Understanding the Damaged Skin Barrier

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam 

Product Info: Indulge in the luxurious cleansing experience of Skin1004 Centella Ampoule Foam. This foaming cleanser features a balanced pH of 5 and effectively removes makeup and impurities while preserving your skin’s natural moisture.

Featured Ingredients:

• Centella Asiatica Extract: Renowned for its calming properties.
• Citric Acid: Provides gentle exfoliation and brightening benefits.
• Sodium Hyaluronate: Delivers deep hydration to the skin.

Why We Love It:

• The advanced cleansing technology eliminates 92.69% of fine dust, ensuring a deep clean.
• Ultra-fine baking soda powder effectively attaches to sebum and debris in pores for thorough cleansing.
• Coconut-derived surfactants provide gentle cleansing while moisturizing the skin.
• Enriched with Centella Ampoule, it soothes and balances the skin for a refreshed complexion.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam 30ml $18

Product Info: Experience the luxurious hydration and anti-wrinkle benefits of the Probio-Cica Essence Toner. Infused with fermented Centella Asiatica, five types of hyaluronic acid, and Ceramide NP, this rich essence toner soothes and profoundly moisturises the skin.

• Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate: Promotes skin health and boosts hydration.
• Centella Asiatica Extract: Known for its calming properties and ability to enhance skin resilience.
• Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, and Asiatic Acid: Powerful compounds that support healing and anti-aging benefits.
• Hyaluronic Acid: Attracts moisture to the skin for long-lasting hydration.

Why We Love It: This calming, anti-ageing, and hydrating essence toner is perfect for dry, regular, and combination skin types. It provides refreshed, revitalised skin.

Product Info: Discover the power of Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule, a barrier-repairing formula designed to deliver soothing hydration, enhanced firmness, and a radiant glow to your skin. Benefits: It is calming, pore-tightening, and suitable for dry, regular, and combination skin.

Key Ingredients:

• Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate: Supports skin health with calming properties.
• Centella Asiatica Extract: Known for its soothing and healing effects.
• Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, and Asiatic Acid: Powerful compounds that enhance skin resilience.
• Ceramide NP: Reinforces the skin barrier for improved moisture retention.

Why We Love It: With the right amount of ceramides, phytosterols, and fatty acids (3:1, 3:1), ceramide NP and high-quality cica strengthen the skin barrier and keep moisture in. This intensive ampoule harnesses the calming effects of fermented Madagascan Centella and TECA for maximum relief. The high-concentration ampoule absorbs effortlessly into the skin, leaving a silky, luminous finish without residue or stickiness.

Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule, 50 ml, $46.60

Product Info: Discover the power of Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule, a barrier-repairing formula designed to deliver soothing hydration, enhanced firmness, and a radiant glow to your skin. Benefits: It is calming, pore-tightening, and suitable for dry, regular, and combination skin.

Key Ingredients:

• Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate: Supports skin health with calming properties.
• Centella Asiatica Extract: Known for its soothing and healing effects.
• Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, and Asiatic Acid: Powerful compounds that enhance skin resilience.
• Ceramide NP: Reinforces the skin barrier for improved moisture retention.

Why We Love It: With the right amount of ceramides, phytosterols, and fatty acids (3:1, 3:1), ceramide NP and high-quality cica strengthen the skin barrier and keep moisture in. This intensive ampoule harnesses the calming effects of fermented Madagascan Centella and TECA for maximum relief. The high-concentration ampoule absorbs effortlessly into the skin, leaving a silky, luminous finish without residue or stickiness.

Product Overview:
This lightweight, non-sticky gel cream combines Centella, Trehalose, and Ceramide NP to deliver deep hydration and repair the skin barrier. It offers calming, hydrating care and is suitable for normal and sensitive skin types.

Key Ingredients:

• Centella Asiatica Extract: Calms and soothes irritated skin.
• Trehalose locks in moisture, ensuring long-lasting hydration.
• Sodium Hyaluronate: Deeply hydrates and plumps the skin.
• Ceramide NP, cholesterol: strengthens and supports the skin barrier.

Why We Love It: It is enriched with three essential components—ceramide, cholesterol, and fatty acids—to firm and restore skin. It is balanced to a pH level closest to healthy skin, helping repair damaged areas. It provides an instant cooling to soothe redness and irritation, quickly calms sensitive skin, and reinforces the skin barrier. The non-sticky gel texture glides smoothly for a refreshing finish.

