Caring for The Skin Barrier

Many of us will feel a tight discomfort in our skin and some flakiness during the winter months as the cold air and warm fires disrupt our moisture barrier. For others, this compromised barrier and dryness is a year-round challenge. Let’s look into managing dry skin and healing the barrier through skincare and treatments available at Le Formulaire to keep you feeling the glow no matter what the season.

The Skin Barrier

Our skin is divided into many layers, with the stratum corneum, or skin barrier, being the outermost layer. It protects our bodies from external threats, such as infections, allergens and toxins that can penetrate the skin. This force field also retains moisture within our bodies and regulates temperature. A damaged skin barrier is not only an aesthetic or sensorial issue, but it can open us up to issues from which we would otherwise be protected. Protecting and maintaining our skin barrier has the beautiful benefit of safeguarding our bodies, as well bringing a feeling of comfort to our skin.

Skin Barrier Stressors

Our skin barrier, can be quite sensitive to seasonal changes. As seasons and temperatures change, and we move from very cold outdoors to warm and cosy indoors, our skin often struggles to keep an equilibrium. Other stressors on our skin barrier include dry climates, sun exposure, washing our face too frequently and over-exfoliating. Stress can also be a factor in skin disrepair. Of course, individuals may simply be prone to skin barrier issues can such as those with dry skin types, or those who have atopic dermatitis, rosacea or psoriasis. 

Skin Barrier Repair at Home

A compromised skin barrier can be very uncomfortable, as the skin becomes red, inflamed, sensitive or bumpy. It can affect our confidence, and often be even difficult to cover with makeup, as cosmetics do not sit well on irritated skin. 

In times of barrier disfunction we want to stop any products or actions exacerbating the issue. Be mindful of the temperature in the shower to ensure you are not exposing your skin to excessive heat . Consider taking cooler showers - this can be a big ask during these winter months, however your skin will thank you in the long term! Pause the use of actives such as high dose vitamin C, exfoliants and retinoids. Listening to your skin’s needs when it asks for a break is the fastest route to repair.

Mositurising 101

Whether it is to heal the barrier or to hydrate dry skin, at this time of year we want to focus on restoring rich moisture to the depths of our skin, and it is important to build up consistency in our treatments. We should be nourishing our skin every morning and evening.

When it comes to moisturisers, finding the one that best suits your skin may take some trial and error. The three kinds of moisturising ingredients available to us are humectants, emollients, and occlusives. The most effective moisturisers tend to be a blend of these.

Humectants tend to be lighter moisturisers, we can identify these through their ingredients. Humectants are based on ingredients including hyaluronic acid and glycerine. Alumier’s Ultimate Boost Serum is a gorgeous way to allow your skin to drink in moisture before layering creams on top. Emollients are slightly thicker moisturiser as they are lipid based. We can identify emollients from their ingredients which contain ceramides or cocoa butter. Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore is a beautifully balanced mosituriser with optimum barrier lipid ratios to give your skin the comforting hug it needs in winter.

Finally, occlusive moisturisers are the thickest of the three. Look for products containing ingredients such as beeswax, petroleum, or silicone. Emolients create a protective seal over the skin, fortifying the skin barrier. We love Aquaphor and Homeoplasmine (a cult French prodct with a vasline base) particularly in lip care.

In-clinic treatments for dry skin

At Le Formulaire, we are all about bringing out your natural glow, and so of course we have dedicated treatments to treat thirsty skin!

For targeted hydration to bring some gorgeous moisture to dry skin, consider a course of Skinboosters: Profhilo delivers a very high dose of hyaluronic acid directly into the skin to give that lit from within glow. It also stimulates collagen and elastin within the skin to bring strength to our hard working organ. For long-term hydration, consider 2-3 treatments spaced 4 weeks apart with one tretament every 4-6 months for maintenance. 

Another gorgeous treatment option is an LED light therapy session. Near infrared light therapy calms barrier dysfunction and enhances healing in the skin. LED treatments can be done as much and as often as you would like!

Suffering from dry skin in the short term or chronically can be frustrating, as it takes quite a bit of upkeep to maintain a balanced skin barrier. However, by remaining consistent in our routine and having patience with ourselves, we can unlock hydration in our skin all year long.