Winter Skin Barrier Repair: Combating Dryness and Redness in Cold Weather

A healthy skin barrier is your best defense against cold, dry winter weather, keeping your skin hydrated and radiant through the season. On the other hand, a damaged skin barrier can lead to red, irritated, and dry skin, which is only made worse by winter conditions. 

If you are asking, “why is my skin so dry?” or noticing damaged skin barrier signs, such as dry, chapped cheeks and hands, this article will walk you through lifestyle and skincare strategies to heal the skin barrier and protect it from further harsh weather. We will explore: 

• Signs of damaged skin barrier and why it’s worse in the winter

• How to repair damaged skin barrier with active skincare ingredients

• How to soothe redness and irritation with dry skin moisturizers and other tools

• How to prevent signs of a damaged skin barrier

• Skincare steps and essential dry skin products from NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare

Cold Weather Damages Skin Barrier: Here’s Why

Your skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin cells that creates the barrier between your body and the outside world. While your skin barrier is strong and specialized, it’s also fragile and susceptible to environmental factors, especially in the winter.

A healthy skin barrier is essential for skin hydration, as it prevents water loss through the skin (trans-epidermal water loss) and relies on hydration, nutrients, and a balanced skin microbiome. 

Winter weather can damage the skin barrier. Dry weather and low humidity increase water loss through the skin. Both cold, dry outdoor air and hot, dry indoor air contribute. Cold temperatures and wind stress the skin, disrupting the barrier and increasing inflammation, irritation, and sensitivity. Winter skin is more reactive to irritants and pollution than hydrated, summer skin. 

Essential Ingredients for Winter Skin Repair

What makes NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare stand out are the synergistic formulas of active ingredients that deliver clinical, measurable results. Let’s explore some of the top active ingredients to include in your winter skincare routine and why you need them for skin barrier protection and repair. 

• Hyaluronic acid – One of the most hydrating ingredients, you’ll find it in toners, serums, moisturizers, you name it. It draws water into the skin and holds it there for an instantly more hydrated, plumper feeling. It’s safe and effective and pairs well with other bioactive ingredients. 

• Ceramides – A natural lipid and primary structural component of the skin barrier. It helps keep moisture in the skin while keeping toxins, pollution, and stress out. They are one of the most critical ingredients for preventing water loss and healing dry skin. 

• Niacinamide – A form of vitamin B3 and essential for cellular repair. Topical niacinamide aids in skin barrier repair, reducing redness and irritation and promoting ceramide synthesis. 

• Antioxidants – include vitamin C, retinol, plant phytonutrients, and other compounds. Antioxidants protect the cells that make up the delicate skin barrier, reducing damage from environmental factors. 

How to Soothe and Reduce Winter Redness

Incorporating these active ingredients into your skincare routine is the best way to soothe redness and dry skin patches, and to prevent them in the first place. The key is to nourish and hydrate the skin throughout the skincare routine, rather than relying on a single product to do all the healing and repair. 

Here are some tips:

• Start with a cleanser for dry skin that gently cleanses and nourishes, without stripping the skin of natural oil integral to barrier health. Read about how face wash can support barrier health here. At the same time, avoid over-cleansing to prevent skin barrier damage.

• Use facial serums with concentrated active ingredients to target skin barrier repair and strengthening.  

• Choose a moisturizer for dry skin containing a synergy of active hydrating, nourishing, and protective ingredients, along with sunscreen during the day. (Yes, even in winter).

• Don’t settle for drugstore skincare, as it may contribute to barrier disruption and dryness. Instead, invest in your skin barrier with NassifMD® Skincare. We’ll take you through specific product recommendations below. 

Protecting Your Skin Barrier with Lifestyle Changes

In addition to a solid barrier-supportive skincare routine, your lifestyle habits can make or break winter skin. Here are some recommendations for those who experience dry skin rash or other signs of skin barrier damage:

• Limit hot water – Reduce the temperature of showers and baths or take them less frequently. Hot water can strip natural oils from the skin, which aid hydration. 

• Cover up in cold weather – Wear a scarf over your face and gloves on your hands in cold weather to prevent excess exposure to freezing temperatures and the wind. Wear sunscreen on exposed areas, too. 

• Prioritize sleep – The skin barrier strengthens and repairs overnight while you sleep. 