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella  Soothing Cream 30ml $32.00

Illiyoon, a K-Beauty skincare brand, specialises in nurturing naturally healthy skin with premium ingredients inspired by Asia. Rooted in Korean heritage, Illiyoon products enhance the skin’s self-moisturising ability by deeply supporting the skin barrier. Using the unique Yoon Complex, Illiyoon blends traditional Korean medicinal ingredients—like ginseng root water, angelica acutiloba roots, and liriope platyphylla—into modern skincare. A standout innovation from Illiyoon is their patented Ceramide Encapsulation Technology, which powers the Ceramide Skin Complex featured in their popular Ceramide Ato Lotion. This technology ensures key ingredients penetrate deeply for long-lasting hydration. With hypoallergenic and sensitivity-tested formulas, Illiyoon’s products provide gentle, effective moisture that leaves skin refreshed and beautifully nourished.

Illyoon Cermamide ATO 6.0 Top to Toe Wash 1000ml, $56 Vegan

Illyoon Cermamide ATO Lotion, 350ml, $58 Vegan

Illyoon Cermamide ATO Concentrate Cream, 200ml, $76 Vegan

ATOPALM, the creation of Dr. Raymond Park, was born from a father’s love and dedication to his children. As a researcher at the Aekyung Central Research Institute, Dr. Park specialised in developing new materials and crafted ATOPALM’s cornerstone technology—the hypoallergenic Multi-Lamellar Emulsion (MLE) formula—to help his children with atopic dermatitis. After five years of committed research, ATOPALM emerged, blending advanced science and biotech innovation to relieve extremely dry and sensitive skin. The MLE formula mimics a healthy skin barrier, offering quick absorption, non-greasy hydration, and lasting support for vulnerable, sensitised skin.

Atopalm MLE Cream 100ml, $56 Cruelty Free

ATOPALM MLE Lotion 120ml, $56 Cruelty Free

ATOPALM Foam Wash 150ml, $32 Cruelty Free

Your skin barrier, or the outermost layer of the skin, acts as a watertight shield, keeping the skin smooth, hydrated, and intact. This barrier is crucial in retaining moisture and protecting against environmental damage. When healthy, the skin feels soft and supple; when compromised, it becomes vulnerable to water loss, irritation, and external aggressors, contributing to issues like dryness, dullness, and even acne. Factors such as menopause, perimenopause, ageing, and sun damage are significant contributors to a weakened skin barrier. Other major causes of the impaired barrier are incorrect skin products, inflammatory skin conditions, pollution, and internal factors such as poor diet, alcohol, stress, and poor sleep.

Many things can harm the skin barrier, from harsh skincare products to aging-related hormonal changes. Unfortunately, understanding and treating skin barrier damage remains a gap in skincare training. Often, the significance of the skin barrier is overlooked, and the specific signs of a damaged barrier—such as redness, itchiness, and sensitivity—are misinterpreted or left unaddressed.

At Pearl Medispa, we emphasise the importance of this barrier to your skin’s overall health. With our skincare and Korean beauty expertise, we prioritise products that genuinely repair the skin barrier rather than offering a temporary fix.

Common signs of a damaged skin barrier include:

• Dry, flaky, or scaly skin
• Redness, inflammation, or irritation
• Rough or uneven texture
• Increased sensitivity and itchiness
• Stinging sensations when applying skincare products
• Aged skin is a sign and symptom of a damaged skin barrier
• Acne, rosacea, and all inflammatory skin conditions have impaired barrier
• And the obvious: infected skin

It is little known that ageing skin, especially in perimenopausal or menopausal stages, has a damaged skin barrier, contributing to inflammation, increased pH, and poor skin repair. The same is true for skin that has suffered from excessive sun exposure or all inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. This is why the first step in our acne treatment plan is to decrease inflammation and repair your skin barrier. 

The right products and treatments can restore a damaged skin barrier within days to weeks.  Although the skin has self-repair mechanisms, these can be insufficient when the barrier is significantly compromised.

Targeted skincare products, especially those designed to replenish the essential lipids the skin naturally produces, can speed up the repair process. Other important considerations are the correct pH (5 or less is best), anti-inflammatory agents such as azelaic acid, antioxidant ingredients niacinamide, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and a range of natural skin ingredients found in Korean skincare, such as Centella Asiatica, Mugwort, and Heartleaf. 

1. Identify and Remove the Cause: Whether it’s from harsh skincare products or routines, sun damage, stress, poor sleep, excess alcohol, leaky gut, or hormonal changes, identifying the root cause is essential. Often combinations of causes can be identified and taking a holistic approach is essential.
2. Use Targeted Skincare: Opt for products that provide barrier-repairing lipids in the optimal 3:1:1 ratio of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. This precise formulation ensures effective, long-term repair.
3. Incorporate Sun Protection and Gentle Ingredients: Sun damage is a significant player in barrier damage, so using a gentle, broad-spectrum sunscreen is crucial.

