When my skin barrier was damaged, I don’t have a reference that what product I should be using on my skin. I was really desperate and helpless at that time because I wanted to heal my skin so bad. But I was so afraid to try new products on my face because my skin was very weak and sensitive.
The information regarding the issue was very limited at that time. Nowadays, it’s much better compared to a couple of years ago.
Therefore, I decided to put the skincare brands that are friendly to your skin barrier in this post. These brands use the necessary ingredients for your skin and avoid harmful chemical ingredients.
A healthy skin barrier will defense your skin from external aggressors such as dust, fine particles, and pollutants. Apart from that, it will also retain moisture in your skin and prevent dehydration, in other words, your skin is well balanced and healthy.
Early Signs of A Damaged Skin Barrier
First of all, let’s have a check on your skin barrier.
Early signs of a damaged skin barrier including:
- Dehydrated skin
- Tightness
- Peeling
- Flakiness
- Easily irritated
- Rough skin texture
- Redness
- Inflammation
If your skin shows symptoms as above, your skin barrier is most likely damaged. Most of the time, our skin will show one or two symptoms on the early stage. If we don’t treat our skin right and strengthen them, our skin barrier will soon be damaged. Your skin is always trying to communicate with you. But most of the time we neglected the early signs, and when the issue becomes serious, it usually takes a long time to heal.
Why Your Skin Barrier is Damaged?
There are many reasons that can damage your skin barrier. First of all, your skincare products might be too harsh for your skin. Many skincare products especially face cleanser are too alkaline to our skin. Our moisture barrier functions best at its naturally acidic pH.
Other than that, intensive skincare treatment such as laser treatment might bring irreversible consequences to your skin. Laser treatment sounds like a perfect and quick solution to your acne scars. But the truth is it takes a long time to recover and expensive. Make sure you consult dermatologists (as many as you can) and understand the procedure completely before you proceed with the treatment.
Our skin changes as we age. Wrinkles, dryness, age spots slowly show on our skin. Our skins are prone to dryness and wrinkles because lacking ceramides and collagen. In addition, our barrier function also weakening. Anti-aging skincare products are usually rich in texture and greasy to give a layer of protection to our aging skin.
Related Article: How I Heal My Skin Barrier
Go Back to Basic
If your skin barrier is damaged or weakening, the number 1 rule to remember is to minimize your skincare products. Even if you try to apply a thousand layers of nutrients to your skin, your skin won’t be able to absorb it well because of your impaired skin barrier. Therefore, just keep things simple for now.
These are the brands that I’ve looked into and think they are really great for an impaired skin barrier. Most of the brands use natural and simple ingredients to keep you glowing and healthy.
I will also provide the products that I think it’s worth to check out for the brand. Some of the products I’ve tried, but some I haven’t. I will try out those products soon. You can always check back my skincare product page to see what’s my current favorite products. I will update the page to keep you updated.
In this post, I’m just making a list trying to provide a reference to people that suffered from an impaired skin barrier. You don’t have to use all of the products. Just give your skin what it needs.
Krave Beauty
Krave Beauty is founded by Liah Yoo, a beauty influencer that believes less is more when it comes to skincare. The brand believes that the basic skincare routine is much better than the conventional skincare routine. All the skincare products are designed to work with the skin, not to against skin’s natural functionality.
Their products are packed with natural antioxidants and nutrients to keep your skin at its best. Apart from that, their products are non-irritating, non-sensitizing and fragrance-free which are essential for your impaired skin barrier.
Our Pick: Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser
(Buy Now)
(Buy Now)This matcha cleanser is designed for people that want to clean their skin without stripping off natural moisture of the skin. Matcha is a natural antioxidant that clears and even out your complexion. Besides, hemp seed oil which consists of amino acids and linoleic acid gives your skin a boost of hydration. This cleanser uses a group of mild and gentle cleaning agents which are Coco-betaine, Coco-glucoside and Decyl Glucoside. These ingredients are more gentle to our skin compared to SLS. Lastly, it also packed with skin barrier strengthening ingredients. For example, Panthenol (vitamin B5) and sodium PCA.
