Ageing, environmental stressors and dryness can weaken the skin barrier. While that’s not all, genetics may also play a role in this, whereby conditions like psoriasis and eczema, cause the skin to lose its naturals oils and thus become weaker.
When the skin barrier becomes dry whether it’s due to genetics, ageing or harsh conditions from the environment, the skin loses its elasticity and the ceramides become ineffective.
This not only leads to more fine lines and wrinkles but it affects the skin ability to protect the lower layers. However, there are ways you can implement to strengthen the skin barrier and prevent damage that can sometimes be irreparable. These include;
- Nourishing the skin in the morning and at night
Nourishing the skin involves, toning with a product that infuses the skin with moisture, hydrating with a serum or ampoule that can lock in the moisture and using a moisturiser to seal the moisture.
When choosing a toner, pay attention to the ingredients so as to avoid products that contain alcohol. An alcohol-based toner can indeed give you a matte finish but this will counter the goal of strengthening your skin barrier. Instead, opt for moisturising/ hydrating toners like rose water or the Innisfree balancing skin Ex.
Here are more benefits of using a toner in your skincare routine.
Serums and ampoules are crucial in this process too. They’re made with fine molecules which can penetrate the outermost layer of the skin to keep the skin nourished and hydrated.
Likewise, a cream or face lotion that contains hyaluronic acid, ceramides or Centella Asiatica will not only plump the fine lines and keep the skin looking simple, but it will also repair and restore the skin barrier to a healthy state.
Oils like jojoba oil are also great moisturisers but ensure that the oil you use is non-comedogenic, especially if you have oily skin.
2. Choose products with curated skin barrier repair ingredients
Ditch harsh chemicals and instead use products with soothing formulas and those that offer skin plumping and regenerative benefits. Ingredients line Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, Centella Asiatica are well-known ingredients for their skin repairing and antiageing benefits.
Instead of using cleansers that leave the skin squeaky clean (astringents) or harsh scrubs that lead to irritation, try gentle lotion formulas that get the job done without stripping your skin of its natural oils. The microbes on your skin are also important for keeping away harmful bacteria. In light of this, it wouldn’t help if a product scrubs off these microbes.
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3. Eat healthy foods
Diet plays a crucial role in determining the overall health of your skin and its appearance. But even though it quite hard to avoid foods that are bad for the skin completely, it is worth knowing them and making a few changes whenever you can. These foods include fats, sugar and processed foods. Aside from causing acne, they weaken the skin’s elasticity, speeding up the ageing process.
However, by incorporating antiageing and clean foods in your diet, you are able to increase cell turnover, boost collagen levels, hydrate the skin and thus repairing or reducing any damage.
How To Restore Collagen To Your Skin Naturally
4. Protect the skin against UV rays
It cannot be emphasised enough that sunscreen is the secret weapon against photoaging, sun damage and skin cancer. That in mind, always protect your skin with a sunscreen that has SPF 18 and above and one with a PA mark of ++++.
A sunscreen that’s rich in antioxidants is good for the skin because it calms the skin, repairs damage, nourishes the skin all while preventing redness and hyperpigmentation. Check out the review for The Holika Holika Aloe Soothing Essence Sun Gel
To know more, check out the benefits of sunscreen and how to apply it correctly and 5 Ways You Are Making Your Sunscreen Less Effective Without Even Realizing It
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