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What Is An Acid Mantle?

Please Welcome to the Stage, Acid Mantle (definitely not a band name, but also probably should be)

WHAT IS THE SKIN BARRIER?

Imagine your beautiful skin barrier as a wall. Yes, it sounds soo romantic! I’d love to hear a pick up line that involves that phrase “beautiful skin barrier.” Not. But we’re still going with this. Skin barrier=wall. Got it. As a wall, this acts as a way to keep good things in and bad things out kind of like that door mat I have that says “you have no reason to be here.” Except your skin barrier actually works at keeping things out. Sigh.

Your skin barrier is slightly acidic which is why it’s also known as acid mantle (no it’s not a screamo band name)  and is essentially a watertight membrane that holds all of the skin’s outer layers together. This acidity helps create a buffer against the growth of harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi that could damage your skin and lead to infections and other skin conditions. If your acid mantle is healthy, your skin will feel plump and soft as a baby’s bottom. If the layers become damaged, the skin will be dry and dull. When the skin becomes damaged, the skin barrier doesn’t keep all the good stuff (ceramides, etc.) in, and the bad stuff is able to sneak past its defenses. That’s why maintaining (or repairing) your acid mantle is so important!

FUNCTIONS OF A HEALTHY MOISTURE BARRIER

What does a healthy moisture barrier do for you? Everything, duh! A healthy skin barrier is the key to radiant skin and is essential in achieving a hydrated, healthy glow. Okay, time for some science! Bill! Bill! Bill! Thank you elementary science class for having Bill Nye forever imprinted on my brain.

The skin performs its functions so well because of its unique structure. The external layer is primarily dead skin cells with a lipid matrix (oils) surrounding them. Your cells act as bricks of that wall we talked about with the lipids acting like mortar.

For the skin barrier to work correctly, it is essential that the lipids in this matrix, such as ceramides and fatty acids, are in a particular balanced proportion.

This construction works to maintain hydration and keep bacteria, pollutants, and allergens out when the skin barrier is intact.  When water is lost, so too is elasticity. The skin will look rough, dry, and flaky and be more prone to acne and aging.

Now, it’s important to have realistic expectations when dealing with your skin’s moisture barrier. Healthy and normal skin does not mean flawless or pore-free. It is essential to treat your skin with respect and not strip it of its natural pigment and pores. Perfection is not real.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your skin, but sometimes “more” is far more damaging.

WHAT CAN DAMAGE THE SKIN BARRIER?

This list might be shorter if I talk about what won’t cause damage! As humans, I think we all need to take better care of our skin, especially with so many things trying to act against it. There are two different types of causes of damage to the acid mantle, non-modifiable (things you can’t control), and modifiable (external factors you can change). The non-modifiable causes are aging, and genetics. You can’t turn back the clock, and some people are just more susceptible to certain skin issues (eczema, atopic dermatitis, etc.). For the modifiable factors, there is hope, even if there are a lot of them. The following are causes of damage to the skin barrier that we have control over.

CAUSES OF DAMAGE

  • Climate: Pollution, wind, humidity, dry environment

  • UV radiation (too much sun exposure)

  • Washing too frequently

  • Washing with soaps that strip the natural lipids (alkaline detergents and soaps)

  • Cleaning with water that’s too hot

  • Over-exfoliation with acids that are too strong or too frequent

  • Over-exfoliation with abrasives

  • The new addition of retinol

  • Other allergens, irritants, and pollutants (tea tree oil, ascorbic acid, etc.)

  • Smoking

  • Health-related factors: sleep, nutrition, stress, psychological distress

Yikes! Those are a lot of things that can cause problems to our skin and sometimes we might not even know that our skin barrier has become damaged. There are some signs to tell if our acid mantle is sustaining this damage though. When your skin barrier is not functioning properly, you may be more prone to developing the following skin symptoms and conditions:

HOW TO REPAIR

If your skin barrier does become damaged, repair is certainly possible! It’s not going to heal itself on its own so there are some steps to take to help. First off, you’ll need to consider the external factors that may be harming your skin, things like the sun, climate, your overall health, etc. Set goals to improve the things in your life you can control that might be affecting your skin health.

Second, you’ll need to assess your skincare routine. Sometimes your skin just needs a break from the products you are using. Strip your routine down to the most gentle essentials, temporarily stopping all exfoliation. Most people only need to exfoliate once or twice a week, so restart gradually once you’ve healed and wait to see signs of recovery before adding any other products.

Your skin type can help determine what products/routines to do for your skin. If you are unsure what skin type you have, see an esthetician. Estheticians can also help recommend the right products to help heal the barrier. Make sure you choose the right cleanser! Also, always, always moisturize! Even if you have oily skin, a moisturizer should be a regular part of your skincare regimen to help keep your skin barrier hydrated.

WHAT PRODUCTS CAN I USE TO HEAL MY SKIN BARRIER?

When you’re looking to heal the acid mantle, you want to stick to the basics. Too many intense ingredients can be the cause of your damage and/or can impede the healing process. Once you see a difference (healing can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks), then you can try adding onto your routine.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR WHEN TRYING TO HEAL

Humectants– substances that bind water and maintain skin hydration. They are most effective when used in combination with emollients. Humectants pull moisture into the skin and emollients seal it in.

Examples: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, beta glucan, and natural sugars like sorbitol or erythritol.

Emollients- contain lipids that coat the skin, sealing off the barrier to prevent water loss. Emollients also help to repair the cracks (so to speak) in your skin barrier.

Examples: oils and butters; rosehip seed oil, raspberry seed oil, or abyssinian oil (for oily or aging skin) and oat oil, plum kernel oil, and squalane (for dry skin)

Ceramides- a natural part of your skin barrier itself and made up of a combination of lipids and fatty acids that protect your natural acid mantle. Using barrier repair products that contain ceramides will be a huge help in improving the healthiness of your skin barrier.

Antioxidants- a shield against environmental aggressors. Antioxidants pack and even better punch because they can also repair the skin barrier once damage is already done.

Examples: products that contain vitamins CBD, E, B3, and C

Actives- botanical ingredients known to be soothing and healing. With actives, you should start slow, picking products with ingredients that aren’t irritating for your skin type.

Examples: allantoin and bisabolol

GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS

We all get caught up in the daily grind and our skin and overall health can suffer from it. Keeping a healthy skin barrier is all about balance; never underestimate the importance of the simple things. Drink your water. Wear sunscreen. Get some sleep. Oh, and take your makeup off at night!

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