What is impaired skinbarrier function?

Not everyone's skin has a reduced barrier function, but EVERYONE's skin is at high risk of getting it - what can we do to prevent skin barrier breakdown?

Do we talk enough about what can be associated with a poorly functioning skin barrier? Our skin barrier is very resilient, but like all other things, it can be disrupted and impaired. 

The daily beauty routine harbours as many threats to the skin's barrier balance as external environmental aggressors do. Proper barrier function depends on a myriad of factors - everything we do in terms of lifestyle choices has an impact on skin health and therefore the skin barrier. Focusing on using the most gentle skincare products that still provide the desired results for the skin is crucial.

When your skin is not in good balance, your skin barrier is unfortunately automatically unhealthy and it will be noticeable that the skin is:

• Reactive and intolerant - it comes and goes in periods, differently what the skin can and cannot tolerate 
• Oily on the surface even if the skin actually feels too tight or "too small"
• Flushed and difficult to reassure, may suffer from recurrent skin conditions such as perioral dermatitis, rashes, eczema or flare-ups of the chronic condition Rosacea
• Dull and clogged even in the more mature age group
• Affected by pigmentation and other color differences such as red, blue or purple patches - this does not include congenital moles
• Confusingly, the skin has many different conditions at once. The skin is demanding and overly sensitive to changes in environment, season, temperature, diet, sleep, hormones, etc.

When your skin is in perfect balance, your skin barrier is healthy and will have the strength to resist external irritants. Therefore, always make sure that your skincare regime focuses on that:

• Protect your skin by fending off environmental aggressors
• Provide large amounts of moisture and stimulate the skin itself to high moisture production
• Improve the skin barrier's absorption of moisture molecules and other actives
• To have adequate oil content, there should not be an excess of oil in serum and day/night cream, but completely oil-free care is not recommended either, you cannot build a barrier on that. Too much oil will make the skin "lazy" and it stops the natural production
• Retain moisture and prevent water loss (TEWL) - respect the skin's natural lipids and microbial flora when cleansing, toning and exfoliating, seek products without sulphates, drying alcohol, abrasive grains and alkaline pH
• Strengthen and respect the skin's microbial flora, called the microbiome, which is formed from the population of microorganisms (microbiota) found on our skin that make up our microbial skin layer, called Straum Microbium

In other words: a healthy skin barrier protects you from all the bad stuff and keeps in all the good stuff!

Which products can we use to ensure that the above factors are focused on? Select products with:

• Antioxidants, radiation filters such as UVA and UVB sunscreens, Polycylic Diester, against blue light, Artemia salina against infrared damage
• Hyaluronic acid both high and low molecular weight, this ensures high moisturisation and water production in the skin
• Intelligent delivery systems such as Propylene Glycol, Liquid Crystal System and ingredients such as Isostearyl Isostearate
• Pre-biotic, post-biotic and possibly pro-biotic ingredients will nourish the skin's important microbial flora, the skin's main defence against microorganisms with a bad temper

How can we best restore skin with disrupted or degraded barrier function? See more specific product suggestions from Nimue skin technology, Comfort Zone or Darphin - just click on the name of the brand you want to learn more about