If you’re waking up with a parched complexion, a barrier cream is a low lift that can boost your beauty sleep.
“They tend to be more effective at locking moisture into the skin than the average moisturizer or lightweight face lotion,” says Dr. Amanda Lau, medical director at Skinfolio, a B.C.-based medical aesthetics clinic with locations in West Vancouver and Oakridge.
With their balm-like consistency, barrier creams are the weighted blanket equivalent of a face cream. They’re formulated to support the epidermis, the multifunctional outermost shell of the skin, with a focus on emollient ingredients, such as lanolin, petrolatum, glycerin and lecithin (which are fatty substances essential to cell function and naturally found in soybeans and egg yolks).
“Synonymous with the skin barrier, the epidermis consists of five sublayers,” says Lau. Keratinocytes (which produce the protective protein keratin), melanocytes (responsible for pigment in skin, hair and eyes) and immune cells are generated at the baseline. “These alive cells gradually move up through the epidermis and become dead cells at the very top that get sloughed off,” she explains. “As we age our metabolism and skin cell turnover slows down, making our skin drier and thinner.”
Beyond giving dry skin a helping hand, the properties of a barrier cream can be a salve to anyone experiencing an inflamed complexion, such as those prone to eczema. And you should have one on standby if you’ve booked an appointment for a professional springtime rejuvenation.
“Using it after in-office microneedling or laser treatments will help heal the skin and protect it from allergens and the environment,” Lau says. “It also makes skin feel more comfortable after treatments that break the skin barrier intentionally.” Her post-treatment product recommendation is a barrier formula that contains the ingredient silicone, which can appear listed as dimethicone on a label. “Silicone is hypoallergenic and has well-established data to support wound healing in burns,” she says, noting SkinCeuticals Advanced Sili-Gel as a favourite. “It also has a lighter texture than other emollients.”
It’s best to apply barrier cream to a freshly cleansed face at night. “I recommend one as the last step of your evening skin-care routine,” says Lau. “It is especially important to protect the skin from loss of water while sleeping as skin cell turnover is most active at nighttime. It will help your serum and other active ingredients to absorb and work better in the skin. Think of it like saran wrap!”
However, if in the morning you still notice a rough or arid texture, consider enhancing your skin prep. “Sometimes moisturizing can delay the outer layer from shedding and it seems like no matter what you put on your skin feels dry,” she says. “Using a chemical exfoliant, like an alpha hydroxy acid product, two to three times a week can be the secret to removing dead skin before moisturizing.”
Six buys to try
Barrier support for all skin types, starting at $16
An intensive balm contains five molecular weights of hyaluronic acid (a water magnet) to improve hydration below the skin’s surface and murumuru butter to seal moisture in. Rhode Barrier Butter.
A gel-cream texture with the emollients of shea butter and glycerin, plus peptides and antioxidants, addresses dullness, dryness and dehydration. U Beauty The BARRIER Bioactive Treatment.
Made in Canada and suitable for oily and acne-prone skin, a fast-absorbing lightweight formula provides long-lasting hydration that won’t clog pores. Skinfix barrier+ Barrier Balancing Water Cream.
Ideal for sensitive and eczema-prone skin, an alcohol- and fragrance-free blend of avocado oil, ectoin (an amino acid) and squalane works to hydrate and protect while reducing redness. Byoma Barrier Repair Treatment.
From a brand developed with dermatologists, petrolatum, dimethicone, ceramides and hyaluronic acid create a comforting shield to moisturize and soothe dry skin. CeraVe Healing Ointment.
Made by Toronto-based facialist Victoria Radford, with acne and sensitive skin types in mind, this rich bestseller is loaded with actives to lock in hydration and stimulate cell turnover without a greasy feel. Radford Butter The Thick Cream.