Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by red, irritated skin? I know I have. As someone with extremely sensitive skin, keeping my complexion in check can be an absolute nightmare. There are times when it becomes so irritated that even my go-to products sting upon application. This, my friends, stems from my unhealthy obsession with exfoliation. There is a fine line between baby smooth skin and overdoing it and unfortunately, I tend to cross it. The official diagnosis for this particular affliction? A damaged moisture barrier.
Not sure what the heck a moisture barrier is, let alone how to prevent damaging it? Fortunately for you, I’ve got the lowdown — and you’ll be psyched to learn that it’s actually pretty easy to keep irritation and dryness in check. Read on to learn all about it and how a relatively unknown ingredient, Green Propolis, can work wonders to make your skin hydrated and healthy.
What is your moisture barrier?
To break it down, we have to talk about the biology of your skin. The skin is made up of several different layers. The outermost layer is called the stratum corneum. This layer is referred to as your moisture barrier. It essentially t protects your skin from bad bacteria, environmental pollutants, water loss, and any other irritants. A healthy one is made up of a combination of lipids like cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides that help the skin remain hydrated and balanced.
Signs your moisture barrier is damaged
This is where an understanding of pH and your skin is necessary. Typically, skin with a healthy moisture barrier would be a pH of 4.2 to 5.6, making it more acidic. This pH is optimal because it protects the skin from bad bacteria that could potentially harm it. The number one sign of a damaged moisture barrier is that your skin’s pH is out of whack. Now we don’t all have the ability to test the pH of our skin. But, there are several symptoms that can clue you in that it needs some TLC. Telltale signs are dryness, flakiness, itching, tightness, redness, and even acne.
If your skin is suddenly feeling drier and more irritable, it could be because your barrier has been damaged. If you’re experiencing irritation that you’ve never had before, it might be a sign that your skin is not in equilibrium. This imbalance can even lead to and worsen skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. So, it’s important to pay attention to your skin and understand when it needs help.
How to repair it?
Repairing your moisture barrier is surprisingly simple — it just takes time and the right mix of products. Remember, the barrier is made up of lipids, cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides. So, in order to restore it, you have to feed it what it craves. Look for products rich in these ingredients and they will slowly, but surely repair your barrier and revitalize your skin back to its healthy state. You should also avoid all forms of exfoliation and harsh cleansing agents like sodium lauryl sulfate (aka SLS). These will further weaken your skin and make it even harder to repair.
The new barrier-boosting ingredient
Consider adding Green Propolis to your routine. This fascinating ingredient is derived from bees in Brazil that collect resin from the young plant tissue of a certain tree shrub, Baccharis dracunculifolia, which has high concentrations of chlorophyll. This super potent ingredient is packed with antioxidants and flavonoids, that protect the skin from environmental stress and instantly soothe for irritation relief. The new Make P:rem Moisture Green Ampoule is chock full of Green Propolis to soothe and revive the skin like no other. This repairing ingredient is also anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, meaning it both calms the skin and fights acne-causing bacteria. This serum is also a gentle, low pH of 5.5, so it doesn’t disrupt your skin’s natural balance. This means you can hydrate, soothe and repair the skin without irritation.
Curious about Green Propolis or your moisture barrier? Share your comments below!
First appeared on blog.glowrecipe.com