the exfoliating acids, which might be your first instinct f you're struggling with acne. Marchbein shares her advice.
"Dry skin is caused by an impaired skin barrier and dysfunction or deficiency in the necessary healthy fats in the top layer of the skin (cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides), which are essential to normal skin function," she says. "Since the protective lipid layer is responsible for keeping moisture in and bacteria and irritants out, dry skin often presents with redness, flaking, and itching. The treatments are geared at repairing the skin barrier. Using a gentle cleanser and avoiding stripping soaps, taking short showers lasting no longer than five minutes with warm water only, and then applying a thick layer of moisturizing cream (like Skinbetter Science's Trio Luxe Moisturizer) one to two times daily are some of the most important steps. A moisturizer with ceramides to help replace those stripped away in dry skin and humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin can quickly repair the skin barrier."
Marchbein's Advice If Your Skin is Dehydrated
An important distinction to make is that dry and dehydrated skin are different. While dry skin can be a skin type and can be due to factors like genetics, dehydrated skin is skin that lacks water. A healthy skin barrier needs ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and water to function properly. My skin was severely dehydrated after I stopped using tretinoin and I didn't realize it. Luckily, I wised up and found a few key products that helped. Marchbein shares her advice for dehydration below.
"Dehydrated skin indicates lack of water, unlike an impaired skin barrier. Using humectants to attract and bind water molecules and increase the water content of the skin is extremely important when dealing with dehydrated skin, as well as applying occlusives like petroleum jelly (Vaseline and Cerave healing ointment are examples) by itself over top or within a moisturizing cream to keep hydration and moisture in the skin. Slugging is a favorite technique of dermatologists around the world. It is one of the best ways of using petrolatum jelly since ointments that contain it can be applied wherever hydration is needed most to the full face, only delicate parts of the face like lips and eyelids, and even the body (especially hands, elbows, knees, and feet) to help seal in moisture. I especially love using the slugging technique at nighttime since we lose the most heat and moisture from our skin overnight. This technique helps prevent and treat dry, chapped lips and eyelids. Additionally, adding a hyaluronic acid serum can be especially helpful for dry and dehydrated skin and can be used one to two times daily on the face."
It should be noted that slugging might work great for some skin types, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're struggling with breakouts. Slugging and petrolatum can be way too occlusive for acne and is probably best skipped if you're trying to clear up your skin. Marchbein shared a few of her favorites for skin barrier damage and I'm sharing a few things that have made a huge difference for me.
"I'm in love with Trio Luxe! In general, Trio Moisture Treatments were formulated with ingredients that support natural moisturizing factors to maintain hydration in the skin. With Trio Luxe, you receive extra hydration, which helps renew the skin's appearance, improves skin texture, and reduces the visible appearance of redness resulting from a compromised skin barrier. Skin hydration is important because hydrated skin looks more plump, healthier, and more vibrant. Trio Luxe has been specifically formulated for those with dry or very dry skin. In addition to enhancing NMF, it provides skin barrier repair with ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and hyaluronic acid to attract moisture to the skin." — Marchbein
Marchbein also loves this simple drugstore moisturizer because it's great for damage repair and is under $20. It's formulated with three essential ceramides and and hyaluronic acid.
"It is non-comedogenic and can be used on the body or face, but remember that in the summer, it is especially important to apply sunscreen in the morning as well." — Marchbein
This is another favorite of Marchbein's since it contains glycerin, shea butter, dimethicone, and niacinamide which all support a healthy skin barrier.
This is one of the best serums I've found for dehydration—it made the biggest difference for me in terms of adding water to the skin. It was hard for me to find a hyaluronic acid serum that didn't contain a million other pore-clogging ingredients, but this one is perfect. It's especially great if you're dealing with acne because the ingredient list is super simple. It contains vitamin B5 which helps speed up wound healing in the skin, hyaluronic acid, and water. It has worked wonders for me, keeping my skin extra hydrated and calming inflammation from any new breakouts quickly.
There was a time when my skin was so irritated and sensitive that most moisturizers would break me out instantly. This was one of the only formulas that wouldn't. It's designed for super sensitive, breakout-prone skin and I love that it's so inexpensive. I still use it now along with a retinoid—it's rich enough to deeply hydrate the skin with ceramides, squalane, and hyaluronic acid but it's light enough not to be too occlusive and cause breakouts. Using this along with the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel has really helped add hydration to my skin and repair the moisture-barrier.
I love this sunscreen from K-beauty brand Iunik. The formula is so gentle and is great for skin that's irritated, sensitive, or acne-prone. It contains 49% centella extract which calms redness like no other. Any time I'm having a red or inflamed breakout, I apply this sunscreen on top and it calms it instantly. It also contains beta-glucan which is a great ingredient for soothing irritation and deeply hydrating the skin. My favorite thing about it is that it never feels like a sunscreen or causes a whitecast—it just feels like a second moisturizer.
Once I started incorporating these sheet masks into my skincare routine on a weekly basis, my skin appeared so much healthier. Each mask is packed with antioxidants, brighteners, redness-calming ingredients, and a hefty dose of hyaluronic acid to dramatically increase skin hydration. The masks also feature the brand's patented Lipobuty technology which allows the functional compounds of the serum to instantly penetrate through the stratum corneum layer of the skin, making it more effective than your average sheet mask.
This serum is expensive, but the retinoid delivery method makes it worth the money IMO. This is one of the only retinoids my skin has been able to tolerate lately. It contains Skinbetter Science's patented AlphaRet technology which combines a retinoid with moisturizing lactic acid to significantly reduce irritation. It works really well for me and never leaves my skin feeling dry or irritated—this is key if you're struggling with barrier damage. If you are also struggling to repair your barrier but could still really use a retinoid in your routine, give this one a go. I don't think you'll regret it.
This is another great option for a compromised barrier that's a bit more affordable. It calms signs of sensitivity and contains a blend of nourishing oils and rebalancing actives that hydrate the skin and strengthen the barrier.
I love this serum from Cocokind for strengthening and repairing the barrier because it contains a rich blend of five ceramides that help you maintain moisture along with squalane and lactic acid to gently exfoliate. It really helps reduce irritation and keeps your skin moisturized for long periods of time.
This balm-like moisturizer is designed specifically for barrier repair. It rehabilitates sensitive skin with beta glucan, gotu kola extract, and other skin-soothing ingredients. It's also great to apply after a chemical peel or laser treatment.
This moisturizer from Skinbetter Science is designed for oily and acne-prone skin but doesn't skimp on barrier-repairing ingredients. It contains ingredients like ceramides, gylcerin, squalane, beta-glucan and cholesterol to add long-lasting hydration without it feeling too heavy. This moisturizer has been key for me since most other moisturizers that contain occlusive heavy hitters cause more breakouts for me.
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