The 9 Best Products to Repair Your Skin Barrier in 2021

Whether you’re prepping for the colder winter months or in need of some hydration after a long, hot summer, the best barrier repair cream will lock some much needed moisture into your skin. Great at blocking out the damaging effects of environmental aggressors, products to repair skin barrier will bring your troubled skin back to good health.

Can Skin Barrier Be Repaired? And How Long Does it Take?

When your skin’s barrier is damaged, your skin struggles to hold onto moisture. The skin’s barrier acts like a coat of armour for the lower layers of your skin. Many things can wear this barrier down, including stress, pollution, UV rays, and too much screen time. To repair your skin’s barrier, you need to moisturise your skin and keep it well hydrated. If you’re wondering how to repair a damaged skin barrier, you need to pick some products that will keep your skin feeling good and looking healthy.

Once you begin treating your skin with kindness and picking up products that work to keep it hydrated, you'll be surprised at how quickly your skin visibly improves. Disordered skin will often show acne, dark circles, redness, pigmentation, and other skin complaints. Avoid over-exfoliating or lightening with hydroquinone-infused products. Use creams laden with anti-inflammatories and antioxidants for a ravishing recovery.

What is Barrier Repair Cream?

An intensive barrier repair cream will help restore the skin to its naturally healthy condition. Usually packed full of restorative ingredients, barrier creams heal dry skin and infuse the skin with moisture for positive effect. The key ingredients to repair skin barrier are Avocado Oil (all natural fats and oils, in fact), Omegas, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C. An antioxidant like Vitamin E will keep your skin protected from any free radical damage. If you want to heal wounded skin, look for Panthenol. Dimethicone forms a hydrating barrier on the skin’s surface, which will lock in moisture.

Not Sure You Need a Barrier Repair Cream?

You’d be surprised at the many ways in which they benefit your skin. Everyone from top dermatologists to A-list celebrities love to rave about the nourishing benefits of a skin barrier repair cream. From face to body, from uneven skin to super-dry hands, everyone can enjoy the effects of a rich moisturiser.

If you want your skin to look dewy, healthy, and ever-so glowy, a barrier repair cream will put you on the right path. We’ve looked at the reviews, scouted some of our favourites, and listed them here for you. Pick one to fast-track your skin to next-level health!

• If you’re looking for a thick cream that will nourish and hydrate the skin, Dermalogica Age Smart Super Rich Repair 50g is a great option for you. Helping to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, the anti-ageing ingredients promote healthy collagen production, while antioxidants help fight free radical damage. Peptides offer the skin support and help maintain a youthful appearance. Jojoba Oil, Oat Extracts, and Evening Primrose Oil work to reduce inflammation and any irritation caused by dry weather and dehydration. This skin-loving formula is PETA-accredited and cruelty-free. Apply the cream as the last step in your routine. You’ll need to use only a pea-sized amount to cover your entire face.

• Did you know there are 9 indicators of ageing skin? Dryness, wrinkles, flakiness, darkening, blemishes, enlarged pores, reduced skin elasticity, roughness, and unevenness will give away your age and can make you feel a little self-conscious. But innisfree Perfect 9 Repair Cream 60ml combines powerful botanicals to tackle these signs gently. The formula includes the power of Green Tea from Jeju, Honeysuckle, and Dandelion, which work together to help defend the skin against aggressors. Perfect for all skin types, even sensitive skin, this is one of the best products to repair skin barrier. Apply this face moisturiser morning and night after cleansing and toning your face.

They call it ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason. In order to wake up feeling proud and happy with your skin, you need a night cream you can rely on. Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream helps revitalise the skin with its base of Primrose Oil and Rose Seed. The natural ingredients blend to help you develop a healthier, more luminous glow. Affordable and suitable for all skin types, this rich cream smooths onto the skin easily and helps fight the telltale signs of ageing. If you’re starting to struggle with fine lines and wrinkles, this emollient-rich formula plumps the skin with moisture and yields an enviable, natural-looking glow.

