These days, we hear from reputable dermatologists to trending influencers alike about repairing the barrier. This is quite an about-face from the early 90s when we were stripping every drop of oil from our skin to achieve that elusive matte finish. While beauty trends are often arbitrary and constantly changing, in recent years, I’ve noticed an overall trend towards prioritizing skin health and a glow-from-within mindset. Our lifestyle choices are written all over our skin, and when we align ourselves with prioritizing true health, our skin shows it, because when we care for our skin, we are caring for our whole body.

In this entry, we explore the anatomy of the skin from an esthetician and skincare formulator’s perspective. You’ll learn about Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs) and the Multi-Lamellar Lipid Bilayer system, which are, in my experience, the key to understanding how to care for your barrier.

We’ll define the functions of a healthy barrier system and some of the ways the Barrier becomes disordered through Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) and ways to combat it through skin-type specific treatments and topicals.

Corneocytes of the Stratum Corneum, together with the Lipid Bilayer, create the selectively permeable barrier we know as the Skin Barrier, also called the Lipid Barrier, Moisture Barrier, Skin Microbiome, or Acid Mantle. This Barrier Defence System protects the skin from harm, including abrasions, light, heat, and pathogens. Because the lipids are made from fats and oils, water is easily kept from leaving or entering the body. The corneocytes eventually shed as new keratinocyte cells replace them.

Learn more about protecting your Barrier in this 4000 word post from the science behind some of my formulas and some key ingredient spotlights to support your individual skin type