The power of the skin to heal and regulate itself is truly amazing – the more I learn about it, the more minimalist I want to go with my skincare. It just makes sense.
I’ve always been very basic in my approach since I first began taking care of my skin (at 18) and instead of adding more stuff with age, I’ve actually subtracted. My skin has only improved!
Unfortunately, society is geared towards feeding our insecurities, so that we buy more crap than we actually need (in all areas of life), but this is especially true in the beauty industry.
Even if you think you’re not using that much stuff, what little you are using could be doing serious damage anyway. It’s just too easy to end up interfering with the natural processes of the skin and disrupting the complex barrier systems that it depends on for health and vitality.
In this post I’ll go over some basic skin barrier 101 and follow that with a holistic approach on how you can repair a damaged skin barrier naturally.
You have basic lifestyle tweaks and general skincare habits, a list of the most healing natural ingredients you can apply to your skin, and finally a stripped down DIY barrier healing skincare routine.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump around.
Skin Barrier Basics
The skin barrier is a multilevel defense structure that’s part of the stratum corneum (i.e. the outermost layer of the skin).
It has four basic layers of protection – physical, chemical, microbiologic and immunologic – all interplaying and feeding off each other in order to maintain balance.
- The physical layer: the actual “brick and mortar” construction of the skin – protein cells and lipids that help “seal in” and preserve hydration in the skin, by reducing Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL).
- The chemical layer: formed by Natural moisturizing Factors (NMF), lipids and other compounds that help maintain an acidic pH (the “acid mantle”). This is necessary for proper hydration of the physical barrier, microbiome balance and optimization of the essential functions of the skin.
- The microbiologic layer (the microbiome): the actual microorganisms that inhabit the skin. It’s dependent on pH but also on temperature, body location and hormones. “Good” (beneficial) bacteria favor a more acidic pH, while “bad” (harmful) bacteria favor a more neutral pH. It interacts with the chemical and immunologic layers by triggering antimicrobial and immunologic responses to attacks.
- Immunologic layer: the immune cells of the skin that recognize disruptions to the barrier and “communicate” with the microbiome to initiate “corrective” responses, to try and restore balance.
It sounds complicated, but in general the skin barrier is there to prevent moisture loss, maintain pH balance and protect against aggressions (UV, allergens, irritants, etc.).
What Causes Damages To The Skin Barrier
In this world – SO many things! Let’s itemize:
- Physical factors and damage to the cells: overwashing, overexfoliating, harsh and excessive skincare, picking at blemishes or clogged pores, too much time in chlorine water
- Environmental factors: pollution, dry and/or windy atmosphere
- Internal factors: stress, poor diet (the gut microbiome and the skin microbiome are connected), drugs or excessive drinking, sedentary lifestyle (little to no exercise), age (hormonal changes), epigenetics (how your unique genetic makeup reacts to your specific environment and lifestyle)
Your diet and lifestyle are massively important for the health of the skin. Not just because you need the nutrients to “feed” the skin’s structure and make sure it’s building with the best materials, but also because a healthy immune system is essential for a healthy skin barrier function. An integral part of the immune system is your gut microbiome – things like acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and rosacea have all been linked to gut imbalances.
Skin also gets drier and more vulnerable as we age, producing less oils and HA.
Damaged Skin Barrier Symptoms
How to repair a damaged skin barrier naturally at home
The best way to repair a damaged skin barrier is to adopt a holistic (multilevel) approach to:
- Replenish the essential elements or nutrients lost
- Soothe any potential inflammation
- Add and maintain moisture in the skin
Lifestyle Tweaks
Keep hydrated
The top layer of the skin pulls water from the deeper layers, which is provided by the water you consume in your diet (both through liquids and foods). A compromised skin barrier, by definition, has difficulty in maintaining healthy moisture levels and loses a lot more water through evaporation (TEWL). By making sure to drink plenty of water and consuming water-rich foods you’re making sure the body has plenty of moisture to provide to the skin.
Exercise
This is important on many levels, of course, but on a very primary one the increase in blood flow will provide oxygen-rich and nutrient dense “food” for the skin, so that it can restore and repair the damage quicker and more effectively.
