If your skin has ever experienced redness, itching, swelling or dryness, it may be a sign that your skin barrier has been compromised. Our skin barrier, also called the lipid barrier, is the protective matrix in the outermost layer of the skin. It consists of lipids, the acid mantle and the skin’s microbiome.

The skin barrier is important because it not only helps nutrients absorb into our skin, but it also protects our skin from irritants and prevents water loss. By having a healthy lipid barrier, skin care products (and topical medications or creams!) will absorb into the skin and produce better results. We don’t want to pay $100 for a cream that doesn’t even make it through the lipid barrier, right?!