I have written a lot about the ingredients used in cosmetics and how they affect our skin. Now I wanted to start with the basic needs of the skin. How could I strengthen the skin barrier and which ingredients should I use? When you make your own cosmetics, you must know what you are doing. Especially for beginners, it is exciting just to be able to make a cream. Very soon after this, the desire to make products for the needs of one’s own skin arises. The most important and even the simplest thing in skin care is repair the skin barrier. In this article, I will tell you how to do it.
What is the skin barrier?
The skin is the largest human organ, which main purpose is to protect the rest of the body from the environment. The skin consists of three layers;
- Epidermis
- Dermis
- Subcutaneous layer
The structure of the epidermis consists of four main layers. The outermost layer of the epidermis is called stratum corneum. Stratum corneum is mainly responsible for the permeability of the skin or the fact that any substances that do not belong to the body cannot penetrate the skin. Stratum corneum is practically waterproof. Most chemicals are not absorbed through it, even though many people claim otherwise.
Your skin outermost layer is made up of 15-20 layers of flattened, dead skin cells. These dead skin cells are very necessary for the functioning of the skin and the whole body. They protect our skin from infections, dryness and mechanical stress.
Corneocytes, the cells of the stratum corneum, contain a dense network of creatine. It is a protein that helps keep the skin hydrated while preventing water from evaporating. Corneocytes are surrounded by a dense cell deposit as an insulator and in addition a lipid layer containing ceramides and fatty acids.
The cells of the stratum corneum can absorb water, which helps maintain the skin’s moisture balance. Using cosmetic products is the best way to influence the health and functions of the skin.
How to strength skin barrier?
The skin barrier, the stratum corneum, consists of 15% water. When the water content starts to drop below 10%, the skin starts to suffer from dryness. Adequate hydration is very important in strengthening the skin barrier.
Effective moisturizing of the skin takes place in three different stages.
- Occlusive substances form a barrier preventing evaporation on the surface of the skin and lock moisture into the skin
- Emollients are oils and vegetable butters that the skin uses to soften and smooth the skin’s surface
- Humectants absorb moisture from the skin, the air, or both
Occlusive agents
Natural occlusive substances are the oils and waxes you are already familiar with. In particular, waxes are a very important component in facial creams for winter use. When the air is very dry, a lot of water evaporates. Waxes protect and soothe the skin and effectively prevent water from evaporating from the skin. It is important to choose a natural wax as the occlusive agent. Vaseline is effective in preventing water from evaporating from the skin, but it stopping skin from breathing. Vaseline forms too dense layer on the skin. That’s why natural waxes are the best for skin care. Examples of natural waxes are
- Beeswax
- Candelilla wax
- Berry wax
An occlusive effect can also be created with oils. Standard cosmetic oils are ideal and gentle on the skin. If you don’t need maximum protection against dryness, vegetable oils alone work well as moisture-retaining agents on the skin.
Examples of good occlusive oils
- Almond oil
- Avocado oil
Skin softening agents
Stratum corneum needs to be soft and flexible to work well. Softness and flexibility also affect the skin’s youthful appearance. In soft and flexible skin, wrinkles are not so clearly visible. It has been studied that especially emulsion creams soften the skin. They combine water and oil, which together with an emulsifier are able to be absorbed better into the skin.
The best softeners for oily skin are jojoba oil and squalane. Jojoba oil is not actually an oil but a liquid wax. Its structure resembles the structure of the skin’s own lipids. That’s why jojoba oil feels so soft on the skin.
Squalane is the hydrogenated form of squalene that occurs naturally in the skin. It is ideal for all skin types to soften and smooth the skin. Olive squalane is a completely plant-based product that is very easy to add to products.
Skin humectant agents
In this section, I will tell you what skin humectant agents are and how they work in the skin. Skin humectant agents attract moisture from the lowest layers of the skin and bind it to the stratum corneum. Humectants make the stratum corneum act like an absorbent sponge.
There are many humectant agents that are good for the skin. The best known and loved the extract is of course glycerol. Glycerol is a sugar alcohol and a water-soluble substance that can only be used in emulsions and completely oil-free products such as face lotions. Glycerol cannot be added to waterless creams. If you want to make and use only water-free creams, you can add glycerol to your toner or water-based serum. This way you can get your skin moisturized more effectively.
Another popular skin humectant is sorbitol. Sorbitol is also a sugar alcohol and a water-soluble substance. You can use sorbitol like glycerol in emulsions and oil-free products. Since sorbitol does not dissolve in oil, it should not be used in anhydrous creams.
The most challenging and valuable humectant agent is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a water-soluble substance. It is an extremely effective moisturizer. It can absorb up to 1000 times its own weight in water.
Hyaluronic acid can be purchased in powder form and in different molecular sizes. The smaller the molecular size, the deeper the hyaluronic acid works in the skin. Hyaluronic acid of high molecular weight remains on the surface of the skin because it cannot be absorbed even into the stratum corneum. Very low molecular weight hyaluronic acid is difficult to obtain. Working with hyaluronic acid is quite challenging for a beginner.
There is also oil-soluble hyaluronic acid extracted from castor oil. It can also be used in anhydrous products. The skin must of course be properly moisturized first, as hyaluronic acid can make dry skin even drier.
Combine a super-caring moisturizer for yourself
Strengthening the skin barrier is one of the most important things in skin care. A healthy and strong skin barrier means healthier and stronger skin. The skin does not dry out so quickly and remains youthful much easier.
When choosing ingredients for your skin care product, remember that by combining different ingredients you get a better end result. Choose several oils and two different humectant agents for your product. Two works better than one in this case. The outermost skin barrier is so strong that you’ll need many gentle tricks to penetrate it.