r/SkinbarrierLovers

I found this subreddit around a year ago when I was in a bad patch of dryness and sensitivity that I couldn't figure out how to get out of. I had been using a BHA twice a week, a vitamin C in the mornings, and retinol on alternating nights. My routine looked impressive on paper and my skin was miserable.

Reading through posts here made me realize I had basically been dismantling my barrier faster than it could recover. I cut everything actives for six weeks, switched to a thick ceramide-based moisturizer morning and night, and started treating my skin like it was recovering from something rather than something to be corrected.

The shift in mindset was honestly the bigger change. I stopped looking for products that would fix things and started looking for products that would leave my barrier alone long enough to do what it's supposed to do.

A year on, I do use actives again tret twice a week, nothing else but I add things back based on how my skin actually responds, not based on what a routine is supposed to contain. I track reactions carefully and keep my defaults simple.

I think the most underrated barrier habit is patience with reintroduction. What's the slowest you've ever gone reintroducing an active, and did it make a difference?

How vital is sunscreen for repairing my damaged skin barrier? I live in western Europe so right now the sun is not that powerful yet fortunately, although I know it'll change soon.

I was just wondering, because I have brown skin and certainly don't want to use a mineral sunscreen that'll give me an extreme white cast. And I don't want to double cleanse either. A single cleanse for 15s works, but any more dries my skin out too much. And I've heard chemical sunscreen can irritate your barrier even further.

Then again, some people say you'll never heal if you don't use sunscreen. I really don't know what to do 🥲 sometimes it clears up a bit and then a small setback pushes me right back and makes my skin angry and ugly again.

What do you guys think?

Edit: if you could please give some feedback on my routine I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all so much.

Am

1. niche beauty 15% glycerin serum
2. Illiyoon ato concentrate cream with a drop of squalane mixed in

Pm

1. Geek and gorgeous jelly joker cleanser
2. Niche beauty glycerin serum
3. illiyoon
4. Slugging with cerave healing ointment

About 2 months ago I switched my moisturizer (Dr. Althea 345 cream) because I believe the niacinimide was contributing to an already damaged barrier.

Main barrier damage symptoms: redness, pore clogging and closed comedones, texture.

I’ve tried some others (byoma, soonjung barrier intensive cream, soonjung Hydrobarrier cream, thank you farmer cica cream)

Byoma caused acne and the others either burn a bit or just generally feel like they aren’t sinking in - my skin feels and looks so incredibly oily- I literally see little dots of oil coming out of my pores. I am thinking maybe my skin is dry and creating extra oil.

Pores look enlarged and clogged (but they did before too).

Any moisturizers that provide true hydration and barrier repair without clogging?

Trying to avoid niacinimide and possibly alcohols and squalane (horrible breakout from TO squalane cleanser).

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

currently on my barrier repair journey. I have having lots of closed comedones and blackheads and whiteheads on my chin nose and forehead. Using azelaic acid on week 2.

While applying moisturizer I do feel great but....my skin look dull. (I use bioderma atoderm baume.) [it doesn't have nacinamide]

I have lots of acne marks to. How to do treat it without damaging your barrier.

(No tretinoin/steriods and nacinamide recommendations pls)

I’m dealing with dry, scaley spots on my cheekbones and need something to really get in and heal it. I’ve heard ceramides, HAs, Urea and others but which really targets and heals it? Thanks

What's everyone trialling right now? Or are there any products on anyone's wish list?

Right now I am going to my cousin kitchen and she is showing a small bottle of Cyperus Rotundus oil. The smell is strong and earthy and I am watching her pour a few drops in a cup. I feel little curious but also confused because I never use this oil before and it look different from normal oils

Then I am thinking about myself because I want something natural for my skin and hair. I am asking her how she uses it and she say it works well for many things like skin, hair, and even body massage. I feel a bit confuse because some bottles look small and some look bigger and I am not sure which one is worth buying

After that I am going on my phone and searching about Cyperus Rotundus oil while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba to see what people are buying. I am seeing many brands and sizes and it make me more confuse because some look pure and some look mixed with other oils and I dont know which one is actually best for me

Now I am thinking if I should get a small bottle of Cyperus Rotundus oil for trying or a bigger one because it feel easier to start with small ones but bigger ones look more useful and I am still not sure what is better do small bottles really work or do bigger bottles give more value and benefits

Hi pals! I know there's been a lot of discussion about the inclusion of Niacinamide in EVERYTHING these days and how many of us don't tolerate Niacinamide very well.

I've been struggling to find a thick final moisturizer to my routine that doesn't contain Niacinamide and figured it would be great to crowd source a list of all of our favorite products that are Niacinamide free!

I’ve been on a months long hunt trying to figure out what’s causing my damaged dehydrated skin and I’ve come to suspect it’s my poor sleep schedule.

Has anyone else noticed this about their skin?

Fill in the blank :)

So I used to microneedle all the time before I ever found out what skin barrier was and that mine was damaged. It’s been about a year since I’ve MN and I’ve just been working on restoring skin barrier. It’s been restored for the last few months, skin is very resilient with no TEWL, dryness, etc. I microneedled for the first time yesterday since and im wondering if anyone here has any experience or advice on managing both microneedling and skin barrier :)

I wonder if anyone can recommend a light, oil free, noncomedogenic facial SPF if such a thing exists. I’ve finally I think got my oily acne prone skin under control for the first time ever through a back to basics barrier repair regime and I don’t want to undo the good work with any thick cloggy claggy pore blocking sun care. Thanks! I’m in the UK

Has anyone tried or use Cleure moisturizers? Night cream or day cream? I use their toothpaste and shampoo and conditioner but realized why am I also not using their moisturizer! My Barrier is compromised from rosacea and a bad flare up. I currently use Vanicream cream but looking for something with a bit more hydrating ingredients.