Your Lipid Barrier

⤞ Lets learn about our LIPID BARRIER⤝

aka: Inter-cellular Cement, Defense Barrier Function, Acid Mantle, the Stratum Corneum layer of the epidermis. 

Simply put, this is the top layer of your skin and it is the FIRST line of defense. It protects your live skin cells that are underneath from the outside environment and is our natural filter/protection from pollutants, toxins, bacteria and UV light.

Not only does it protect you from the outside world, but your lipid barrier also helps prevent water from evaporating from the skin, causing dryness or aging.

If your barrier is compromised you would experience symptoms like  

• Sensitivity & Redness
• Inflammation & irritation
• Flakey or itchy skin
• Dry cheeks with an oily t-zone ⇠
• Instant reaction or reactivity with new products

Long Term Effects of Compromised Barriers

• Dehydration
• Slow and/or deficient lipid production
• Increased risk of sensitivities & infection
• Increased dryness & irritations

So how does our Barrier become compromised?

Causes for a Compromised Barrier

• Over exfoliation ➼ it is easy to get addicted to that SMOOTH feel and exfoliate too often
• Harsh exfoliates (ex - baking soda, apricot scrubs, online peels)
• Rx strength topical products
• Using Ingredients that are too active.
• Extremely hot showers
• No SPF or Antioxidants 

Internal Causes for a Compromised Barrier:

• Compromised immune system including auto-immune disorders and/or sensitizing medications like Accutane, antihistamines, etc.
• Skin disorders like rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.

External Causes for a Compromised Barrier:

• Being outdoors constantly and dealing with the elements:  Windburn, Sunburn, cold weather
• Harsh Chemicals, Detergents, Cleansers and perfumes ➺ ex. drugstore products
• Working conditions
• Abrasive materials on skin
• Excessive hot water

If you feel like you may have a compromised barrier... don't panic, it can be healed! 



Its very simple,

1. Identify what exactly could be causing the damage and then eliminate it from your routine. 
2. The second step is to give the skin the right ingredients so it can have the nutrients needed to repair its self. 

Focus on ingredients that are calming, anti inflammatory, healing and also occlusive to hold in moisture.

Keep regimen simple & Use professional treatments to heal, strengthen and hydrate skin!

When I have a client who has a compromised barrier, after addressing what's causing the damage, I put them on this 3 step skin care regime to use twice a day till the barrier has healed.  You want to keep your regime simple and put a minimal amount of products or stimulants on the face as it is healing.

The first product is a gentle cleanser power packed with antioxidants and soothing ingredients. 

The Green Tea Citrus Cleanser is a foamy, gentle cleansing option for environmentally challenged skin. It works well to remove makeup and protects the skin from cellular damage while improving clarity and tone. Price $26.50

Green Tea Citrus Cleanser Benefits:

• Clarifies and cleans
• Supports skin immune functions
• Provides cellular protection from free radicals
• Provides anti-inflammatory-like benefits
• Maintains healthy cell function

    Active Ingredients:

• Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer– a natural plant-derived surfactant from coconut oil and corn syrup that is gentle to the skin.
• Sodium Coco-Glucoside Tartrate– an ultra-mild surfactant with excellent detoxifying properties.
• Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate– a surfactant derived from coconuts.
• Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) and Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract– inhibit destructive bacteria growth while maintaining healthy bacteria colonies to prevent acne breakouts. They protect from cellular damage and are antioxidant-rich to neutralize free radicals.
• Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract– rich in polyphenols that repair and prevent cellular damage. It is also an antioxidant and is antibacterial to counter skin irritations to offset redness and inflammation.
• Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil– high in Vitamin C and potassium. It provides antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
• Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil– stimulates lymphatic drainage, is an antiseptic, and is antibacterial.
• Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract– soothing and anti-inflammatory.
• Yucca Schidigera Leaf/Root/Stem Extract– an antioxidant and improves cell growth

Remember to pat the face dry and do not pull or tug on the skin.

The second product is a hydrating toner that's like a shot of hydration for the skin. 

The Cucumber Hydration Toner rehydrates the skin while improving cellular functions and absorption of ingredients. The cucumber soothes and cools irritated skin. Price $20

Cucumber Hydration Toner Benefits:

• Reduces discomfort & irritation
• Assists in boosting hydration levels
• Balances surface lipids
• Provides probiotic support to the skin’s acid mantle to support acneic skin

Active Ingredients:

• Deuterium Oxide (Heavy Water)– has a high molecular weight to deliver moisturize into the skin. It helps prevent trans-epidermal water loss and is resistant to free radical transportation. It is also hydrating.
• Sodium PCA– boosts moisture in the skin. This component of the skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF) has a high hydrating power and is nonirritating and non-allergenic. It is a humectant with moisture-binding ability. It is highly water absorbing and non-comedogenic.
• Cucumber Fruit Extract– used to soothe and cool irritated skin.
• Fructooligosaccharides (D-beta)– a naturally occurring carbohydrate derived from cane or beet sugar and promotes growth of healthy probiotic bacteria to strengthen skin immunity. It is a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
• Glycoderm™ (P)– a combination of water, honey, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and hyaluronic acid. It restores the lipid barrier of the epidermis and increases water absorption in the corneocytes by adding natural moisturizing factors. It plumps and moisturizes the skin and improves the skin’s ability to hold moisture.
• Borago Officinalis Seed Oil– has a high concentration of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an Omega 6 essential fatty acid and anti-inflammatory.

My favorite way to use this toner is to mist it directly on the face and decollate. 

Lastly, the finial step is to moisturize with a healing moisturizer. 

 

This moisturizer will balance surface lipids and water with the healing properties of Pricky Pear cactus and the fatty acids in olive oil.  Bisabolol acts as an anti-inflammatory to soothe irritated or sensitized skin. Price $25

Cacteen Balancing Moisturizer Benefits:

• Normalizes Water/Oil Balance
• Soothing and Calming
• Anti-inflammatory
• Fragrance free

Active Ingredients

AquaCacteen® (Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Cactus) Stem Extract) is rich in essential amino acids, antioxidants and water-binding polysaccharides.  It hydrates, smoothes, and protects from environmental stress.

• Olivem® (Cetearyl Olivate, and Sorbitan Olivate) is a combination of fatty acids that is able to both restore and maintain the integrity of the skin barrier.
• Sodium PCA Sodium PCA Sodium (NA) Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid (PCA), component of the skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF) has a very potent hydrating and moisturizing power, nonirritating, non-allergenic, humectant with moisture-binding ability.
• Bisabolol (L-Alpha) acts as an anti-inflammatory, promotes wound healing, reduces sensitivity, alleviates heat while soothing skin irritation.
• Phenyl t-Butylnitrone (Spin Trap) is a highly active oxygen/nitrogen complex, considered an “intelligent” antioxidant, instead of destroying free radicals, it traps them, transforms them into useful oxygen, and then transports them back into the respiratory cycle.
• Phycocyanin is a natural blue pigment derived from Spirulina, a blue-green algae, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

A little goes a long way, be sure to also bring the hydration down to the neck and chest.

KEEP IN MIND:

It can take between 14 hours and up to 2 months for the for the acid mantle to restore itself once damaged. 

Consistency is KEY when it comes to barrier repair and skin care as a whole. Our body is constantly renewing itself, so you MUST give your skin the right nutrients, every day, to produce healthy vibrant skin cells. This is how to really achieve a flawless complexion.

I hope you enjoyed the read and learned something new! Please feel free to comment any questions you may have, I will do my best to answer them for you. 

Have a WONDERFUL day and till next time. ♡

Learn more about Skin Script Products here.