BEAUTY EXPERT REVEALS SEVEN WAYS TO REPAIR A DAMAGED SKIN BARRIER

Our skin is a complex organ, the secret to healthy complexion is a strong skin barrier. Every 28 days skin regenerates, so it is important to maintain a healthy epidermis to stay protected against environmental aggressors. A strong skin barrier helps to keep vital protein and minerals levels high, such as keratin and collagen, it also retains water to keep skin hydrated and elastic. If you have a weak barrier, this is the underlying cause of sensitive skin, as irritants are easily absorbed

People have damaged skin barriers due to environmental stressors, but it also could be down to age or colouring. Skin barriers ultimately come down to hydration, as we get older our body become composed with less water. If your skin is paler, the thinner your barrier which makes you more prone to rashes and irritation. You’ll know if your skin barrier is damaged as it will look dry and dull, allowing chemicals to easily penetrate such as when you react negatively to a new product. Although it’s hard to avoid, there are steps to take to repair skin damage. Natasha Suri, beauty specialist at Herbal Essentials has shared her expertise on how to repair a damaged skin barrier.

 1. Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water each day is important to stay hydrated. If your skin barriers are damaged, your skin will automatically require more hydration to keep up the strength. Your skin is made up of 30% water, the more moisture we give to our body from the inside, the stronger our barrier becomes. With the increased water consumption, you should decrease the intake of coffee and alcohol as they are diuretics and can cause dehydration.

2. Select key ingredients

The skin barrier is composed by ceramides and fatty acids, which are key to look for when choosing your products. Himalayan Active Water contains calcium, magnesium and potassium which are 3 key microminerals. This has been proven to help speed up skin cell renewal within the epidermis through Keratin Regeneration. The ingredient is clinically proven to increase hydration by 184%. When paired with high-performance natural plant actives such as Aloe Vera, Himalayan Active Water is a super ingredient known to create clean skincare and restore skin barriers.

 3. Protect your skin from the sun

Whilst sun damage doesn’t directly occur from sunburn, the sunlight dries out and damages the protective barrier of your skin. Ensure your products have SPF in their ingredients, even during cooler months. Protecting your skin from the sun will preserve the youth of your skin and help build your skin barrier. Look for vitamin E and C in your products, these are rich in antioxidants which fight the damage cause by external aggressors.

4. Nourish yourself within

The food you eat can make a difference to the health of your skin barrier. Foods such as nuts, olive oil, avocado and fatty fish are rich on omega-6 oils. Peppers, kiwi, and strawberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants which are also beneficial. For plump skin, integrate collagen-boosting foods into your diet; eggs, garlic and citrus foods will all help your skin to stay supple and retain moisture.

5. Change your face washing routine

Whilst hydration is key to keep our skin functioning normally, washing at a high frequency can cause even more damage. Use gentle and low pH cleansers that won’t intensify the loss of lipid barrier on your skin and only use lukewarm water.

6. Keep moisturising

Moisturising is always a crucial step in your skincare routine, even more when your skin barriers are damaged. Restoring hydration from within alone won’t make a long-term difference unless you seal it with your moisturiser. Look out for moisturisers with fatty acids to keep the barriers happy and healthy.

7. Exercise regularly

There are two reasons why consistent exercise is beneficial to your skin, sweat and continuous blood flow. When you sweat, you’re removing any toxins and bacteria that are clogging up your pores and when your blood starts pumping, your body can get restorative nutrients to your skin quickly and effectively. However, it’s important to wash your face at least 15 minutes after exercising as you don’t want the sweat to stay on your skin. Sweat contains salt which can cause irritation and dehydration.

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