The Best Products for Skin Barrier Repair
Words by Maya Avram
Whether you enjoyed your summer basking in the sun or dashing between social events, your skin is likely craving some TLC. As autumn approaches, the focus turns to strengthening the skin barrier. The top layer of your skin, the skin barrier is a shield made of cells and lipids that locks in hydration while keeping out pollution and irritants. If compromised, as can happen from UV exposure, environmental stressors or lifestyle factors like poor sleep and diet, the barrier might weaken, leaving your skin looking dull, dry or sensitive.
“Autumn and winter are the best seasons to look at your skincare regime,” says Shane Cooper, a London-based aesthetician specialising in non-invasive rejuvenation treatments. “The cooler weather gives the skin a chance to recover, making it the perfect time to address any concerns.”
Our suggestion? Replenish moisture and restore radiance with effective skincare innovations – from barrier-boosting serums to next-generation laser technology – designed to help your skin barrier bounce back stronger.
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111SKIN Exosome Face Lift
First up is the new treatment kit from 111Skin. Launching just in time for your post-summer skin refresh, this two-step protocol offsets the damaging effects of stressors like extended exposure to UV rays and lack of sleep. It does so by boosting the skin barrier’s function. “The Exosome Shot Serum creates micro-channels on the skin to allow deeper absorption, while the Exosome Overnight Mask works as a rejuvenating treatment, promoting skin repair during sleep,” explains Dr Yannis Alexandrides, co-founder of 111Skin. Using probiotic exosomes, which improve barrier function and support moisture retention, the treatment delivers impressive results. In a clinical-grade assessment of 30 people, it offered a 20% lift and enhanced firmness by 23% within just four weeks.
Orveda Clay-Mud Cleansing Powder
Caring for your skin barrier also means avoiding ingredients and practices that are too harsh – especially if you have sensitive skin. Double cleansing, for example, may help break down oil-based debris, but if done too often or with formulas that are too aggressive, it can actually cause irritation and even damage the integrity of your skin.
Orveda’s Clay-Mud Cleansing Powder was created with that thought in mind, offering a gentle alternative to double cleansing that doesn’t strip away sensitive skin and supports skin barrier health. This, by combining two forms of exfoliation – papaya powder for enzymatic exfoliation, and micronised bamboo and apricot kernel powders for delicate physical exfoliation. The blend delivers all the benefits of a deep-set cleanse, keeping your skin from feeling tight and restoring its natural radiance. Apply it with the pillowy konjac sponge and follow up with the brand’s High-Cleansing Skinmulsion Cream for a truly indulgent purifying experience.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Your skin barrier’s job is to protect and hydrate. For it to function properly, your beauty routine needs to keep it soft and supple – enter Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream. Its powerful formula features the brand’s signature TFC8 complex, which is packed with key nutrients that condition the skin and support healthy cell turnover. Meanwhile, a host of potent botanicals rich in omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants not only prevents the loss of water and moisture, but also locks in nourishment to offset phenomena like dullness, redness, hyperpigmentation and fine lines. One pump of the velvety rich moisturiser will make it clear why it’s on every beauty lover’s skincare shelf.
Biologique Recherche L'Eauxygenante Face Mist
Mindful of the damaging environmental stressors we’re exposed to on a daily basis, French powerhouse Biologique Recherche presents this protective face mist. It’s formulated with the brand’s proprietary Oxygenating Complex, which is meant to “breathe beauty into your skin.” Other potent actives include vitamins A and C from orange and kiwi fruit for an instant boost of hydration, as well as cooling cucumber and refining silk extract. With such a powerful ingredients list, your complexion is guaranteed to feel well-nourished and look radiant, even if you apply the mist over make-up. A final line of defence comes from edelweiss extract that fends off free radicals, making this formula a must-have for your next long-haul.
EviDenS de Beauté The Total Shield SPF 50
Prolonged exposure to the sun is one of the main stressors for your skin barrier. That’s because harmful rays break down healthy proteins in your skin – including precious collagen – which can lead to premature signs of ageing, like fine lines and wrinkles. In addition to broad-spectrum protection, this sunscreen from Evidens de Beauté also shields your complexion from pollution with the help of vitamin E, polygonum aviculare extract and a Triple Collagen blend, which supports the skin barrier’s function. Better yet, its featherlight formula applies seamlessly under and over make-up, making on-the-go reapplication as effortless as it is essential.
Lyma x Harrods Laser PRO
There’s no talking about deep skin barrier repair without mentioning luxury skin tech, or, more specifically, Lyma’s Laser Pro. This cold laser delivers non-invasive rejuvenation along multiple pathways. First, it strengthens the extracellular matrix (ECM) by stimulating collagen and elastin, helping the skin retain moisture for a plumper, healthier complexion. A fortified ECM then encourages skin cells to produce ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids, key lipids for rebuilding the barrier wall. Finally, the at-home laser also works to reduce inflammation and accelerate skin regeneration, ensuring your barrier is strong enough to defend against stressors like UV light and pollution. It’s a true all-rounder for future-proofing your skin.
More Skin Barrier Heroes to Try
FAQ
The skin barrier, also known as the epidermis, is the outer layer of your skin. It’s entrusted with the important job of protecting your body from the outside world. A healthy barrier is designed to fend off environmental stressors and pollutants, retain moisture and shield you from UV radiation, among other things.
“The skin barrier can be thought of like a brick wall,” says Dr Christine Hall, GP, emergency medicine doctor and aesthetic physician. In this analogy, your skin cells are the bricks, held together by ‘cement’ – aka, natural lipids (fats, ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids). Together, they form a barrier that locks in hydration and keeps out infection and pollutants. If this barrier is damaged, however, it may lead to redness, irritation or dryness, phenomena which can worsen skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and rosacea.
“A healthy barrier is the foundation for great skin, and overusing the wrong active ingredients can easily compromise it,” says Cooper. His go-to ingredients for fortifying the skin barrier are exosomes, which “support the skin’s natural repair processes, helping to strengthen its structure.” Otherwise, he recommends ceramides-rich products that boost the barrier’s vitality: “these formulations all focus on long-term resilience.”
On the other hand, if your skin barrier is damaged, you should avoid stripping actives, exfoliators “and high concentrations of acids that may further disrupt the lipid barrier,” says Dr Yannis of 111Skin.
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