Maintaining a Healthy Barrier May Be as Easy as Washing Your Face!

The skin barrier serves an important role in protecting us from toxins, bacteria, infection, and other DNA-damaging elements. Today, however, compromised skin barriers are more prevalent than ever before.  The environment, overuse of harsh skincare ingredients, certain medications, autoimmune diseases and aggressive treatments all contribute to a compromised barrier. 

What happens when the barrier becomes compromised? There are a number of challenges that may arise including increased dryness and irritations, susceptibility to bacteria, and accelerated aging.

Take the First Step
Consistency and simplicity will be key at home, and each skin will require a specific, customized home care plan.  However, there is one rather rudimentary step for those with compromised barriers, but it is the most often missed mark and yet the single most important.

Proper cleansing sets the tone for any skin care regimen and is essential for skin health. Skimping on this process can cause build-up in the pores, which means even the most powerful serums, gels and moisturizers will be rendered ineffective.

Most people under-cleanse and over-moisturize, piling ingredients, sun protection and makeup on the skin causing buildup, which results in impurities among other skin issues. The simple act of cleansing can prevent a number of challenges that often result in compromised barriers.

How to Clean Your Way to Healthier Skin
It is important to understand how to cleanse skin and take time to ensure skin is free of surface residue and makeup.  Always apply cleanser with dampened hands to face and neck and work into skin for several minutes.  Remove cleanser with a dampened 4 x 4 gauze or white cloth.  Using white is helpful because it lets you see how clean your skin is. If nothing is on the cloth after several rinses, then you know the skin is clean.

Moisturizing and Healing Ingredients to Look for in a Cleanser
Look for cleansers with the right combination of soothing, hydrating and healing ingredients that thoroughly cleanse without stripping the skin of nutrients and moisture. Be sure to check the ingredient decks for surfactants that will leave the lipid profile intact and don’t contain dyes, synthetic fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfates, parabens or phthalates. 

For a healthy barrier, we suggest cleansers with the following ingredients:

Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate – a gentle surfactant derived from coconut that cleans skin by attracting excess oil and skin debris so it may be rinsed away.  This is used in our Soothing Oil Cleanse.

Organic Grape Seed Oil – a powerful antioxidant with a small molecular structure that penetrates quickly, providing hydration at a deeper level; protects capillary walls, acts as an MMP inhibitor, provides anti-inflammatory support, promotes tissue elasticity and healing, strengthens skin and restores collagen.  Found in our Soothing Oil Cleanse. 

Milk Protein – with a pH close to the skin’s own pH level, it allows skin to more effectively absorb its hydrating properties and naturally soothe with vitamin support.  Derived from Goat Milk and found in the Soothing Cream Cleanse.

Shea Butter – a natural, plant-based fat that moisturizes and protects skin from dehydration.  This refined extract is used in both the Soothing Cream Cleanse and Soothing Gel Cleanse.

Zeolite – a mineral formed from the mixing of volcanic ash with seawater that pulls and absorbs toxins and impurities from the skin and rinses away.  This mineral is found in the Soothing Gel Cleanse.