The human body is an amazing thing. We have all kinds of built-in defenses, from our noses that protect us from bacteria to white blood cells that chase down bad guys and destroy them. Your skin, too, has superpowers — including a skin moisture barrier that locks in moisture while shielding against bacteria and pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a big step — leap, even — towards healthier skin<\/a> by understanding what compromises the skin moisture barrier. Recognizing the signs and learning how to repair the damage are essential to maintaining healthy skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead next: Your guide to clinical skincare on a DIY budget<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat damages your skin moisture barrier?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore we get into signs of damage and fixes, let’s talk about what causes the damage in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s no single source of moisture barrier damage. The most common culprits are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nUsing a harsh cleanser that strips your skin<\/li>\n\n\n\nForced air heating and air conditioning<\/li>\n\n\n\nExtremely cold or dry weather<\/li>\n\n\n\nOver-exfoliating<\/li>\n\n\n\nExposure to UVA and UVB rays<\/li>\n\n\n\nUsing too many products with active ingredients (AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C, retinoids, acne treatments, etc.). If you are dabbling in this category, stick with just one product at a time — we love Paula’s Choice.<\/li>\n\n\n\nDehydration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nSigns your moisture barrier is damaged<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <\/g>\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <\/clipPath>\r\n <\/defs><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSince a damaged moisture barrier means loss of moisture, all signs can be linked back to dehydration. Dehydrated skin isn’t a skin type, but a skin condition. The distinction is important, because you can have dry, oily, normal, or combination skin, and still also have dehydrated skin. Dryness is due to a lack of oil, while dehydration is due to a lack of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are some signs to help you diagnose what’s going on with your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Your skin is oily and dry<\/h3>\n\n\n\nIf your skin is oily on the surface, especially not long after you\u2019ve washed your face, but feels dry and flaky underneath, that’s dehydration at work. Your skin is producing excess oil to compensate for the loss of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead next: 3 dry skin myths that could spoil your next vacation<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Your skin is super sensitive<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy Now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSay you’ve been following the same Roc skincare regimen for years without a hint of redness. And suddenly, the breakouts just won’t stop. That’s a skin of damage. Even the most gentle products can irritate dehydrated skin, causing burning, redness, and pimple-like bumps that don\u2019t respond to treatment. Even using water on your face can inflame your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Your skin is congested<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDehydrated skin is often congested, especially with closed comedones or clogged pores. Unlike regular acne, this type of congestion usually persists until you\u2019ve healed your moisture barrier, making acne treatments useless and often more harmful to an already damaged barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Your face feels tight and dry<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou know that feeling when you\u2019ve left your clay mask<\/a> on too long and you smile and it cracks? Sometimes dehydrated skin feels like that all the time, especially after you\u2019ve just washed your face. Even piling on the thickest creams in the world only seems to help temporarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHealing your damaged skin moisture barrier<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your moisture barrier is damaged, don\u2019t panic — it can be fixed, and it\u2019s usually not that hard. Patience is going to be key, but you\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Back to basics<\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo you\u2019ve probably spent years perfecting your skincare routine. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put it on pause for a bit. To give your skin a shot recovery, you must go back to the basics. All you should be using until your barrier is healed is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nA gentle cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or Vanicream\u2019s Gentle Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> which is a great option for oily and acne-prone skin.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA simple yet effective moisturizer such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Av\u00e8ne Skin Recovery Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA gentle broad-spectrum sunscreen (though if your barrier is severely compromised, this could be too much) such as EltaMD UV Clear<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Face Sunscreen<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2. Be gentle<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou may be tempted to throw more products at the problem to speed up the recovery process. But that will be counterproductive. Using gentle products and a gentle touch are crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet aside your physical exfoliation methods, like a washcloth or Clarisonic, for now. They\u2019ll only cause more irritation and take your moisture barrier longer to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Be patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor most people, sticking with a simple and gentle regimen can return your skin to normal in a couple of weeks. In severe cases, it can take several months — especially if you’re fighting through a harsh, cold winter. Be patient and ride it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Add a hydration booster<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSome products can help speed up healing without causing irritation. Look for anti-aging skincare<\/a> serums and lotions with hyaluronic acid. These are hydration-boosting powerhouses. Use them before your moisturizer on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Read next: Your guide to clinical skincare on a DIY budget<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat damages your skin moisture barrier?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore we get into signs of damage and fixes, let’s talk about what causes the damage in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s no single source of moisture barrier damage. The most common culprits are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nUsing a harsh cleanser that strips your skin<\/li>\n\n\n\nForced air heating and air conditioning<\/li>\n\n\n\nExtremely cold or dry weather<\/li>\n\n\n\nOver-exfoliating<\/li>\n\n\n\nExposure to UVA and UVB rays<\/li>\n\n\n\nUsing too many products with active ingredients (AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C, retinoids, acne treatments, etc.). If you are dabbling in this category, stick with just one product at a time — we love Paula’s Choice.