Mamonde
Mamonde is a South Korea beauty brand launched by Amore Pacific in 1991. Amore Pacific is one of the biggest cosmetics companies in Korea that owns Laneige, Iope, Etude House, and Innisfree. Mamonde products are floral-inspired; their products use floral from roots to stems to solve your skin problems.
Our Pick: Mamonde Rose Water Toner(Buy Now)
Mamonde Rose Water Toner has always been one of the best sellers for the brand. This refreshing toner contains 90.97% rose water that instantly and intensely hydrates your skin. Damask roses which are the main ingredient have a cooling sensation with a light scent that soothes your skin from discomfort and sensitivity. It is formulated without animal ingredients, mineral oil, polyacrylamide, imidazolidinyl urea, triethanolamine, silicone oil, synthetic pigment and safe for all skin types.
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SkinMedica
SkinMedica has done research over two decades to formulate skin care products to combat your skin’s problems. They do not believe in quick fixes but the long-term health of your skin. SkinMedica uses science and clinical data when it comes to developing a skin care product. Their products are designed to work together with your natural skin healing properties to banish your skin problems.
Our Pick: Rejuvenative Toner
SkinMedica combines green tea, willow bark, witch hazel and chamomile in this AHA toner. This toner gently exfoliates your skin to improves your skin texture. Apart from that, green tea extract slows down free radical production and keep your skin bright and youthful while witch hazel works as a mild astringent that refines your skin and keep your skin soft.
Sioris
Sioris is a Korean beauty brand that takes clean cosmetics seriously. The creators of Sioris care about their consumers and the environment. Hence, their products are safe for the skin and environmentally friendly. The quality of the products is top-notch despite the price. Not only that Sioris uses the freshest and best ingredients but they also do not include parabens, petrochemicals, artificial fragrance or additives in the products.
Our Pick: Sioris Time is Running Out Mist(Buy Now)
This innovative 3-in-1 toner can be used as a toner, a mist or a serum. Due to seasonality, Sioris uses different types of extract in different seasons. You’ll get 78% prune mume fruit water in the spring production. On the other hand, 78% Citrus Junos Fruit Water in Autumn production. In addition, this toner also packed with macadamia oil, jojoba oil, and sunflower oil that keep your skin moisturized all day long. Keep in mind that try to use the product within 6 months of opening for the best result.
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Youth To The People
We are all familiar with the term “superfood” in the diet. So what about putting the concept into skincare products? Boost your skin’s health with effective and clean skincare products.
Youth to the people is a skincare brand that creates its own superfood skincare products. Founders of the brand, Greg Gonzalez and Joe Cloyes spent their early years learning about skincare ingredients, skin types, and business. They want to create a skincare brand that is safe yet beneficial for the skin.
The brand is against animal testing and does not use harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and dimethicone. They focus on creating a product with the best ingredients to deliver real results.
Our Pick: Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream (Buy Now)
Just like the title, this moisture cream has a light-weight and air-whip gel texture that absorb your skin instantly. It is infused with spinach, kale, green tea, hyaluronic acid, and numerous vitamins to boost hydration and restore your skin.
This moisturizer is suitable for all skin types, but best for combo or oily skin types. In addition, you can use this as a makeup primer or mix it with your foundation to keep your skin moisturized all day.
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Ren Clean Skincare
Just like its name, Ren believes the importance of clean; Its mission is to create a skincare brand that doesn’t harm the skin and the planet. Ren chooses bio-actives that beneficial to the skin without harsh and toxic chemicals to the skin. All the packagings are 100% recyclable and refillable solutions to reduce waste. They also put it into action, they partner with Surfrider to clean up oceans and beaches worldwide.
