Do you ever experience discomfort or irritation on your skin, and whatever you put onto your skin causes nothing but pain? Every product you use is either useless or only makes your skin worse. Sometimes, the skincare that you have been using for years starts to cause tingling sensation to your skin. Ugh, it is so frustrating!
One of the reasons why you are experiencing all of these is because there's a high chance you might have damaged your skin barrier! Without a healthy skin barrier, it is difficult for you to get flawless, healthy skin. But don't worry, we are going to help you fix that.
First of all, what is skin barrier?
Do you know that the skin is the largest organ in the body? It is composed of various cells, proteins, ceramides, and lipids. And the most vital component of all is the skin barrier. Actually, a healthy skin barrier is the most cost effective natural skincare product. But, sometimes, we failed to take care of it.
The outermost part of the epidermis is the skin barrier. Now imagine a brick that is stacked together to build a wall. The brick is the skin cell, and the mortar that holds together is the lipid. The lipid contains essential nutrients, like cholesterol, ceramides, and fatty acids. Together, these compounds are the skin’s natural moisturizing factor because they help keep the deeper layers of skin hydrated and nourished.
Why is it so important?
Think of your skin like a fence. A strong and tight fence. It's keeping the outside world out (bacterias, pathogens, viruses) and keeping all the good stuff in (the moisture inside your body). It is what separates your delicate insides from the harsh outside world, making them one of the most important organs in your body.
What happens when your skin barrier is damaged? The permeability of your skin will increase! It is much more serious than it sounds. When the permeability increase, the harmful elements from outside can get in, and, skin moisture will leave the body. That is when your skin starts to get inflammation, redness, and become more sensitive. It is frustrating, right? Not only because of the way it looks but also because it is physically hurt.
What is causing your skin barrier to damage?
1. Using harsh cleansers
When the cleanser is too alkaline or high pH level, it will strip away the moisture barrier and leave the tight after-cleanse feeling. Even when there's an instant feeling of clean from excess sebum, but what's really happening is you giving away your natural moisture.
2. Over-doing your skincare routine
If you think the more skincare you pun on the face the better it is, you're wrong! Over-washing, over-exfoliating, over-hydrating are only going to do more harm than good. Your skin will be more sensitized and more reactive to certain products.
3. Skipping sun protection
The UV rays are the main cause of skin damage. Even with the small percentage of UV radiation, UVB ray is powerful enough to cause damage to the epidermis. Not just that, UVA ray is even more dangerous, because not only do they penetrate the epidermis, but are also able to reach the dermis!
Take care of your skin barrier for a healthy flawless skin.
1. Cleanse your skin with a gentle cleanser
The best cleanser is the one that has low pH, is slightly acidic (around 4.5-6.5 pH) that is mild and gentle to the skin. A gentle cleanser won't leave that squeaky clean feeling and, your skin should never experience that sensation at all. Avoid harsh surfactant like Sodium Lauryl Sulphate that leaves a tight after-cleanse feeling and disrupt your skin barrier.
2. Moisturize your skin daily
Moisturizer is a must. It is the key to hydration and the key to flawless skin. Look for ingredients like Sodium Hyaluronate that helps the skin barrier by drawing water either from the environment or inside your body and binding it to the skin barrier.
3. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen
Make UV rays your enemy!
"Sunscreens do an excellent job protecting against sunburn when used correctly," - chemist Kerry Hanson, University of California.
So choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that have full protection from both UVA and UVB rays to preserve hydration and skin barrier function. Make sure to apply the right amount of sunscreen and reapply every 2-3 hours.
Using the right skincare for a healthier skin barrier!
NIHON Basic Acne Set got everything you need for healthier skin. It consists of low pH NIHON Soothing Face Cleanser that gives the best cleansing feeling without stripping the skin. Next, feed your skin with vitamin A, B, and C with NIHON Triple Action Serum. It does not just treat your skin condition but also gives the intensive hydration that your skin needs.
A skincare routine won't be complete without a moisturizer. Use NIHON Brightening Face Creme to seal the skin moisture and help you deal with acne and acne scar.
You can also get sun protection with NIHON Water Gel UV sunscreen. It is not any ordinary sunscreen you have met before. It is a new generation sunscreen that is gentler and safer to the skin, even for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin.
That's all you need to keep your skin barrier healthy. Remember, a healthy skin barrier is the beginning of flawless skin.
