How to Strengthen Your Skin Barrier

Your skin barrier is your body’s outermost protection — think of it like a really good jacket with several different functions. It helps the skin retain moisture, protects against harmful and irritating substances, and a strong skin barrier gives you the feeling that your skin is soft and supple.

But sometimes the barrier can become unbalanced. Suddenly, your skin may feel tight after cleansing, redness can flare up, and products you usually tolerate may start to sting or cause irritation. You might get dry patches, a flaky feeling on the skin, or it may simply feel irritated, red, and stressed. All of these symptoms are often signs that your barrier needs a little extra care.

Common things that can cause a stressed skin barrier:

The skin can be stressed by different things, both from within and from external factors. When it comes to skincare, there are a few things that can irritate the skin barrier:

• Too much exfoliation or acids. If used too often or too strongly, they can strip the skin and damage the barrier.

• Too many active products, or high concentrations — for example strong retinols or high levels of Vitamin C.

• Climate — cold air outside and dry air indoors.

• Hormonal changes in the body that make the skin drier and more sensitive.

How to strengthen your skin barrier

1) Choose a gentle cleanser

When the barrier is stressed, the skin does best with a mild cleanser that does the job without leaving the skin feeling tight.

• Gentle Cleansing Gel is a fragrance-free cleansing gel that’s kind to the skin barrier. The mild, sulfate-free gel formula with hydrating Cucumber extract and soothing Panthenol cleanses effectively without disrupting the skin’s natural balance.

• An oil cleanser can also be a gentle option when you need to protect your skin barrier.

Tip: If your skin feels extra irritated — stick to cleansing in the evening and pause morning cleansing for a few days. Rinse with lukewarm water and then moisturize thoroughly.

2) Moisture, moisture, moisture — preferably in several thin layers

When the barrier is out of balance, it’s smart to hydrate in light steps, and then lock it in with a cream.

• Start by patting in Hydrating Hyaluronic Essence for a moisture boost that works in different layers of the skin.

• When the skin is at its most sensitive: choose fragrance-free and soothing products. Sensitive Day Cream and Sensitive Night Cream are developed for dry and sensitive skin — both creams contain soothing natural oils from Cottonseed, Rapeseed, and Meadowfoam. Both are also completely fragrance-free.

3) Choose barrier-smart ingredients

When you want to support the barrier, it’s often the classic, stable ingredients that make the biggest difference.

• Niacinamide is a real superstar ingredient that can help strengthen the barrier and create a more even-looking skin. Smoothing Niacinamide Formula is designed to strengthen the skin barrier, while improving the skin’s elasticity and thereby reducing the appearance of pores and improving skin texture.

4) Lock in the moisture — sleep on it

At night the skin has especially good conditions for recovery, and it may need a little extra support.

• Repairing Overnight Mask is an overnight mask that repairs, hydrates, and soothes — helping the skin feel softer and more rested when you wake up.