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – In addition to hydrating skincare from NassifMD® Skincare, hydrate internally by drinking enough water daily and including electrolyte minerals as needed. Additionally, a whole-food, nutrient-dense diet provides skin nutrients from the inside out. 

• Increase collagen – Eat collagen-rich foods or take a supplement. More collagen in the skin translates to better skin hydration. (Use serums to improve collagen, too!)

Simple Steps to Repair Your Dry Skin Now

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of a hydrating, nourishing skincare routine with active ingredients throughout and the lifestyle tools to implement for skin barrier health and healing, let’s explore some of the specific skincare products expertly designed by Dr. Nassif to support dry skin and barrier integrity. 

Cleanse

NassifMD® Pure Hydration Facial Cleanser is a gentle cleanser for a damaged skin barrier with hydrating and antioxidant-rich ingredients, including matcha, betaine, and squalene. 

Tone

NassifMD® 3HA Hydrating Facial Mist hydrates and refreshes with three forms of hyaluronic acid.  Apply after cleansing as a toner, or anytime throughout the day when your skin needs a moisture pick-me-up. 

Serums

When your skin barrier is damaged, you can’t go wrong with these serums. Start with one or layer them both. 

NassifMD® Hydro-Screen Serum nourishes and hydrates with hyaluronic acid and directly strengthens the skin barrier with ceramides. 

NassifMD® Niacinamide Biopeptide Serum improves hydration and healing with concentrated niacinamide and natural biopeptides from cranberry. 

Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin

Lock in active ingredients and hydration with facial moisturizers for a damaged skin barrier. 

NassifMD® Soft Focus Hydrating Day Cream is a daytime moisturizer for a damaged skin barrier that immediately hydrates and boosts radiance with niacinamide, gentle emollients, and hyaluronic acid. 

NassifMD® Protect & Hydrate provides SPF protection with a hydrating, tinted formula perfect for daytime use.

NassifMD® Pure Hydration Night Cream hydrates and replenishes the skin overnight, aiding in skin barrier repair with galactoarabinan, vitamin C, and aloe. 

NassifMD® Skin Barrier Protection Cream calms and nourishes the skin while deeply hydrating and protecting the skin barrier with antioxidants, niacinamide, and sunflower seed oil.  

Dry winter skin doesn’t just affect the face; it can affect the rest of your skin, even though your face may be exposed to more cold, dry winter air. Find the best body moisturizer for dry skin to prevent and treat dry skin on the body.   

NassifMD® Crepe Inhibitor Triple Action Body Butter deeply rehydrates, repairs, and rejuvenates the skin, addressing damaged skin barrier symptoms with shea butter, skincare peptides, and plant humectants.  

NassifMD® Hydro-Screen Soufflé hydrates and plumps the skin with hyaluronic acid, essential ceramides, and antioxidants. This formula is for the face and body. 

Find the entire NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare dry skin collection here. 

When facing winter weather, protecting the skin barrier is your best defense against the elements. Ensure a strong skin barrier and promote barrier repair with lifestyle tools and an active ingredient-rich routine from NassifMD® Skincare. 

References

1. Harris-Tryon, T. A., & Grice, E. A. (2022). Microbiota and maintenance of skin barrier function. Science (New York, N.Y.), 376(6596), 940–945. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo0693

2. Engebretsen, K. A., Johansen, J. D., Kezic, S., Linneberg, A., & Thyssen, J. P. (2016). The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV, 30(2), 223–249. 

3. Juncan, A. M., Moisă, D. G., Santini, A., Morgovan, C., Rus, L. L., Vonica-Țincu, A. L., & Loghin, F. (2021). Advantages of Hyaluronic Acid and Its Combination with Other Bioactive Ingredients in Cosmeceuticals. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(15), 4429. 

4. Kendall, A. C., Kiezel-Tsugunova, M., Brownbridge, L. C., Harwood, J. L., & Nicolaou, A. (2017). Lipid functions in skin: Differential effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on cutaneous ceramides, in a human skin organ culture model. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes, 1859(9 Pt B), 1679–1689. 

5. Marques, C., Hadjab, F., Porcello, A., Lourenço, K., Scaletta, C., Abdel-Sayed, P., Hirt-Burri, N., Applegate, L. A., & Laurent, A. (2024). Mechanistic Insights into the Multiple Functions of Niacinamide: Therapeutic Implications and Cosmeceutical Applications in Functional Skincare Products. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 13(4), 425.