Last Updated: January 27, 2025

Unhappy skin is hard to overlook. Dryness, tightness, increased sensitivity, constant breakouts, too much oil—the symptoms may vary, but they all share the same root issue. Yep, we’re talking about a compromised skin barrier, and it’s kind of a big deal. But what exactly is the skin barrier? What does it do? How is it damaged? And, most importantly, how can you repair it for a happier, healthier complexion? First, let us just say that we’re so glad you’re asking these questions. And second, you’re in the right place. Consider this your ultimate guide to understanding and supporting the skin barrier. Let’s dive in.

What Is The Skin Barrier, And How Does It Work?

As the largest and most exposed organ in the body, the skin needs serious protection. There are three layers to the skin—the epidermis on top, the dermis in the middle and the hypodermis on the bottom—and each serves a different purpose. On the very outer layer of epidermis, in the stratum corneum, is where you’ll find the skin barrier, which you can think of as your skin’s first line of defense against environmental irritants and stressors. There’s a famous brick wall analogy that illustrates the layers of the skin barrier. The bricks are your skin cells—i.e.corneocytes—and the mortar that holds the bricks together is composed of lipids—i.e. ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol. Together, they make up a thin but resilient wall that primarily serves to protect against toxins and pathogens and, you know, generally help keep you alive.

But your skin barrier does more than just keep the baddies out. It also keeps water and oils in, ensuring that our skin stays soft and flexible and our body as a whole maintains adequate hydration levels. 

What Damages the Skin Barrier?

Keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff out is a tricky feat to accomplish when you consider what your skin faces day in and day out. Every darn day, it defends against allergens, irritants, pollutants, UV rays, fluctuating temperatures and humidity, and that’s before you subject it to overwashing, over-exfoliating, and the barrage of treatments and products that promise to tighten or tone or rejuvenate. By themselves, each of these can weaken the skin barrier’s natural defenses, but usually, it’s a group attack. And it’s relentless!

It gets worse. It’s not just these external factors that can wreak havoc. Your skin barrier is equally affected by what’s happening on the inside, too. Stress, anxiety, medications, inflammation, infection, dehydration, nutrition, genetic factors, and of course, your gut microbiome, can all affect your skin barrier—for better or for worse.

Here’s the thing—your skin barrier can only do its oh-so-important job when it’s healthy. A healthy barrier is evident in skin that’s mostly smooth, with minimal flaking, tightness, itchiness or sensitivity. Balanced skin is calm skin, and calm skin is healthy skin. But too many of us inadvertently do things that are actually harmful to the skin barrier, and it’s largely because we simply aren’t well informed. The biggest culprits? Harsh cleansers and exfoliants that strip natural oils from the skin, along with active ingredients in products that shouldn’t be combined.

A Word About The Skin’s Acid Mantle

While the skin layer is a kind of physical brick wall, it has a chemical component known as the acid mantle. This slightly acidic layer is composed of water, sebum and sweat (trust us, it’s a good thing) and maintains a low pH level—around 4.5 to 5.5—to function as a buffer of sorts against invading bacteria, fungi and viruses. And it’s absolutely essential. Without it, the skin barrier can’t function as it should. When the skin’s pH is out of balance, it creates a crack in the wall, creating an opportunity for harmful bacteria to sneak in, disrupt the skin’s microbiome and generally freak out your skin. That’s why it’s so important to use products (like Shimmer Chef, but we’ll get to that below) that work with the skin, nourishing and supporting its microbiome, acid mantle and barrier. 

Signs That Your Skin Barrier Has Been Compromised

The biggest sign that your skin barrier is weakening is moisture loss (i.e. transepidermal water loss, or TEWL)—and that’s something we tend to overlook time and time again. But it creates a nasty cycle of dehydration that further damages the skin barrier, opening the door to more visible signs of distress. Think skin that feels tight and dry, noticeable flaking and scaly spots, roughness, discoloration, redness, sensitivity, never-ending breakouts, even infections. When the skin barrier is compromised for too long, it can lead to long-term skin issues, like uneven tone and texture.

Here’s the good news—knowing that your skin barrier is compromised is half the battle because it means you can leap into action sooner rather than later. But really, the best approach is usually far more simple than you’d think.

How to Repair And Protect Your Skin Barrier

Repairing your skin barrier doesn’t have to be complex. A less-is-more approach tends to work wonders.

• Start by simplifying your skincare routine. If you’re currently juggling multiple products morning and night, you’re probably doing too much. Pare it back to the basics—a gentle cleanser and a hydrating moisturizer. Go easy on exfoliants, too. Keep it to once a week, tops. 

• Be mindful of using products with an appropriate pH level. Since the acid mantle is such a delicate little thing, make sure any products you put on your skin have a pH between 4 and 5.

• Prioritize nourishing and hydrating the skin with plant oils and ceramides. Research shows that plant oils and ceramides can help repair and support the skin barrier, and you’ll find both in Shimmer Chef’s curated collection of plasters and balms. Our living, fermented formulations are made from the freshest superfoods and botanicals, rich in nutrients that actively feed the skin, nourish the microbiome, balance the acid mantle and support the skin barrier.

• Nurture the gut-brain-skin axis. The network between the gut, the brain and the skin is intricate, with imbalances in one evident in the others. Understanding that what we eat, how we manage stress and what we put on our skin has bigger implications is the key to supporting ourselves holistically.

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Water, as always, is your friend. Replenishing moisture loss goes a very long way to strengthen the skin barrier, so drink up! Ceramides and hyaluronic acid are excellent hydrators for the skin as well.

• Shoot for a regular eight hours of rest every night. Rest is one of the pillars of health, and your skin needs it too. Prioritize quality sleep—your skin, body and mind will thank you for it.

The Bottom Line On The Skin Barrier

If you’re wondering why everything you try seems to be making your skin worse, odds are good the issue is a weakened skin barrier. Pay attention to what your skin is telling you—dryness, inflammation and itching are all signs that your skin barrier needs a little help. Our Amuse Bouche Skinnys is a head-to-toe body reset kit designed to balance the skin, scalp and hair, and it’s a great place to start!

Chef Jennifer Sanford, the visionary behind Shimmer Chef, fuses her talents as a Health Supportive Culinary Arts Chef and licensed esthetician to develop formulas that radically transform your skin, scalp and hair.  Jennifer brings a holistic approach to beauty and wellness,  drawing on the wisdom of Mexican Folk Medicine passed down through her family, as well as studies of the ancient art of Ayurveda through her yoga and meditation certifications.