Understanding the evolution of barrier repair products provides insight into why modern Korean skincare excels.

• First Generation: Cold creams (used as far back as ancient Greece) were the earliest attempts to prevent moisture loss. These creams provided a protective layer but didn’t actively repair the skin barrier.

• Second Generation: The discovery of refined petrolatum (petroleum jelly) in the 19th century revolutionised skincare. Petrolatum creates a protective barrier to reduce water loss but does not actively repair the skin. Although petroleum jelly is a very effective occlusive, we do not recommend using it because now much more elegant and sophisticated products can repair damaged skin barriers.

• Third Generation: In early 2000, research showed that the skin barrier is best restored with “physiologic lipids” such as ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Products incorporating these lipids in a balanced 3:1:1 ratio were found to repair the barrier effectively. However, maintaining this ratio is critical, as imbalances can hinder the repair process. A Korean doctor named Raymond Park created the first such barrier repair cream. His Atopalm MLE cream remains among the most influential Korean skincare barrier creams.

• In the fourth generation, advanced skin care products use ingredients like azelaic acid and linoleic acid that stimulate Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) to start the skin’s repair system. These modern formulations leverage the body’s natural repair mechanisms, opening new possibilities for Korean skincare barrier repair.

These external factors can weaken the skin barrier, increasing the risk of dryness, irritation, inflammation, and premature ageing. Proper skincare practices and protective measures are essential to maintaining a resilient, healthy barrier.

1. Over-Cleaning or Over-Exfoliating

   • Frequent or aggressive cleansing and exfoliation strip the skin of natural oils and disrupt the protective acid mantle, weakening the skin barrier.

2. Alkaline Skincare Products

   • Using products with a high pH disrupts the skin’s acid mantle, making it more prone to irritation and damage.

3. Harsh Chemicals in Personal Care Products

   • Ingredients such as sulphates, parabens, and artificial fragrances can trigger inflammation and sensitisation, compromising the skin barrier.

4. Environmental Pollutants

   • Pollution particles and airborne toxins adhere to the skin, leading to oxidative stress and inflammation, which weakens the barrier.

5. Aesthetic Procedures

   • Overzealous use of chemical peels, lasers, or microdermabrasion can thin the skin and temporarily weaken its protective functions.

6. Ultraviolet (UV) Damage

   • Prolonged sun exposure without protection damages skin cell DNA, breaks down collagen, produces free radicals, and leads to inflammation, impairing the skin’s ability to protect itself.

7. Extreme Weather Conditions

   • Dry, cold, or windy weather strips moisture from the skin, while hot, humid conditions increase oil production. Both of these conditions disrupt barrier balance.

8. Exposure to Chlorine and Hard Water

   • Frequent contact with chlorinated or mineral-heavy water strips natural oils and leaves skin prone to dryness and irritation.

9. Chemical Exposure in Cleaning Products

   • Ingredients in cleaning agents like ammonia, bleach, and alcohol can cause skin irritation and inflammation, weakening the barrier.

10. Frequent Use of Alcohol-Based Products

    • Alcohol-based hand sanitisers, toners, and cleansers can dry out and irritate the skin, depleting natural lipids.

11. Smoking and Exposure to Smoke

    • Smoking produces free radicals that accelerate skin ageing and cause inflammation that disrupts the skin barrier.

12. Use of Retinoids and Strong Actives without Gradual Introduction

    • If not introduced slowly, high concentrations of retinoids, AHAs, and BHAs can cause peeling, irritation, and sensitivity.

13. Temperature Extremes (Hot Showers, Saunas)

    • Exposure to very hot water or heat from saunas and steam rooms strips the skin of its natural oils, leading to dehydration and barrier disruption.

14. Frequent Mechanical Irritation

    • Scratching, rubbing, or frequent use of facial cleansing brushes can damage the skin’s surface and weaken its defences.

15. Heavy Use of Fragrance Products

    • Artificial fragrances in skincare and beauty products can be irritating and allergenic, leading to inflammation and barrier compromise.

16. Wearing Tight or Irritating Fabrics

    • Fabrics that don’t allow skin to breathe or contain synthetic fibres can cause friction and trap moisture, leading to skin irritation.

17. Prolonged Use of Makeup or Not Removing Makeup Properly

    • Leaving makeup on overnight or not cleansing thoroughly allows makeup residues to clog pores, trapping bacteria and disrupting the skin barrier.

18. Excessive Blue Light Exposure from Screens

    • Blue light has been shown to contribute to oxidative stress, which may damage skin cells and weaken barrier function over time.

