Let’s be honest despite it protecting your entire body 24/7, unless a MAJOR breakout situation occurs you probably don’t spend every minute of every day thinking about your skin, OR more importantly what you’re putting on it! This is crazy when you think that your skin barrier, which is made up of the outermost layers of the epidermis (our protection from the outside world), essentially acts as a giant security guard. It controls what comes in, keeps nasties out and protects what’s already inside. So really, you can thank your skin barrier for all of your good skin days (and blame it for any sudden freak-outs!).
Now we know what you’re thinking, what (on earth) does your skin barrier have to do with cosmetics?! Your skin barrier can either be healthy, think hydrated and smooth, or unhealthy, showing dry patches, redness or flaking, textured, or even discoloured. Spoiler alert: if you don’t look after your skin barrier it can create an unhappy skin barrier and skin sensitivity…
Sound familiar?!
All too often, people assume the products they put on their skin aren’t causing their damaged skin barrier and worse still, it doesn’t take very much for it to become compromised.
WHAT CAUSES THE SKIN TO BECOME DISTRESSED?
To keep it short and sweet, when the skin barrier is compromised (most often by astringent ingredients) the skin is left vulnerable and can’t provide the protection it should. Ironically, when the skin barrier is compromised crucially it won’t respond as it should to products it’s exposed to. So, if you’re experiencing a breakdown in your skin’s barrier, the products you apply becomes more crucial than EVER.
You can end up causing damage in some seriously simple ways like overusing harsh ingredients in your skincare or, and even by not wearing SPF!
SO, WHAT'S BEST TO DO?!
It can be tempting when faced with a damaged skin barrier to go in all guns blazing with new products but we’re here to tell you to chill, take a step back and really focus on treating the skin NOT the symptoms.
STEP 1 - OUT WITH THE OLD (& HARSH).
Yes, you read right – it’s time for a BIG clear out *sob*. First in the firing line are your cleansers and base coverage products. Anything that leaves your skin feeling tight goes to cleanser heaven (or to a friend). Next up are exfoliating acids (AHAs) or anything with alcohol high up on the ingredients list – they’re NOT doing you any favours right now. Finally, eliminate anything that contains fragrance and unfortunately, that’s generally LOTS of them. Why? If fragrance was at the Oscars, it might well win the ‘Allergen of the Year’ award. It can be an irritant and cause negative reactions on the skin which is not what we need when trying to soothe and repair. The great news is that every TMF product is fragrance free, so ditch it with confidence, it might be the best thing you ever do!
STEP 2 - IN WITH THE NEW (& NATURAL).
Products to welcome lovingly back into your edited routine need to have the sole purpose of replenishing and strengthening the skin. Skin barrier nourishing ingredients to look out for are antioxidants (like Kakadu Plum Extract), squalene, sucra gel bases and essential vitamins like B3, B5 & A. Helpfully, you’ll find all these and more in our 100% natural products. At TMF we understand the structure of the skin and the essential natural vitamins and minerals needed for tip top skin health. We work WITH your skin to produce epic products that last all day and night. The struggle is over! This means you no longer have to choose between natural ingredients and the results you crave.
STEP 3 - KEEP GOING AND STAY STRONG.
Finally, some bad news. It can take weeks or even months for the skin barrier to fully repair, depending on the length of time it’s been put under strain for BUT don’t lose hope. The benefits of switching to 100% natural ingredients in your cosmetics will outlast any discomfort. You could fundamentally change your skin for life – sounds good right?! So don’t slip back into old habits and simply (try to) trust in the process…
Making sure to use ingredients that don’t strip the skin (taking away both excess and essential oils), protecting the skin with naturally nourishing antioxidants and applying daily SPF will help prevent free radical damage and get you on your way to a happier skin barrier. Remember, less is more, find the right products and keep it simple!
Our products speak for themselves. Hit the link below to find out how at https://wearetmf.com/.
Until next time,
TMF. x