Editor Tip: The tube is small enough to pass TSA requirements, so take it on all of your travels. It’ll also help combat dry airplane air.
Key Ingredients: Beta-glucan, Centella asiatica, sodium palmitoyl proline | Fragrance-free: Yes
Best Post-Procedure: Alastin Skincare Regenerating Skin Nectar
Why It’s Worth It: “This is a great post-procedural ointment that isn’t overly occlusive yet provides hydration, repair, and skin barrier protection,” Leah Ansell, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Treiber Dermatology Associates and assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia in New York City notes. Laser treatments aside, when your skin is feeling stripped or overly dry from exfoliating, layer on this concoction of calming arnica montana extract and naringenin to immediately soothe skin. In addition, the brand’s proprietary TriHex Technology boosts the skin’s ability to produce elastin and collagen — resulting in plumper, stronger skin.
Editor Tip: Because of its protective nature, it can actually reduce the recovery time after cosmetic procedures, like laser resurfacing and microneedling.
Key Ingredients: Arnica, phytoene, phytofluene | Fragrance-free: Yes
Best Body Cream: Nécessaire The Body Cream
Why It’s Worth It: Dryness doesn’t stop at the face or neck. That’s where Nécessaire’s The Body Cream comes in handy to soothe dry, flaky skin in often overlooked areas of our bodies. Formulated with five ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, 5% niacinamide, and 1% linoleic acid, this body cream replenishes a dry, damaged skin barrier by providing moisture, healing, and comfort.
Editor Tip: In the summer months, consider swapping it for the brand’s The Body Lotion ($28) or The Body Serum ($45), which sink in more quickly.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide | Fragrance-free: Yes
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the skin barrier become damaged?
When not properly protected, “the skin barrier can start to crack, which can leave the skin more vulnerable to free radical damage,” Florida-based board-certified dermatologist Lesley Clark-Loeser, MD, tells Allure. That leads to dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin.
To be even more specific, “our skin barrier gets damaged from extreme weather, sun exposure, medical conditions, physical damage such as over-exfoliating, and also age,” explains Dr. Saedi. “Over time, ingredients like alcohol and glycolic acid can be abrasive to the skin if overused.”
Dr. Clark-Loeser’s number-one tip? Go easy on the exfoliation — try simplifying your skin-care routine — in order to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Additionally, the skin barrier can become damaged by frequent hot showers, not using a moisturizer, and certain medications, so take note.
Which skin barrier repair ingredients should I look out for?
Another way to maintain a healthy skin barrier is to add a barrier repair product, which is strategically formulated to address the specific needs of the skin barrier, to your routine. Where traditional moisturizing products provide supplemental hydration to the skin, “barrier repair products help to repair the skin’s barrier to help skin better retain moisture and prevent environmental damage,” explains Dr. Clark-Loeser. If you’re unsure what ingredients to seek out in a barrier repair cream, San Diego-based board-certified dermatologist Melanie Palm, MD, previously told us to look for “ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, squalane, natural moisturizing factors, and ceramides.”
How often should I use barrier repair products?
Consistency is key. Our experts recommended applying the product at least once a day, ideally after cleansing, to help reinforce the skin’s natural protective barrier and keep it hydrated. For those with particularly dry or damaged skin, using the product twice daily can be beneficial in helping to restore and maintain the skin’s health. Just remember, it’s important to use the product as directed and not overuse it, as this can lead to further irritation.
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of barrier repair treatments, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors — along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
