8 Easy Ways to Repair a Damaged Skin Barrier

Be Kind to Yourself

Frame your skincare and cosmetic treatment routines as a practice to respect and celebrate your skin, not one to strip your skin of its natural pores and pigment.

Pare Down Your Skincare Routine

Curate a targeted skincare routine with an expert or through research, and reevaluate products that don't have a clear purpose or benefit for your skin.

Use a Gentle Skin Cleanser

Remove makeup, pollution, and dirt without stripping the skin with a gentle cleanser, and consider a double cleanse if necessary.

Consider a Serum or Moisturizer for Your Skin Barrier

Prioritize ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and petrolatum to support the skin barrier.

Look for a Multifaceted Moisturizer

Choose a moisturizer with a combination of emollients and humectants, such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, to attract and bind water.

Avoid Over-Exfoliating

Avoid exfoliating ingredients like AHAs and BHAs, especially when using actives in other areas of your routine, to prevent stripping the natural barrier.

Treat Inflammation

Check-in with your skin daily and skip exfoliating actives when sensitive, instead reaching for soothing serums or moisturizers.

Don't Forget to Take Care of Your Body

Use gentle cleansers on the body and hands to prevent dryness, itching, dullness, and hyperpigmentation.