If you are familiar with the beauty world, you probably have heard the term “skin barrier" everywhere. So what exactly is skin barrier?
Your skin is made up of layers, each of which performs important functions in protecting your body.
The outermost layer, called the stratum corneum, consists of tough skin cells called corneocytes that are bound together by mortar-like lipids. This is your skin barrier. The lipid contains cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides.
The skin barrier is essential to your health. It protects your body from various harmful environmental toxins and pathogens, and keep the water inside your body from evaporating.
As important as it is, your skin barrier should be a priority when doing skincare. Here are the essential steps for a healthy skin barriers.
1. Simplify your skincare routine
If you’re following a complicated daily skincare routine involving a basketful of products, you may be weakening your skin barrier. Your skin could be overwhelmed and more susceptible to irritation. According to dermatologists, your skin needs only 3 things to be healthy: cleanser, SPF, and moisturizer.
With that in mind, we created an all-in-one skincare routine that suits all skin types, even the most sensitive ones:
- Okame Super Fruit Cleansing Balm: gently removes dirt, makeup, and SPF from deep in your pores, plus hydrating and soothing effect.
- Okame 1% Bakuchiol Super Cream: controls excess oil to clear acne, stimulates cell turnover, and moisturizes.
- Okame UV Shield Brightening Sunscreen: powerful protection of UVA/UVB, plus hydrating and brightening effect.
Your skin’s delicate acid mantle varies around a pH of 4.7. But the pH of some skin products can range from 3.7 to 8.2.
Researchers recommend cleansing with a product that has a pH between 4.0 and 5.0.
Keeping your skin’s pH at a healthy level cN help protect you from skin conditions like dermatitis, ichthyosis, acne, ...
3. Use moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin
There are two types of moisturizers: occlusive and humectant.
An occlusive moisturizer aids the skin barrier by reducing the amount of water loss from your skin. These products leave a thin film on your skin that helps prevent moisture loss.
One of the most frequently recommended occlusive moisturizers is petrolatum, which experts say can block as much as 99% of water loss from your skin.
Another type of mosturizer is humectants, it works by drawing water - either from the environment or from inside your body - and binding it into the skin barrier. Dermatologists recommend humectant products that contain hyaluronic acid, glycerin, honey, and urea.
Our Bakuchiol Super Cream is formulated with Squalane oil and Glycerin, providing you with the best skin moisturization.
4. Try a plant oil to replenish your skin barrier
Research from 2018Trusted Source suggests that certain plant oils may help repair the skin barrier and also prevent your skin barrier from losing moisture. Many of these oils have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects, too.
Okame Super Fruit Cleansing Balm is made from natural Sea Buckthorn oil that rich in various vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. It’s naturally full of antioxidants, which help protect your skin against aging.
5. Wear sunscreen
One of the easiest ways to protect your skin’s barrier is by wearing a daily SPF - but just like the rest of your skincare, it should contain antioxidants so that as well as defending your skin against the sun’s damaging rays, it also adds protection from other environmental stressors.
Okame UV Shield sunscreen is formulated with Centella extract - one of the most common antioxidants. Therefore, apart from strong preotection effect, it helps soothe and heal the skin.
Start taking care of your skin barrier today!