Our Pick: Evercalm™ Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask(Buy Now)
Ren designed Evercalm series dedicated to those who suffered from sensitized skin. This multi-award-winning series is formulated to strengthen and restore your skin barrier’s function.
This moisturizing mask not only moisturizes your skin but also strengthens your skin barrier. Both white mushroom extract and arnica extract have strong anti-inflammatory properties that defense your skin. Besides, beta-glucan from yeast helps your skin to speed up the regeneration process. The result? A soft and nourished happy skin!
Innisfree
Innisfree pledged to promote skin’s health through natural ingredients. They offer skincare solutions by using the finest natural ingredients from Jeju Island without harmful chemicals and preservatives. Additionally, their products are reasonably priced.
They promote a simple 5 steps skincare routine that is essential for your skin. From cleansing, replenish, treat, moisturize and lastly, protect, your skin is preserved and protected with just only 5 steps skincare routine.
Our Pick: Youth-Enriched Cream With Orchid(Buy Now)
Innisfree team discovered that Jeju Orchid bloom in the cold climate in Jeju shows that it has powerful antioxidant properties. It slows down the aging process and quenches skin with hydration and nourishment.
This cream comes in three different textures, gel-cream, cream, and rich cream. You can choose accordingly depending on your skin type. Apply this on your entire face after serum and feel the firmness and youthfulness of your skin the next day.
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First Aid Beauty
Lili Gordon, the founder of First Aid Beauty struggled to find skincare products that are effective and suitable for her sensitive skin. She decided to create her own skincare line that helps people to get a glowing and healthy skin. First Aid Beauty offered a variety of products in order to let their consumers find the perfect products for their own skin. They also filtered out 1300 ingredients to exclude from their products including artificial colorants, parabens, ethanol, and mineral oil.
Our Pick: Ultra Repair Barriair Cream(Buy Now)
This is a new product from First Aid Beauty that helps strengthen the skin barrier. The key ingredients such as ceramides and linoleic acid are lipids that naturally occur in our skin. These two ingredients play an important role to maintain and strengthen your skin barrier. In addition, it also contains hyaluronic acid that will draw moisture into your skin to keep it hydrated.
Aesop
Aesop, an Australian brand was established in 1987 and now more than 200 outlets over the world. The brand pays great attention to the details and only uses safe ingredients with a proven record. Their chemical scientists perform extensive research to create the perfect formulation of the product. All the ingredients are sourced strictly from reputable suppliers across the globe to make sure they deliver the best quality products to their clients.
Our Pick: Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Facial Treatment(Buy Now)
Don’t let this tiny bottle fool you. Despite its size, it is packed with nine antioxidants that are extremely nourishing to the skin. Antioxidants decrease free radical production and maintain your skin’s youthfulness. The main ingredients such as parsley seed, blackcurrant seed, and evening primrose oil slow down aging signs and brighten up polluted skin.
Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant is founded by Tiffany Masterson because she wanted a clean break from toxins in skincare products. She has a list of ingredients that she called it ‘suspicious 6’ which are the 6 ingredients that she banned using them on her face. These ingredients including essential oil, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS. Hence, her brand does not use these 6 ingredients in all products.
Our Pick: C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream(Buy Now)
Say bye-bye to tired-looking eyes with this multivitamin eye cream. This baby is a combination of eight peptides, five forms of vitamin C and cucumber extract. Peptides keep your eye area firm meanwhile vitamin C brightens your eye area.
It quickly absorbs into your skin even though the texture is rich and creamy. It also contains ceramides and plant oil in perfect proportion, so your eyes look rejuvenated and firm all the time.
Jurlique
Julique believes in the healing power of nature. Dr. Jurgen Klein wants to create a natural skincare line with herbal medicine that reconnects people to nature. That explains why all of their products packed with botanical ingredients.
All the ingredients are harvested in their most powerful state and put together with their unique formulations. Jurlique believes nature is the answer to archive radiant and glowing skin.
