Too much sun. Wind burn. Over-exfoliation. There are many reasons why your skin barrier could be going through it, and if you have acne-prone skin, having a weakened barrier can make you more susceptible to breakouts. On top of that, most skincare products designed to help repair the barrier often contain heavy pore-cloggers—like shea butter.
Here’s a simple routine for strengthening and getting your barrier back on track using products that don’t contain any comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients:
EqualRXN Mushroom B5 Toning Cocktail
If you’re a fan of watery toners you can layer, you’ll be happy to note this is seven skins method-approved. This is packed with ingredients like panthenol, green tea, and mushroom extract to add a layer of soothing, skin-barrier-reinforcing hydration before moving onto your next step. I could see all skin types (from oily to dry) loving this.
Experiment Super Saturated Serum
Because of this serum, I learned about the wonders of glycerin. Thanks to its 30% concentration, this is not only the most hydrating serum I think I’ve ever used, but it also boosts the skin’s barrier. It contains niacinamide as well, and as someone with skin sensitive to it in high concentrations, this didn’t bother me at all. Plus, it makes your skin super plump and healthy-looking.
EqualRXN Cactus Ceramide Fortifying Milk
If you have oily skin, you might want to skip this step. For normal to dry skin, proceed! This skin milk (basically too thick to be a serum but too thin to be a moisturizer) contains ceramides to fortify the skin barrier, as well as ectoin, D-panthenol, and beta-glucan to hydrate.
Stratia Lipid Gold Barrier Lotion
If you have fungal acne, you may want to avoid this as it contains fatty acids. My cystic acne, on the other hand, had no problems! In addition to the fatty acids, this contains ceramides and cholesterol to “mimic and strengthen your natural moisture barrier.” Somehow, it’s also super lightweight, making it the perfect finishing step to this routine.
Tip: I recommend using sunscreen after this routine if done in the morning. Zinc oxide sunscreens agree with my skin more when my barrier function isn’t at its best due to its anti-inflammatory nature!
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