<\/li>\n\n\n\nDehydration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nSigns your moisture barrier is damaged<\/h2>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <\/g>\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <\/clipPath>\r\n <\/defs><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSince a damaged moisture barrier means loss of moisture, all signs can be linked back to dehydration. Dehydrated skin isn’t a skin type, but a skin condition. The distinction is important, because you can have dry, oily, normal, or combination skin, and still also have dehydrated skin. Dryness is due to a lack of oil, while dehydration is due to a lack of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are some signs to help you diagnose what’s going on with your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Your skin is oily and dry<\/h3>\n\n\n\nIf your skin is oily on the surface, especially not long after you\u2019ve washed your face, but feels dry and flaky underneath, that’s dehydration at work. Your skin is producing excess oil to compensate for the loss of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead next: 3 dry skin myths that could spoil your next vacation<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Your skin is super sensitive<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy Now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSay you’ve been following the same Roc skincare regimen for years without a hint of redness. And suddenly, the breakouts just won’t stop. That’s a skin of damage. Even the most gentle products can irritate dehydrated skin, causing burning, redness, and pimple-like bumps that don\u2019t respond to treatment. Even using water on your face can inflame your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Your skin is congested<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDehydrated skin is often congested, especially with closed comedones or clogged pores. Unlike regular acne, this type of congestion usually persists until you\u2019ve healed your moisture barrier, making acne treatments useless and often more harmful to an already damaged barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Your face feels tight and dry<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou know that feeling when you\u2019ve left your clay mask<\/a> on too long and you smile and it cracks? Sometimes dehydrated skin feels like that all the time, especially after you\u2019ve just washed your face. Even piling on the thickest creams in the world only seems to help temporarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHealing your damaged skin moisture barrier<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your moisture barrier is damaged, don\u2019t panic — it can be fixed, and it\u2019s usually not that hard. Patience is going to be key, but you\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Back to basics<\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo you\u2019ve probably spent years perfecting your skincare routine. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put it on pause for a bit. To give your skin a shot recovery, you must go back to the basics. All you should be using until your barrier is healed is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nA gentle cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or Vanicream\u2019s Gentle Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> which is a great option for oily and acne-prone skin.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA simple yet effective moisturizer such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Av\u00e8ne Skin Recovery Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA gentle broad-spectrum sunscreen (though if your barrier is severely compromised, this could be too much) such as EltaMD UV Clear<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Face Sunscreen<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2. Be gentle<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou may be tempted to throw more products at the problem to speed up the recovery process. But that will be counterproductive. Using gentle products and a gentle touch are crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet aside your physical exfoliation methods, like a washcloth or Clarisonic, for now. They\u2019ll only cause more irritation and take your moisture barrier longer to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Be patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor most people, sticking with a simple and gentle regimen can return your skin to normal in a couple of weeks. In severe cases, it can take several months — especially if you’re fighting through a harsh, cold winter. Be patient and ride it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Add a hydration booster<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSome products can help speed up healing without causing irritation. Look for anti-aging skincare<\/a> serums and lotions with hyaluronic acid. These are hydration-boosting powerhouses. Use them before your moisturizer on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Before we get into signs of damage and fixes, let’s talk about what causes the damage in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s no single source of moisture barrier damage. The most common culprits are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since a damaged moisture barrier means loss of moisture, all signs can be linked back to dehydration. Dehydrated skin isn’t a skin type, but a skin condition. The distinction is important, because you can have dry, oily, normal, or combination skin, and still also have dehydrated skin. Dryness is due to a lack of oil, while dehydration is due to a lack of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some signs to help you diagnose what’s going on with your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your skin is oily on the surface, especially not long after you\u2019ve washed your face, but feels dry and flaky underneath, that’s dehydration at work. Your skin is producing excess oil to compensate for the loss of moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read next: 3 dry skin myths that could spoil your next vacation<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Your skin is super sensitive<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy Now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSay you’ve been following the same Roc skincare regimen for years without a hint of redness. And suddenly, the breakouts just won’t stop. That’s a skin of damage. Even the most gentle products can irritate dehydrated skin, causing burning, redness, and pimple-like bumps that don\u2019t respond to treatment. Even using water on your face can inflame your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Your skin is congested<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDehydrated skin is often congested, especially with closed comedones or clogged pores. Unlike regular acne, this type of congestion usually persists until you\u2019ve healed your moisture barrier, making acne treatments useless and often more harmful to an already damaged barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Your face feels tight and dry<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou know that feeling when you\u2019ve left your clay mask<\/a> on too long and you smile and it cracks? Sometimes dehydrated skin feels like that all the time, especially after you\u2019ve just washed your face. Even piling on the thickest creams in the world only seems to help temporarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHealing your damaged skin moisture barrier<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your moisture barrier is damaged, don\u2019t panic — it can be fixed, and it\u2019s usually not that hard. Patience is going to be key, but you\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Back to basics<\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo you\u2019ve probably spent years perfecting your skincare routine. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put it on pause for a bit. To give your skin a shot recovery, you must go back to the basics. All you should be using until your barrier is healed is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nA gentle cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or Vanicream\u2019s Gentle Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> which is a great option for oily and acne-prone skin.