Diet
Also crucial to good skin. Concentrate on whole foods, nutrient rich, healthy fats, a good amount of proteins (a lot of people don’t have enough in their diet and you need more as you get older – it’s essential for the structure of the skin), colorful veggies and fruit (loaded with antioxidants), and plenty of pre-, pro- and postbiotic foods. Try to cut out added sugars and processed junk as much as humanly possible, since these are inflammatory to the whole body, including the skin.
Protect the skin from the sun
A damaged skin barrier makes the skin much more vulnerable to environmental aggressions and one of the major ones is UV. In this healing phase, when you’re trying to rebalance and restore the skin’s integrity, it’s best to do this by wearing protective clothing and avoiding excessive sun exposure, rather than with sunscreen (it’s hard to remove and usually has too many ingredients that might cause further irritation).
Address the root cause of the skin barrier damage
If you know why your skin barrier was disrupted – stop doing that thing. This is self-explanatory.
A lot of times we might not quite know exactly what was the main cause or there might have been more than one – most people these days put too much crap on their face (the beauty industry is just overwhelming).
If you’re not quite sure if it was something in the skincare routine or the diet, then try to clean both up as much as possible – go back to as bare basics as you can. Consider it an “elimination diet” approach – eliminate all the usual suspects and let the skin heal. Then reintroduce products one by one, carefully monitoring the response and dialing back, if necessary.
Trust me – none of us need as much crap as we think we do!
Skincare habits
Avoid “complicated” skincare products with mile-long ingredient lists
Especially look out for things like fragrances, alcohol and sulfates. Sometimes the fragrance is essential oil based – in normal circumstances, these are usually OK (for most people), but if your skin is already disrupted, it’s best to also avoid it and to keep it as plain as possible. At least for a while.
It’s a bit like when people suffer from autoimmune conditions – they’re already so reactive to their environment that an otherwise harmless microscopic aggression can cause an overwhelming response. Also avoid micellar water, because it does raise the pH level of the skin and, therefore, it disrupts the chemical layer of the barrier function (the acid mantle).
Stop exfoliating
Give this a break. The skin does naturally exfoliate on its own and even the basic act of rinsing your face with water and wiping it with a towel is a perfectly natural and mild type of exfoliation. You don’t want to do more than that at this stage. Let the skin heal and recover for a few weeks or months before you try to incorporate an actual exfoliation step back into your routine.
Avoid using direct acids and skin sloughing skincare actives
I’m referring here to the concentrated extracts produced as skincare products – they’re far too many with a wide ranging variation of concentrations and formulations. It’s very easy to go overboard or to develop a reaction to a specific formulation. So, things that might be a bit irritating and that encourage a more intense skin resurfacing, like retinols, AHAs, BHAs and vitamin C are best avoided during this recovery phase.
They’re another form of exfoliation and you want to avoid them if you’re trying to heal a compromised skin barrier. Things like niacinamide (B3), HA (hyaluronic acid) and vitamin E, on the other hand, should be fine, since they don’t cause skin resurfacing and are typically soothing and healing. In fact all three are great options to boost recovery. However, Niacinamide and HA can be slightly irritating for some people – so take that into account.
Just try to get the best possible quality products you can, ideally with a minimum of other ingredients. HA you can totally make yourself (it’s easy), vitamin E can be purchased 100% pure and niacinamide is available in pretty straightforward formulation from companies like The Ordinary.
Related post: How To Layer Skincare (Like You Know What You’re Doing!)
Minimal cleansing
If your skin barrier is very disrupted the best thing is to cleanse only once a day (at night) and to avoid foam based or drying cleansers at all costs. Remember these not only strip the essential oils necessary for proper barrier function, but they also raise the skin’s pH and eliminate the natural microbiome. Better alternatives are things like honey, oil or even water only.
Related post: Your Easy Guide To Water Only Face Washing (with hacks!)