Helping to hydrate the skin and leave it looking soft, Beauté Pacifique Créme Paradoxe Anti-Age Day Cream 50ml fights the ageing process with a blend of powerful ingredients. Resveratrol helps reduce any signs of stress on the skin, and Squalane mimics the hydration your skin naturally produces. Aloe Vera offers soothing, lightweight hydration. Modified Hyaluronic Acid helps penetrate the skin on a deeper level to bring the skin back into balance. Liquorice Root Extract reduces any inflammation the skin is suffering from and helps leave the skin looking clearer and happier. You need to use only a small amount of this cream to feel the skin-loving effects. Use twice a day to reap the full benefits.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold 24 Hour Moisture Repair Cream is fast becoming a cult classic that skincare specialists can’t get enough of. Working to turn back time and reveal a more youthful appearance, this cream has skin-smoothing and skin-brightening properties that your skin will love to drink up. If you’re suffering from age spots and sun damage, this formula will help soften their appearance. The powerful combination of Vitamin C and Glycolic Acid works to restore the skin to its former glory and give it a plumper, more youthful look. This unique cream contains a powerful blend of Peptides, which help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Argan Stem Cells help protect and strengthen the skin. And powerful antioxidant Vitamin C aids collagen production. Use this nourishing cream at night to wake up with skin that looks revived.

Erno Laszlo Phormula 3-9 Repair Cream includes a beautiful blend of Vitamin C, which aids your skin’s protection from the sun, and Vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant to fight free radicals. Vitamin E also helps diminish the appearance of pigmentation. Niacinamide works to strengthen and restore the skin barrier. Panthenol, or Provitamin B5, gives antioxidant support, leaving your skin feeling quenched and renewed. Gentle Shea Butter deeply conditions the skin from the outside in. And get ready for this: the kind formula contains no parabens or phthalates. This rich, anti-ageing cream is perfect for dry, sensitive skin that’s starting to show signs of ageing. After cleansing and toning your skin, dab a small amount of this cream on and gently massage it into the face and neck. Use daily to experience the best results.

Skin can become sensitive for any number of reasons. When that happens, it's important you have an arsenal of products you can rely upon to feel soothed. Kiehl's Centella Sensitive Cica-Cream 50ml contains D-Panthenol, which conditions and hydrates the skin. Madecassoside, which has been sustainably sourced from Centella Asiatica, improves the healing process of the skin. Free from any alcohol or fragrances, this dermatologically tested cream improves the skin’s barrier and its ability to heal. To use, gently press and smooth the cream onto clean, dry skin twice a day or as necessary. Even if you're really suffering with your skin, this super-kind cream will help ease the pressure and leave you feeling nourished.

If you’re looking for a cream that will help keep your skin protected from daily aggressors and pollutants, Embryolisse Filaderme Emulsion is the perfect option. A caring blend of Beeswax, Squalane, and Soy Proteins, this emulsion protects and repairs dry, uncomfortable, and irritated skin with every use. Filaderme Emulsion nourishes the skin and boosts the skin’s barrier, so the skin retains moisture for longer. Smooth the cream onto your skin morning and night to help ease dry patches and flakiness. The incredibly nourishing formula is a French pharmacy favourite that works to calm irritation and combat skin complaints.

How Long to Repair Skin Barrier?

If you’re suffering from slight skin damage, it can take up to 45 days for the skin’s barrier to improve. Sensitive skin is prone to skin damage, so it’s important you keep it moisturised with a hydrating cream. For moderately acne-prone skin, it could take 3 months for your skin’s barrier to improve. The most important thing is to find nourishing products that work for you and combine them with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

If you’re tired of your skin looking tired and lacklustre, it’s time you invest in a skin barrier repair cream that helps keep it hydrated and protected. You don’t have to just sit and wait for your skin to look and feel better. A moisturising cream will help bring your skin back into balance and help it look its best again.

Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty’s highly trained Customer Service team. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.

This article has been updated on 16/02 to replace discontinued products with our recent product recommendations. Hannah from our Customer Service team has helped to bring you our most recommended products and up-to-date information.