5 ways to strengthen your skin barrier this winter
What is your skin barrier?
Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin which serves in a wall-like capacity. It’s made up of your toughest skin cells that work to protect your body by keeping out toxins and infections. The stronger and better protected your skin barrier, the better chance it has of keeping you protected in return. It also helps with water retention, so chances are the stronger your skin barrier the more plump and glowing your complexion.
So what steps do you need to take to actively strengthen your skin barrier this winter? Here are our 5 tops tips:
1. Cleanse your skin with oils
The key to a strong skin barrier is ensuring not to strip the skin of natural oils and sebum. Harsh winter weather can already dry out and dehydrate skin, so it’s important to focus on nourishing when completing your daily cleanse. One of the best ways to care for your skin while cleansing is by using an oil to remove initial makeup, dirt and impurities. Follow this up with a second cleanse using a product sensitive to your skin barrier, like the tomorrowlabs Sensitive Face Wash. This mild gel formula has been designed to gently cleanse without stripping and irritating winter skin.
2. Don’t neglect SPF
While we are keen to slather on sun protection throughout summer, all too often this is forgotten when winter rolls around. Despite greying weather, daily SPF should still be an important part of your skincare routine. Harmful UV rays can still penetrate through cloud cover, causing damage to a bare skin barrier. This sun damage can weaken your skin barrier over time, so we recommend wearing a minimum SPF 30 year-round.
3. Take care with active ingredients
With drier and duller complexions in winter, it can be tempting to reach for lots of products with active ingredients to bring some life back to your skin. Using strong actives too often, however, can be an overload for your skin, causing a weakening of its barrier. Products like our Boosting Serum are excellent for bringing a youthful glow back to the skin without the use of harsh acids or retinol that could irritate your skin barrier. Also, if you still want to incorporate active ingredients into your winter skincare routine, look out for products that are specifically designed for sensitive skin. For example, our Vitamin C Essence is a great serum for everyday use without affecting the sensitive skin barrier or causing irritation.
4. Make glycerin your best friend
Glycerin is one of the best ingredients for moisture retention and keeping your skin barrier plump and healthy. Our Hyradagel Moisturizer features a healthy dose of glycerin in each bottle, as well as a range of other moisture-boosting ingredients. When applied daily, this is one of the easiest ways to give your skin barrier a much-needed boost.
5. Consider your environment
It’s not just your skincare routine that might need a refresh, but your environment as well. Make sure not to remain exposed to temperatures that are either too cold or too hot, both can dry out the skin and are harsh on your skin barrier. Consider getting a humidifier for your bedroom to eliminate dry air.