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- Sensitive skin can be a symptom of a compromised skin barrier. It happens when the top layer of your skin becomes weakened and thin.
- First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream is one of the first skin-care products specifically designed to build up the skin's barrier and decrease sensitivity. It relies on nourishing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help strengthen it against bacteria, pollution, and irritants.
- The moisturizer features an innovative foam texture that's not heavy or greasy at all, making it a must-try for those who don't like to suffocate their skin with thick creams and oils.
My hypersensitive skin is the bane of my beauty-loving existence. It flushes at the suggestion of exfoliating acids; it breaks out after the gentlest of scrubs; it starts peeling if I try anything stronger than a vitamin C serum. I assumed, like most people with sensitive skin, that it was genetic and therefore not something I could change. But it turns out that sensitivity can be a symptom of a compromised skin barrier - and that's totally fixable, especially with First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream in your skin-care arsenal. I've personally been using it for about a month, and my skin is already noticeably stronger (and clearer). Sensitive skin, who?
"The skin barrier, which is at the outermost surface of our skin, contains dead skin cells and lipids which serve to lock in moisture and protect the skin from irritants, toxins, and pro-inflammatory substances," celebrity dermatologist Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, the medical director of Mudgil Dermatology, tells Business Insider. It's basically the shield that defends the inner layers of your skin - which are naturally more sensitive - from anything they might come into contact with on the outside.
Unfortunately, a whole host of modern factors can wear down this barrier, leaving the inner layers vulnerable to irritation. Hello, redness, acne, dermatitis, and rosacea!
"Any external factors such as irritants, allergens, bacteria, or pollution can break down this protective layer over time, leaving it more reactive to the trials and tribulations of daily life," Lilli Gordon, the founder and CEO of First Aid Beauty, explains; while Dr. Mudgil adds that using harsh ingredients, over-exfoliating, and even washing your face too often can also compromise the skin's barrier. (So yeah, pretty much everyone's barrier could use a little extra lovin'.)
Considering the fact that pollution levels are at an all-time high, and skin-care products so powerful they used to be considered prescription-strength (like retinol), are more accessible than ever, it's no wonder that an increasing amount of women are complaining of sensitive skin. "But when your skin barrier is strong and healthy, your skin will be stronger, more hydrated, and less sensitive," Gordon says.
This is where I might normally scoff, "Easier said than done." But actually, Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream makes strengthening the skin as easy as it gets.
With BarriAIR, Gordon and First Aid Beauty managed to create a moisturizer that's 1) packed with barrier-boosting nutrients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and linoleic acid; 2) unscented and totally safe for even the most sensitive skin; and 3) quick to absorb, without feeling heavy or greasy.
"Ceramides bio-mimic the natural composition of the skin's barrier," Gordon explains of the innovative cream's star ingredient. Made up of fatty acids, this substance naturally occurs in the skin's outer layers and is essential for thick, plump, healthy-looking skin. When the barrier is compromised, though, ceramide levels drop - so applying them directly to the skin's barrier automatically adds a layer of protection.
First Aid Beauty's blend also includes hyaluronic acid (which "boosts skin's moisture content to help hydrate and plump skin," according to Gordon) and linoleic acid (to help "fortify and restore the skin barrier.") Don't be alarmed by the word "acid" - these are the good kind of acids. Rather than stripping the skin of precious protective cells, hyaluronic and linoleic acids both support natural hydration and moisturization.
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Finally, BarriAIR relies on colloidal oatmeal, a super calming substance, to help heal any existing damage.
I had Dr. Mudgil take a look at the ingredients (because with sensitive skin, you can never be too careful), and he agrees - First Aid Beauty's mix has everything you need to repair a broken barrier. "Our barrier essentially contains dead skin cells bound together by lipids like ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol," he says. "Replenishing our skin barrier with moisturizers containing these ingredients is key."
Yet, as hardworking as First Aid Beauty's ingredient list is, it's not actually what makes this product a stand-out. That honor goes to the unexpectedly foamy texture. Yup, foamy.
Open a jar of this moisturizer and you'll see it looks more like the top of a fresh cappuccino than a skin-care product. "The texture is key to the actual formulation, which features an innovative oxygen technology that helps actives penetrate more deeply into skin," the founder explains. "The technology reacts to air, causing the cream to continuously shrink and expand." As soon as you deposit the foam onto your face, though, it sinks in like a normal moisturizer would, delivering hydration and actives to skin's surface and beyond.
"Most barrier creams are very thick, which can feel heavy and unpleasant, so we aimed to make this as lightweight as possible to enhance the user experience," Gordon adds. "The whipped, light-as-air texture is truly unique." Not to mention, truly effective.
My chronically sensitive and reactive skin drinks this stuff up - honestly, I saw a difference in my overall glow after just one night. After two full weeks, it was clear: My face looked plumper - in a good way - and felt stronger. Today, it's not nearly as reactive to things like going outside on a windy day (which would normally give me red, dry cheeks) or using a detoxifying clay mask (something that often leaves my skin tight and flaky).
"The formula can be used daily in the morning and at night, and should be applied after cleansing or following your serum," Gordon instructs. "I love to use the formula mixed with a drop of our new Ultra Repair Cannabis & Oat Dry Oil as the last step in my routine."
Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream is recommended for those who identify as reactive or sensitive; but all I can say is, don't get too attached to that descriptor. After building up your barrier, you'll barely recognize the strong, hydrated skin in the mirror.
You can buy the Ultra Repair BarriAir Cream at Sephora for $30
Be sure to check out more products from First Aid Beauty here
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