Your skin barrier is not one thing; it consists of several elements: physical, chemical, and immune, and it includes our resident skin microbiome. Therefore, to consider how you accomplish skin barrier repair, it is best to look at the barrier functions.

One of the essential functions of our skin is preventing water loss. It may seem simplistic, but this is integral to our survival, and when it is damaged, our skin appears dry. The superlipid barrier of the stratum corneum provides this waterproofing. The outmost layers of skin cells are enveloped in multiple lipids (fats), preventing water loss because the fat will not allow water to pass through. Keratinocytes, an epidermal cell type, create this lipid barrier.

This lipid barrier consists of 3 essential fats or lipids: cholesterol, ceramides, and free fatty acids, forming an intact barrier. For normal barrier function, there must be approximately equal numbers of each molecule, creating a 3:1:1 ratio. Remember this ratio of 3:1:1, which is essential for barrier function and repair. When the skin barrier is disrupted, repair only occurs when the lipids in the skincare product are presented in a 3:1:1 ratio. 

This lipid barrier prevents water loss (trans-epidermal water loss, T.E.W.L.) and is essential in preventing harmful bacteria and toxins from entering, helping U.V. protection, and keeping our resident skin microbes. Happy!

The key player in the skin moisture barrier is the outer layer of skin called the stratum corneum. Multiple layers of fatty (lipid) membranes surround multiple layers of ‘mature’ skin cells.

In addition to the lipid barrier, you have a second tight junction skin barrier in the second-most outer layer of your skin (stratum granulosum), similar to the impenetrable barriers in your gut lining. Tight junctions form the main barrier in the gut lining (disruption of this causes a leaky gut). Proteins that function as locks, latches, and springs to restrict the flow of what enters our bodies selectively control it, just like the tight junction in the gut. Less is known about the purpose of the skin-tight junction barrier. However, recently, it has been understood that we can also have ‘leaky skin’ when the tight junctions are disturbed—things that shouldn’t enter the body via the skin do! This may play a role in developing food allergies.

The barrier to infection and the entry of bad bacteria and other bugs. Several components are at play to protect against bad bugs from entering and causing infection.

The acid mantel is not a physical layer on the skin. Instead, it is an acid gradient—as you get closer to the skin’s surface, it gets more acidic (or sour). (At the skin surface, the pH is about 5, whereas inside the body, it is more neutral, -7.4)

The acid mantel, a vital skin barrier function, maintains the skin’s protective coating by creating an acidic environment. This acidity helps guard against infections and maintains the integrity of the skin’s barrier. The skin’s pH typically ranges from 4.7 to 5, but it can vary among individuals and increases with age.

Filaggrin protein plays a crucial role in maintaining skin acidity and hydration. It breaks down into natural moisturising factors (NMFs), contributing to the acid mantel. Individuals with conditions like eczema may have insufficient filaggrin production, leading to dry skin and increased susceptibility to infections.

Cleansing the skin with water or soap temporarily raises its pH, but it usually returns to normal within hours. However, products with high pH levels can disrupt the skin barrier and cause sensitivity issues. Opting for mildly acidic products with a pH around four can help maintain skin barrier integrity and moisture retention.

Protecting the acid mantel is essential for healthy skin. Applying gentle acids to the skin after washing can further enhance the skin barrier and moisture. Products with pH levels closer to the skin’s natural acidity, such as a cleansing wash with a pH of 4.7, are beneficial.

Factors like eczema, skin colour and age can affect the skin’s acidity.

• Individuals with eczema may have less acidic skin due to reduced filaggrin production, making them more prone to infections.
• On the other hand, darker skin tones have a naturally more acidic surface due to higher melanin levels, providing better protection against sensitivity and infections.
• As skin ages, its pH naturally increases, making it more susceptible to barrier disruption.

Our skin’s innate and acquired immune function is very sophisticated. It stops nasty bugs from invading and prevents them from causing infection.

1. Anti-microbial peptides form part of the innate immune system. The epidermis cells form the super barrier and secrete molecules that fight against nasty bugs. (Anti-microbial peptides also occur in the gut.)

These peptides are a defence response from our innate immune system. They recognise potentially harmful bugs and secrete molecules that can kill them, activating other immune cells to come and eliminate them—this is true!

2. Immune cells: There is an interplay between immune cells in our skin. For example, the Langerhans cells specialise in the skin and are responsible for recognising anything invading. They talk to our adaptive immune cells to get rid of the invader. Many other cells are involved in immune function, like mast cells, macrophages, and T cells, all of which have a protective role.

3. Sebum produced in the oil glands also plays a role in antimicrobial protection. This acidic secretion is made on the outside and mixes with the byproducts of the good bacteria that live inside. It is also thought to protect against harmful bacteria.