Dr. Jurgen Klein and his wife Ulrike Klein started with a farm to grow their own ingredients and now Jurlique products are sold in more than 19 countries in the world.
Our Pick: Rose Moisture Plus Moisturizing Lotion(Buy Now)
As the final step of a skincare routine, moisturizer is one crucial step of good skincare without a doubt.
Rose is one of the best ingredients for sensitized skin as it is deeply hydrating and also soothing at the same time. Besides, it also contains rosehip oil and turmeric root extract that replenish your skin’s moisture and protect your skin from external aggressors.
You will love to use this lightweight lotion if you have oily or combination skin. This lotion absorbs into your skin without feeling greasy while locks all the moisture into your skin.
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I’m From
I’m From is a Korean Beauty brand that known of its philosophy of transparency. The brand gave 3 promises to their customers which including ingredient transparency, honest materials and no harmful additives. All of their products are labeled with these three marks.
Our Pick: I’m From Mugwort Mask(Buy Now)
This wash-off mask pack is designed to calm and soothes your skin. The main ingredient, mugwort is an antioxidant that is full of vitamins and minerals that restore your skin’s health. It has a gel-like texture with cooling and detoxifying properties make it excellent for troubled skin. Mugworts are called ‘tea tree’ in Korea because they have similar skincare effect with tea tree. You can apply a thick layer on your acne or inflammation area to speed up the healing process.
African Botanics
African Botanics is an eco-luxury skincare brand that puts the most concentrated active plant extracts and superior with unique formulations. Their goal is to create a skincare brand that is high quality and effective yet still safe for their clients.
Due to the highly active and extremely concentrated ingredients, African Botanic do in-depth research and analysis to ensure quality.
Our Pick: African Botanics Pure Marula Oil(Buy Now)
Fell in love with this silky oil serum that is deeply moisturizing and repairing to your skin. Rich in Vitamin E, this pure marula oil is like the miracle solution to your dull and tired skin. It has strong antioxidant properties that protect your skin against free radical damage.
This ultralight-weight oil penetrates into your skin while delivering nutrients to your skin. It also extremely stable even under high temperatures, so you can use this oil in numerous ways. For example, as a moisturizer or mix it with your makeup.
In addition, it creates a natural lipid barrier that defends your skin from dryness and pollution during the day.
Maria Akerberg
Maria Akerberg wants to ensure their clients get real and long-term effects on skin and hair. Their specialists only create the best and most effective products. All the products are created to penetrate deep into the skin and give your skin all the nutrients it needs.
In order to provide a long-lasting result, Maria Akerberg uses organic and plant-based ingredients and a layering skincare routine. They believe each product is essential to maintaining a good, healthy skin as skin consists of three layers. Each layer has different needs and can be affected differently by different ingredients.
Our pick: Face Dream(Buy Now)
Face dream is a face cream that consists of natural ingredients such as lavender, geranium, and calendula. All these ingredients have strong anti-inflammatory and healing properties. With that being said, this face cream soothes and calms your skin and protects your skin against external factors.
Bear in mind that this cream has a thick and greasy consistency and is suitable for very dry and sensitive skin.
M Picaut
M Picaut is a skincare brand from Sweden. All of their products are made in Sweden and formulated without harmful ingredients like mineral oils, sulphates, and parabens.
Founder, Mette Picaut believes nature offers almost what we need. Therefore, all the ingredients are chosen from clean crops. There’s no reason to use synthetic ingredients to keep our skin moisturized when cocoa butter does the job.
M Picaut has won Best Scandinavian Skincare & Editor´s Choice 2018 at Beauty Shortlist Award 2018.
Our Pick: Nourishing Cleanser
This mild makeup remover is free from soap, sulphates and synthetic tensides make it a great product for your damaged skin barrier. It removes your makeup effectively without causing any irritation. The main ingredients sunflower seed oil is a gentle oil that rich in Vitamins B1 and B2 provides a moisturizing and healing effect. In addition, this product has 5.5 pH value and 100% vegan.
