The brand new Soothing & Barrier Support Serum is the saviour your skin barrier has been looking for. Here’s everything you need to know about the cult brand’s latest drop.
Skin barriers have been a hot topic of late, with beauty fanatics, celebrities and social media fiends all determined to bolster the health of their skin.
Suddenly, every second person on TikTok is moonlighting as a dermatologist, with a hot take on the best way to strengthen your barrier – be it dropping acids from your skincare routine, upping your moisturiser, or stripping your steps back to the bare minimum. All of these are great first steps, but favour treatment over prevention.
It’s for that reason, that The Ordinary knew it was due time they released a product specifically targeted to improving the skin barrier – one that was fast-acting, easy to understand, and most of all, effective.
Their answer? A brand new Soothing & Barrier Support Serum which goes hard on skin-boosting science, and works alongside your existing skincare routine.
What is the skin barrier?
“The skin barrier is a term given to multiple elements within the skin, such as natural moisturising factors, lipids, and the skin cells themselves,” says Kaka. “They form a protective layer that works together to help protect against water loss and external stressors.”
Sounds important, and is important, because your skin is not only the largest organ in the body, but also the first line of defence against external threats. In short, a healthy skin barrier doesn’t only mean a healthy complexion, but also a healthy human.
The problem is, as much as we try to protect our skin with our skincare routines, sometimes our best intentions can have the opposite effect. Overdoing it with exfoliants, using harsh cleansers or layering ingredients that should definitely not be layered are a sure-fire way to do some damage to your barrier – which can have immediate and detrimental impacts on your skin’s health and appearance.
What ingredients are in The Ordinary’s Soothing & Barrier Support Serum?
First up, lipids, an umbrella term for fats and oils. Without subjecting you to a science lesson, the lipids in this serum are ceramides, essentially fatty molecules that hold the skin barrier together. Ceramides occur naturally in the skin but our reserves often run low, resulting in dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. Serums and moisturizers containing ceramides help replenish these reserves. Then there’s vitamin B12.
How to Support and Maintain Your Skin Barrier?
You can maintain your skin barrier through a skincare regimen that both respects and supports the key parts of the skin barrier.
To avoid stripping your skin of those essential lipids and NMFs, gentle cleansing is key. When using products that exfoliate or encourage skin renewal, such as direct acids or retinoids, you should gradually add them into your skincare routine to avoid over-exfoliation and damage to the skin barrier. Lastly, to support your skin’s natural components, moisturizing ingredients will help to replenish your barrier, and prevent water-loss.
How to incorporate The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum into your skincare routine ?
As per The Ordinary’s modus operandi, the Soothing & Barrier Support Serum is suitable for all skin types, even those with sensitive skin, thus it’s very easy to incorporate into an existing routine.
“This product is a milky serum, and as such, we would recommend applying it after any serums you are using, but before any suspensions, oils, or creams,” tells Kaka.
“It can be used in the same regimen, whether you are using it for its soothing properties or for its barrier-supporting effects.”
How to Repair and Strengthen Your Skin Barrier Otherwise?
If your skin barrier is damaged, or you’re looking to help strengthen your skin’s first line of defense, try some of these barrier supporting solutions.
To maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, a good routine should always start with a gentle cleanser. The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser is a non-drying, non-stripping cleanser formulated to respect the skin barrier while maintaining hydration.
And since a healthy skin barrier does a great job of protecting your body on its own, it is no surprise that the best ingredients for skin barrier repair will be similar – or identical – to those found in your skin.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 our original hydrating serum that contains a selection of skin-like ingredients – hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 – to smooth and plump the skin while also strengthening the skin barrier.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors + PhytoCeramides our most nourishing moisturizer which includes NMF-like ingredients and plant-derived PhytoCeramides. This rich formula helps reinforce the skin barrier and offers all-day hydration.
Additionally, ingredients that help to support key barrier components can also be a great addition to a skincare routine focused on barrier maintenance.
Niacinamide has been shown to support skin components such as ceramides and fatty acids that are integral to the outermost layer of our skin. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% hydrates the skin, and reinforces the skin barrier in as little as 7 days.
Content Courtesy : Body and Soul, Refinery29, TheOrdinary
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