Reconsider the use of sunscreen
While sun protection is important in general, and definitely when you’re trying to repair damage to the skin, most sunscreens are either filled with too many chemicals, or in any case they’re more difficult to remove properly. If your skin is already sensitive and inflamed, or completely stripped of moisture, the extra “elbow grease” or harsh cleansing ingredients necessary to remove sunscreen will likely aggravate it even more. Consider giving sunscreen a break and opt for protective clothing instead.
No makeup
Same concept as above. Makeup can be stubborn to remove and it’s best to give harsh or excessive cleansing a break. On top of that is also the fact that many molecules of cosmetic ingredients can remain on the skin for weeks, even if they were only applied once. There are many that have shown to cause alterations to the chemistry and microbiome of the skin.
This applies to skincare products as well, so the best thing you can do for your skin is to minimize exposure to these synthetic ingredients as much as possible and definitely avoid if the skin barrier is already aggravated.
Moisturize!
Moisture retention is absolutely essential to maintain a proper barrier function.
On the most basic level we need to apply ingredients to the skin that are humectant (draw water), emollient (skin softening) and occlusive (moisture sealing). All oils and fats have some level of emollient and occlusive properties (varies depending on the oil and the fat), but some have been studied and confirmed as excellent ingredients for skin barrier repair.
And on that note…
The most restorative natural ingredients to repair the skin barrier
The ingredients are divided by categories – oils, humectants and other.
Oils and fats
Natural cold pressed oils in general are wonderful for the skin for a mix of reasons:
- They help optimize the natural skin barrier balance
- They have antioxidant properties
- They’re anti-inflammatory
- They have antimicrobial properties (directly themselves, or by upregulating antimicrobial activity in the skin indirectly)
- They boost wound healing
When it comes to repairing a damaged skin barrier specifically, certain oils have been shown to be more effective than others.
In general, it seems oils with a higher ratio of linoleic to oleic acid are more effective at restoring the barrier function of the skin. Conversely, oleic acid is supposed to be somewhat “irritating” to the skin, so it might actually slow down skin repair. But take this with a huge grain of salt, because there are fats that are very high in oleic acid that have been proven to be excellent skin barrier repair agents (i.e. Shea butter).
To repair a damaged skin barrier naturally with oils you definitely want to make sure to get cold pressed – scientifically proven. Oils that are extracted through the cold pressing method maintain the natural properties and nutrients of the oil and avoid the irritating byproducts that come from the standard heat and chemical based process. They’re also more occlusive than their refined versions.
Good examples of oils with a higher linoleic acid content are:
As I mentioned earlier, there are other fats that might not be particularly high in linoleic acid (or that might be high in oleic acid), but nevertheless have been proven to enhance the repair process of the skin through different means. Excellent examples are:
Shea butter
It’s very rich in triterpenes, which accelerate wound healing and tissue repair. It’s also been shown to be as effective as ceramide-based products in healing eczema and atopic dermatitis. It has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and richly moisturizing properties. It’s also beautifully occlusive due to the high content of stearic acid, helping to provide a good barrier and to help maintain good hydration levels.
Jojoba oil
You may have heard that technically jojoba oil is not an oil but a liquid wax ester. This makes it the most similar (structurally and chemically) to human sebum – our natural skin oils. It’s well tolerated by all skin types and it’s very well absorbed, moisturizing without the greasy feeling. It’s also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores) and antioxidant.
Coconut oil
It has been shown to promote wound healing and improve barrier function, decreasing water loss and enhancing the expression of the corneocyte components of the skin (the cells that make up most of the outer layer of the skin). It lowers inflammation and helps provide natural UV protection. It’s also antimicrobial and antibacterial.
Humectants (moisture attracting)
Glycerine
Also known as glycerol, it’s part of the Natural Moisturizing Factor components (NMF – naturally occurring humectants) that the skin itself produces to hydrate the outer layer. Other NMF components that are also well used in skincare products are, for instance, lactic acid and urea.
It has an amazing water pulling ability – much more than HA – it’s inexpensive and really easy to work with for DIY. It significantly accelerates skin barrier recovery.
Hyaluronic acid
Also a naturally occurring element in the skin, along with the NMF components and the lipid (oil) barrier, it’s an integral part of the skin’s hydration mechanisms. Despite being marketed as an “active” it’s pretty inert, meaning it’s probably not going to cause a reaction, so it’s safe to use on every skin type. Some people do have a sensitivity to products with HA, so take that into account.
