Without a strong, robust skin barrier, you’re not going to glow. Full stop. So keeping hydrated and supporting your skin microbiome should be key parts of your overall routine. This is best achieved in two parts: Limit irritation and then layer on barrier-supporting creams and hydrators.
On the former point, we recommend removing strong cleansers from your routine, as they can disrupt your biome and moisture layer. From there, it’s just about listening to your skin: Take note of what products leave your skin feeling tight, dry, or angry after. We’re often taught that these are signs that the formula is “working” on the skin, but instead, they’re indications that they may be disrupting the barrier.
On the latter part, look for lotions and creams that contain lipids, antioxidants, and biotic ingredients. We love lipids like botanical oils (oat, moringa seed, and jojoba come to mind), as they are full of skin-supporting fatty acids. Antioxidants can help buffer the skin against the effects of environmental stressors and free radicals, two things that seriously dull your shine. Finally, biotic ingredients—like pre-, pro-, and postbiotics—work with your natural microflora to improve epidermal framework, overall skin quality, and hydration.