Some roses, salt, and other curios on a stone countertop or table.

Did you know your skin is working hard for you twenty-four hours a day? The uppermost layer of your skin, the skin barrier, serves an essential role in protecting you from DNA-damaging elements such as toxins, bacteria, and infection. As a result of pollution, the overuse of harsh skincare products, and even some medications and health issues, it’s increasingly common to see weakened skin barrier function in clients of all ages.

A diagram of a healthy skin barrier.

Building up the outer moisture barrier of your skin will not only give your external security guard some much-needed support, it will also improve the appearance of your skin. A healthy skin barrier retains the right balance of water and sebum, is resilient and supple, and appears radiant rather than dull and dry. With the right combination of skincare products containing effective active ingredients, you’ll be able to provide your skin with what it needs to defend, rebuild, and rejuvenate itself. We’ll be discussing what ingredients are necessary for the ultimate skin barrier repair.

To dive deeper into how barrier damage occurs, along with steps to take to repair and maintain healthy barrier function, read our blog on Perfecting Your Skin Barrier.

TOP TEN INGREDIENTS FOR SKIN BARRIER REPAIR

Your natural skin barrier is made up of three main components: ceramides, lipids, and cholesterol. The key to healing a compromised barrier is to rebuild these structures, followed by strengthening, nourishing, and maintaining your barrier. You’ll need to replace vital ingredients in the skin barrier, provide soothing ingredients to calm inflammation, and add ingredients to pull in and maintain moisture in the skin.

Let’s review the top ingredients needed to repair and maintain a healthy skin barrier:

  1. Ceramides: These are fats or lipids in our skin cells that make up 30-40% of our epidermis. They are vital in maintaining proper moisture levels for barrier protection and avoiding dehydration and irritation in the skin.
  2. Plant Oils: Plant oils benefit the skin by adding a protective barrier and have higher bioavailability to add essential nutrients back into the skin. Jojoba oil, in particular, is most similar in structure to our skin’s own sebum. 
  3. Squalane: The use of topical squalane helps reduce natural moisture loss, keeping the skin hydrated and supple, and also provides anti-inflammatory benefits for a healthy barrier.
  4. Niacinamide: This is a natural form of vitamin B3 that helps nourish and protect the skin by maintaining proper moisture levels and builds up proteins in the skin to protect against environmental damage.
  5. Colloidal Oatmeal: This soothing ingredient not only has significant anti-inflammatory properties, it also binds to the skin to lock in moisture allowing it to rehydrate. 
  6. Botanicals: A botanical extract is made from a plant’s roots, flowers, bark, or leaves. Because of a plant’s natural ability to protect itself from UV light, these extracts provide superior antioxidant protection with anti-inflammatory benefits to allow the skin to heal, repair, and defend itself.
  7. Humectants: Humectants, such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and panthenol, are known for drawing in and retaining moisture in the skin. They keep your barrier supple, healthy, and ready to defend.
  8. Stem Cells: Specifically look for cytokines or growth factors that deliver specific messages to target cells to stimulate the growth of skin cells, or more specifically, fibroblasts, which produce collagen and elastin. 
  9. Peptides: The human body uses peptides as building blocks for proteins in the skin. Certain peptides work as messengers to tell your skin cells to start creating new collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid to rebuild structure in the skin.
  10. Probiotics: Probiotics promote a healthy microbiome and can boost the production of ceramides and lipids in the skin.

PRODUCTS FOR A HEALTHY SKIN BARRIER

Top Products to Repair and Rebuild
(Ingredients with natural barrier ingredients: ceramides, lipids, and cholesterol, plus stem cells to rebuild)

  • Dr. esthé Moisture Cleansing Gel – this unique cleanser contains all three barrier essential ingredients for the ultimate repair support
  • AnteAGE Stem Biogel Occlusive – this reparative gel is perfect for healing and restoring very raw, sensitized skin
  • AnteAGE Moisturizer – formulated for normal to dry skin types, this lipid cream nourishes, hydrates, and repairs the natural moisture barrier
  • NeoGenesis Barrier Renewal Cream – formulated for all skin types, even oily, this lightweight, deeply hydrating restorative cream is the ultimate support for barrier repair
  • NeoGenesis Recovery Serum – this breakthrough serum utilizes stem cell cytokines to reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing process in compromised skin

Top Products to Strengthen
(Plant oils such as squalane, jojoba, sea buckthorn, rosehip, and grapeseed, along with antioxidant-rich products)

  • Hale & Hush Remedy Rehab Oil – a beautiful blend of seed oils with a luxurious feel that absorbs quickly into the skin to replenish the skin with a combination of antioxidants and fatty acids.
  • ORGAID Facial Oil – this lightweight, revitalizing facial oil uses a base of amaranth squalene to provide vital antioxidant support with superior hydration
  • Rhonda Allison Vita E Therapy – a silky, lightweight vitamin E-based serum that provides antioxidant support with potent healing benefits
  • Rhonda Allison C-Stem Cell – a lightweight gel formulated with plant stem cells and vitamin C to boost skin immunity and support collagen synthesis
  • Rhonda Allison Sensitive Skin Complex – a soothing serum using plant oils and extracts to protect skin from environmental damage while reducing inflammation
  • Hale & Hush Vital Lipid Lotion – a deeply nourishing moisturizer filled with ceramides and plant oils designed to feed and heal damaged or sensitized skin

Top Products to Nourish and Maintain
(Humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sodium pca, and panthenol, along with pre/probiotics)


Finding the right combination of skincare products to repair your compromised skin barrier can feel overwhelming. If you’re looking for guidance on what may be best for you and the health of your skin, reach out to us on live chat or consider one of our customized Skincare Coaching Programs. One of our licensed estheticians will tailor the right skincare routine for your unique skin concerns into a simple, easy-to-follow routine that will guide you toward your healthy skin goals.


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Have questions? Reach out to our team of seasoned estheticians via live chat or sign up for one of our Skincare Coaching Programs to discuss your specific needs. We’ll be here every step of the way!

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