(Raw) honey
It’s a very effective but mild skin cleanser. It’s also antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, accelerating wound healing and tissue repair. It’s perfect for treating or helping to avoid a damaged skin barrier.
Aloe vera gel
I think everyone is aware of how effective aloe vera gel can be for healing skin – it’s amazing for burns. It’s also very well tolerated by every skin type.
Other soothing ingredients
Honey and aloe vera obviously belong in this section as well – they’re amazingly calming to the skin. But there are other naturally soothing ingredients that are powerful tools to help heal or maintain your skin barrier.
Basic Healing Skincare Routine
So, brass tacks – you should keep your skincare routine as basic and mild as possible, in order to help the body heal itself.
You want to cleanse minimally and gently, include natural humectants to pull water to the skin, as well as emollients and occlusives to provide the barrier to lock in that moisture and prevent Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL).
Honey Cleanser (evening)
- 1 heaping tsp of honey (can be a measuring spoon or a kitchen spoon)
Wet your hands first and spoon the honey onto your palm. Mix it a bit with your fingers and apply it to the skin in circular motions for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can leave it on for a few more minutes if you want. Wash off with warm water.
In the morning you can just wash your face with plain water or use honey as well.
Calming & Acidifying Toner
- 2 ½ TB (45 ml) Distilled water or floral water (rose, lavender, calendula, or chamomile)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ tsp (approx. 1,5 ml) Glycerin
Simply add all the ingredients to a spray bottle and shake well to mix. It’s ready to use.
Just mist your face and neck after cleaning and apply the moisturizer while the skin is still wet.
Related post: So You Just Want a Simple DIY Face Toner? Here’s 4
Barrier Cream (morning & night)
You can make your own simple water-in-oil (O/W) emulsion (cream) to nourish, protect and regenerate your skin barrier, but it is a bit more involved and does require some basic prep and equipment (DIY recipe coming soon).
If you don’t want to fuss, you can also create a “makeshift” moisturizer on the spot, by simply applying face oils and/or fats on skin that’s still wet from the toner and massaging in until it absorbs. You have the water phase and the emollients/occlusives phase, but applied consecutively instead of premixed and stabilized as an cream.
Alternatively, you can also mix a dollop of aloe vera gel with a few drops of oils/fats on the palm of your hand and apply that to the face, as you would normally.
- 1 dime sized amount of aloe vera gel
- 5-7 drops of chosen carrier oil(s) / Shea butter + jojoba mix
Related post: Here Are The Most Effective 3-ingredient DIY Face Moisturizers
Mask (1 x week)
- 1 tsp Yogurt or honey (can be a measuring spoon or a kitchen spoon)
Take a heaping teaspoon of pure fatty yogurt or raw honey and apply it to the face and neck. You can also mix the two ingredients together. If you’re using plain honey, it’ll be easier to spread onto the skin if you wet your hands first, spoon the honey onto your palm and apply it to the skin from there.
Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with water.
How long does it take to repair the skin barrier?
This is going to depend on the extent of the damage.
If it’s something minor, like some redness or flakiness, it could be as quick as 1 to 2 weeks.
If it’s something more severe, it can be up to 6 weeks or more.
It also depends on age and lifestyle factors, because they’ll influence how quickly your body is able to repair the damage and renovate the skin tissue.
Serious damage might need several months. Just try to optimize your lifestyle and diet to make sure you’re boosting the effects of the actual healing skincare routine.
So, in a nutshell, not only is there too much beauty crap for sale, all that sh*t also has too much crap in it that’s all the more likely to disrupt your skin! It’s complete overwhelm – for your skin, first of all, for your wallet and your sanity, next.
To repair a damaged skin barrier naturally, the best thing is to go on an ‘elimination diet’ for your skin – strip things down to basics and allow the skin to do its job. Use the time to reassess your routine – do you really need all those steps and all those products?
If you decide to add things back in, do it slowly, one at a time, and with purpose. See how you react and adjust accordingly.
