So what exactly is the skin barrier?
The barrier is the outermost layer of skin. "It traps and holds moisture in your skin, but it also blocks out allergens, irritants and pollutants in the environment, preventing them from penetrating skin and causing inflammation," says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a dermatologist in New York and the founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty. "The four main components that make a healthy skin barrier are lipids like ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol; the acid mantle (responsible for skin's pH); the microbiome, composed mostly of bacteria; and the skin's immune cells."
4 Top Surface Disrupters
The skin barrier naturally maintains a symbiosis that keeps your complexion functioning properly (and looking clear and smooth), but these culprits can damage it, causing or exacerbating the issues below.
1 Overwashing
Cleansing skin too aggressively or too often and using cleansers that are overly harsh or drying or have a pH that is too alkaline can disrupt the barrier, Dr. Bowe says.
2 Certain ingredients
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