UNLOCKING THE Surface of SKIN

When it comes to your complexion, there's so much more than meets the eye. Case in point: the skin's top layer, or "skin barrier." Here, GH Beauty Lab and dermatologist experts break down the science and secrets of the barrier, including why keeping it balanced is crucial for skin that's healthy, calm, clear and hydrated.

- APRIL FRANZINO

So what exactly is the skin barrier? 

The barrier is the outermost layer of skin. "It traps and holds moisture in your skin, but it also blocks out allergens, irritants and pollutants in the environment, preventing them from penetrating skin and causing inflammation," says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a dermatologist in New York and the founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty. "The four main components that make a healthy skin barrier are lipids like ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol; the acid mantle (responsible for skin's pH); the microbiome, composed mostly of bacteria; and the skin's immune cells."

4 Top Surface Disrupters

The skin barrier naturally maintains a symbiosis that keeps your complexion functioning properly (and looking clear and smooth), but these culprits can damage it, causing or exacerbating the issues below.

1 Overwashing

Cleansing skin too aggressively or too often and using cleansers that are overly harsh or drying or have a pH that is too alkaline can disrupt the barrier, Dr. Bowe says.

2 Certain ingredients