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA simple yet effective moisturizer such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Av\u00e8ne Skin Recovery Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA gentle broad-spectrum sunscreen (though if your barrier is severely compromised, this could be too much) such as EltaMD UV Clear<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Face Sunscreen<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2. Be gentle<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou may be tempted to throw more products at the problem to speed up the recovery process. But that will be counterproductive. Using gentle products and a gentle touch are crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet aside your physical exfoliation methods, like a washcloth or Clarisonic, for now. They\u2019ll only cause more irritation and take your moisture barrier longer to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Be patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor most people, sticking with a simple and gentle regimen can return your skin to normal in a couple of weeks. In severe cases, it can take several months — especially if you’re fighting through a harsh, cold winter. Be patient and ride it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Add a hydration booster<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSome products can help speed up healing without causing irritation. Look for anti-aging skincare<\/a> serums and lotions with hyaluronic acid. These are hydration-boosting powerhouses. Use them before your moisturizer on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Say you’ve been following the same Roc skincare regimen for years without a hint of redness. And suddenly, the breakouts just won’t stop. That’s a skin of damage. Even the most gentle products can irritate dehydrated skin, causing burning, redness, and pimple-like bumps that don\u2019t respond to treatment. Even using water on your face can inflame your skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dehydrated skin is often congested, especially with closed comedones or clogged pores. Unlike regular acne, this type of congestion usually persists until you\u2019ve healed your moisture barrier, making acne treatments useless and often more harmful to an already damaged barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You know that feeling when you\u2019ve left your clay mask<\/a> on too long and you smile and it cracks? Sometimes dehydrated skin feels like that all the time, especially after you\u2019ve just washed your face. Even piling on the thickest creams in the world only seems to help temporarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHealing your damaged skin moisture barrier<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your moisture barrier is damaged, don\u2019t panic — it can be fixed, and it\u2019s usually not that hard. Patience is going to be key, but you\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Back to basics<\/h3>\n\n\n\nSo you\u2019ve probably spent years perfecting your skincare routine. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put it on pause for a bit. To give your skin a shot recovery, you must go back to the basics. All you should be using until your barrier is healed is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nA gentle cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or Vanicream\u2019s Gentle Cleanser<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> which is a great option for oily and acne-prone skin.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA simple yet effective moisturizer such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, Av\u00e8ne Skin Recovery Cream<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>, or La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\nA gentle broad-spectrum sunscreen (though if your barrier is severely compromised, this could be too much) such as EltaMD UV Clear<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a> or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Face Sunscreen<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2. Be gentle<\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou may be tempted to throw more products at the problem to speed up the recovery process. But that will be counterproductive. Using gentle products and a gentle touch are crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet aside your physical exfoliation methods, like a washcloth or Clarisonic, for now. They\u2019ll only cause more irritation and take your moisture barrier longer to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Be patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor most people, sticking with a simple and gentle regimen can return your skin to normal in a couple of weeks. In severe cases, it can take several months — especially if you’re fighting through a harsh, cold winter. Be patient and ride it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Add a hydration booster<\/h3>\n\n\n\nBuy now on Amazon<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSome products can help speed up healing without causing irritation. Look for anti-aging skincare<\/a> serums and lotions with hyaluronic acid. These are hydration-boosting powerhouses. Use them before your moisturizer on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
If your moisture barrier is damaged, don\u2019t panic — it can be fixed, and it\u2019s usually not that hard. Patience is going to be key, but you\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So you\u2019ve probably spent years perfecting your skincare routine. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put it on pause for a bit. To give your skin a shot recovery, you must go back to the basics. All you should be using until your barrier is healed is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You may be tempted to throw more products at the problem to speed up the recovery process. But that will be counterproductive. Using gentle products and a gentle touch are crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set aside your physical exfoliation methods, like a washcloth or Clarisonic, for now. They\u2019ll only cause more irritation and take your moisture barrier longer to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For most people, sticking with a simple and gentle regimen can return your skin to normal in a couple of weeks. In severe cases, it can take several months — especially if you’re fighting through a harsh, cold winter. Be patient and ride it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some products can help speed up healing without causing irritation. Look for anti-aging skincare<\/a> serums and lotions with hyaluronic acid. These are hydration-boosting powerhouses. Use them before your moisturizer on slightly damp skin to lock in moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Our picks are The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>and Asian beauty hall-of-famer Hada Labo Gokyujyun Premium Lotion<\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n5. Ease back in<\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
When your skin is beautifully hydrated and back to normal, it\u2019s tempting to rush back into your old routine. Don’t be in a hurry to undo all of your hard work. Slowly reintroduce the most important products one at a time. This has the benefit of helping your skin readjust, and tips you off if one of your fav products is the culprit of your skincare woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your skin has superpowers — like moisture barrier that protects against bacteria and pollutants. Is your moisture barrier damaged? Here’s how to find out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":129767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[538],"class_list":["post-129498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beauty-tips-women","tag-make-up"],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":129767,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-fi-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1663738,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129498\/revisions\/1663738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Cerave](\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/skin-moisture-barrier-cerave.jpg\" "\\"\\"")