Everything You Need To Know About Your Skin Barrier And How To Protect It

From high-tech devices borrowed straight from a sci-fi novel to the injectables for every square inch of your face, most of our feeds are filled with the elaborate measures you “need” for your best skin ever. But in all the hubbub over the latest craze to sweep your beauty feeds, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that sometimes the most important factor in making your skin look healthy is, well, actually keeping it healthy. And on that front, one of the most indispensable areas to focus your attention on is your moisture barrier.

The only problem? Most of us… don’t exactly know what that is. So, instead of confusedly nodding your way through yet another skincare term, check out our actually-comprehensible guide to one of your most underrated skincare secrets and how brands like Laneige are simplifying the process to keep it healthy.

What Is Your Skin’s Moisture Barrier?

Technically speaking, the moisture barrier encompasses your epidermis, aka the outermost layer of your skin, and in particular, the very top layer known as the stratum corneum. Made up of a web of skin cells and lipids, it forms a slightly acidic shell—the acid mantle—that serves as a buffer against bacteria, fungi, and environmental contaminants. It also, as the name “moisture barrier” suggests, helps lock moisture into your skin so it stays lush, dewy, and flexible. TL;DR: it keeps the bad stuff out and the good stuff in.

How Can You Tell If Your Moisture Barrier Needs Help?

Determining whether your moisture barrier is getting the job done can be pretty straightforward, since many classic skincare woes are actually signs of a compromised barrier. Think: dryness, redness, and flaking, as well as a rough or dull texture, and itchiness or extreme sensitivity. A damaged skin barrier can also leave the skin more vulnerable to external aggressors such as seasonal changes and bacteria that are prone to disrupt the skin, leading to an increased chance of whiteheads and even eruptions of acne.

How Can You Protect It?

Because it’s right on the surface, your moisture barrier takes the brunt of drying winds, low humidity, and UV rays, all of which can dehydrate your skin’s natural protective layer. Properly hydrated skin is less apt to take on moisture barrier damage, so keeping your hydration levels up is key. The good news? You can easily take a “skinimalism” approach to streamline your routine and protect your skin with the right products.

While drinking water is certainly a good idea, for real complexion-level hydration, look to incorporate hyaluronic acid (HA)—the dermatologist gold-standard—into your skincare routine. Able to hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, HA draws water into the skin to keep it soft, smooth, and supple. Laneige has upped that ante even further with Blue HA, the signature hydrator in their Water Bank collection. Blue HA is a micro-sized HA that absorbs faster and more effectively for better hydration. Its hydrating power is amplified by a unique double fermentation process using Fucoidan, a deep sea algae-derived moisturizing agent. It then goes through a 10-step microfiltration refining process, and the result is exceptionally long lasting hydration.

For peak dewiness, their Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer doubles down by also incorporating ceramide, squalane, and glycerin to amplify the lipids in your skin’s moisture barrier that lock in hydration, keeping it where it belongs for up to 100 hours, according to a four-week clinical study on 36 women aged between 20 and 39. It also applies featherlight and provides a comfortable finish so it’s perfect for all genders and skin types. When made a regular part of your routine, the added moisture will not only give your skin what it needs to help protect a compromised barrier, but it will also help support a healthy complexion in the future.

Looking for a lighter, more refreshing texture? While cream moisturizer is ideal for normal to dry skin types, if you fall into the combination to oily skin type bucket, we’d recommend the Water Bank Gel Moisturizer. It’s a lightweight gel with small cream beads that melt upon contact for lasting hydration.

Of course, environmental damage isn’t the only culprit when it comes to harming your moisture barrier. Harsh cleansers, gritty scrubs, and excessive chemical exfoliation can all chip away at your skin’s first line of defense, leaving it exposed. Cutting out cleansers that leave your skin feeling “squeaky clean”, eliminating scrubs with gritty particles, and taming the urge to aggressively exfoliate every few days will help maintain a healthy moisture barrier, and, in turn make your skin look and feel better.

Instead of extreme exfoliating measures, deal with dullness by swapping in skin-sloughers that are more coddling. Try the Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Exfoliating Toner, which contains polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) that tend to be gentler on skin and less prone to causing irritation, even for sensitive skin types. Follow with a moisturizing serum like the Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Serum to infuse the freshly exfoliated skin with hydration, and lock that moisture down with a final layer of moisturizer for maximum juicy glow.

See? Keeping your skin moisture barrier healthy isn’t that hard. You just need the right formulas on your team.