This thick Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream from Kiehl’s feels sinful as you apply it, relieving dry patches, making the skin appear visibly smoother, and reducing redness. It contains a blend of glycerin, urea, and squalane which provide intense hydration to the skin. No level of dryness is too severe for this cream — here’s looking at you, scaly winter skin.
Cocokind’s Ceramide Barrier Serum is specially formulated with five types of synthetic ceramides and lipids that mimic and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier. A little goes a long way — you only need two to three for your entire face. With regular use, you’ll notice a significant reduction in redness caused by ongoing skin irritation.
Although the texture of this SkinCeuticals Epidermal Repair lotion is light and airy, it should not be underestimated. You only need a pea-sized amount to nurse your skin barrier back to health after an intense facial treatment like laser resurfacing or microdermabrasion. It’s formulated with a soothing combination of sodium palmitoyl proline and nymphea alba flower extract to calm irritated skin and ease any discomfort.
Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol has a light, creamy texture that absorbs in seconds, visibly improves redness and uneven tone, and helps the skin look plumper. It also doubles as an elasticity-boosting treatment, thanks to its use of retinol which has been proven to visibly firm the skin and decrease the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Dr. Clark-Loeser’s go-to barrier repair product is this Tensage Stem Cell Cream from Biopelle because it contains ceramides, which are one of the best-known ingredients for repairing the skin barrier. In addition, it contains Biopelle’s trademarked CellPro Technology, which helps promote healthy stem cell function, further promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Struggling with dehydration? Try your hand at this Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer from Peter Thomas Roth. The soft and weightless formula is anchored by the brand’s patented moisture barrier-boosting complex which works to counter the effects of dehydrators and provide up to 120 hours of increased hydration.
For immediate relief from redness, flakiness, and peeling (a hallmark of a damaged skin barrier), consider this Premier Cru The Rich Cream from Caudalie. It errs on the pricier side of things, but it’s worth it to bathe your skin in a luxurious blend of lipid-replenishing bio-ceramides. Did we mention that its sibling, The Cream, won a 2022 Best of Beauty Award? If you thought that formula was indulgent, just you wait.
This Daily Defense Colloidal Oatmeal Cream from Murad contains a proprietary mixture of colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide, and mondo grass sugars, which retains essential moisture and lipids, strengthening the skin from within while also prolonging relief from eczema flare-ups. The sealed pump is also great for those of us who are prone to making a mess in the bathroom, and there’s less potential for the spread of bacteria.