Skincare importance explained: why you should maintain a skincare routine

Influencers will tell you that you need at least 10 steps in your skincare routine to achieve glass skin. Family members may suggest that you only need the basics for a flawless complexion. Some of your friends with the clearest skin you’ve seen swear by only using hand soap. With these different pieces of advice, how should you build your own routine? Should you even bother with sticking to a regimen?

Just like each and one of you, your unique skin barrier requires unique skincare routines. In this post, we’ll break down exactly why strengthening the skin barrier is important, how to do so, and how to cater a skin care regimen specifically for your own skin barrier and skin goals.

What is a skin barrier?

The skin barrier is the body’s first line of defense against environmental harm including allergens, chemicals, microbes, and UV radiation. Any disruption to this defense results in irritation, chronic dermatitis, acne, etc.. Anatomically the skin barrier is divided into 2 layers: the dermis and epidermis. Functionally, it’s composed of a physical layer, a microbiome, an immune layer, and a chemical layer. All of these functional components are highly dependent on each other and need to be functioning properly to ensure that the skin barrier can provide its protective role. 

The physical layer is composed of a stratum corneum which is the outermost layer of the skin. Some describe this layer as a “brick wall” indicating that the tough skin cells are the bricks that are bound together by lipids composed of cholesterol, omega fatty acids, and ceramides. For the physical layer to function properly, the lipids should be in a general proportion of 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol, and 10%-20% free fatty acids which can be obtained through topical skincare products and diet.

The chemical layer is distributed throughout the physical layer which contains natural moisturizing factors, defense chemicals, and components that maintain the acidic pH of the skin (4-6) crucial for the microbes that live on the skin. When choosing moisturizers, be careful to avoid those with an alkaline pH as this can disrupt the functions of the microbes and enzymes that live on the skin. This can lead to colonizations of harmful microbes in the microbial layer resulting in conditions such as atopic dermatitis. Colonizations of harmful microbes or bacteria can be detected by the immune layer. The immune layer is composed of cells that are alert for danger signals such as physical breaks in the skin barrier or chemical signals secreted by bacteria. 

The consequences to a damaged skin barrier

Additionally, without your skin barrier, the water inside your body would escape and evaporate (as seen in the brick wall analogy, if there is a crack in the barrier, the important materials protected inside will leak out). Your skin barrier is essential for your overall health, protecting it helps your body function properly. The following symptoms are indicators should your skin barrier become damaged or is not functioning properly:

• Dry, dull skin

• Itchy skin

• Rough and discoloured patches

• Acne

• Sensitivity or inflammation

• Bacterial, viral, or fungal skin infections

The basics of skincare

Depending on the skin type, texture, concerns, and reactions to different ingredients, the steps of establishing a skincare routine differs.

In general for anyone,  basic skincare requires protection, prevention, cleansing, and moisturizing. As everyone receives different levels of UV exposure (unless you live 24/7 in an underground bunker), sunscreen is recommended for daily use. 

To remove the sunscreen, environmental pollutants, excess sebum, or even cosmetics, many different types of cleansers would be recommended. Typically a double cleanse consisting of an oil based cleanser first to remove most of the dirt and grime followed by a water cleanser is most recommended to maximize cleanliness. 

• Gel based and bar cleansers are best for oily skin

• Cream and foam cleansers work best for normal to dry skin

More information regarding double cleansing and sunscreen can be found on our instagram page in the Skin Secret Saturdays section!

Moisturizing is a very important step in a skincare routine. Moisturizers supply humectant agents which draw water into the outermost layer of the skin from the environment and dermis below. They also include occlusive agents that act as a barrier to prevent transepidermal water loss. 

Products like:

• Hyaluronic acid

• Mineral oil

• Lotions

• Serums

• Ointments

• Creams

Can offer varying amounts of hydration for dry skin depending on dryness of the skin.

Other possible skin care additions catered towards needs

After strengthening the skin barrier, many people have other concerns they would like to target as well. 

Skin tone and texture is a common concern for people to maintain. When cell turnover rate decreases, the “radiant” look of skin diminishes due to the buildup of dead skin cells on the outer layer of the skin creating an appearance of rough, dry skin with enlarged pores and poor light reflection.

• Products that promote exfoliation are often recommended to remove the excess buildup but also to stimulate cell turnover.

• These products can be through chemical or physical means, however choosing the right one is important as exfoliating products can often be very harsh towards the skin.

Acne is also another concern that can be caused through bacterial, fungal, or viral infections, decreased immunity, or even hormonal reasons. 

• Some products containing topical antibiotics targeting acne causing bacteria can be prescribed. 

• Other topical products such as tretinoin may also be prescribed as a combination to increase cell turnover rate to “purge” out the acne as well.

• If the acne becomes very unmanageable, dermatologists may prescribe stronger acne medications to prevent permanent scarring.

• Non prescription, over the counter products to treat acne may also include salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide washes. 

  • Salicylic acid promotes skin cell turnover rates via exfoliation

    • They can be found in products containing AHA or BHA 

  • Benzoyl peroxide washes kills acne causing bacteria