![Are you secretly sabotaging your skin barrier? Are you secretly sabotaging your skin barrier?](https://cdn.magzter.com/1361898380/1736372480/articles/R_I9c2Jt41737964614061/ARE-YOU-SECRETLY-SABOTAGING-YOUR-SKIN-BARRIER.jpg)
We want our lotions and potions—but the truth is, piling on the products often ends up torturing your face instead of treating it. Here’s how to tell if you’re doing damage—and how to fix it.
What is the skin barrier?
The outermost layer of your face, your skin barrier, is a protective shield that maintains moisture and insulates against irritation and inflammation, explains dermatologist D. Heather D. Rogers. It’s also home to the microbiome—colonies of beneficial bacteria that live on the skin’s surface. Simply put, think of your barrier as your face’s first line of defense, keeping the good stuff in and locking the bad stuff out. But when that delicate layer is damaged? Moisture can easily escape, leading to increased dryness, flaking, dryness, irritation or sensitivity.
Complexion culprits
If your idea of the perfect weekend is holing up in your bathroom and experimenting with the latest drop from your favorite beauty brands, chances are you’re doing too much.
“Your face says ‘no more’—less is more,” says Dr. Rogers. Why? Using a multitude of potent products can inadvertently disrupt your skin barrier, causing more problems down the line (including, yikes, acne). Harsh ingredients like alcohol, strong fragrances and acid solutions that promise skin resurfacing can irritate your face and impair the barrier’s protective function, Dr. Rogers explains.
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Esta historia es de la edición February/March 2025 de Girls' Life magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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