How to Restore Your Skin Barrier This Winter

Cold air, indoor heating, and long, hot showers. Winter can do a number on your skin without you even realising it. That tight, dry feeling is usually a sign your skin barrier is struggling to maintain moisture. The skin barrier plays a huge role in keeping your skin balanced and resilient, as it locks in hydration and keeps irritants out. But when it’s under stress, especially during winter, it can become weaker and more prone to damage.

That’s why it’s important to support your skin barrier with the right Winter skincare products and habits. By restoring its strength and function, your skin stays resilient, even when the cold weather isn’t making it easy.

Winter can make skin feel drier or more sensitive than usual, but sometimes it’s a sign your barrier needs extra support. If your skin’s protective layer starts to break down, it can struggle to hold onto moisture and keep irritants out. That’s where the right skincare routine comes in. It can help with skin barrier repair in Winter by restoring hydration levels and strengthening your skin’s natural defences.

Here’s what to look out for:

Is your skin feeling dehydrated? That’s often a sign your barrier is under pressure and struggling to hold onto moisture. This can leave your skin feeling tight, rough, or flaky, even after you’ve moisturised. Ingredients like ceramides in skincare can help by topping up the skin’s natural lipids, which are essential for keeping hydration locked in.

If your usual products suddenly start to sting or make your skin feel uncomfortable, it could mean your barrier is struggling. A healthy barrier helps protect nerve endings from irritation, but once it’s compromised, everyday products can trigger reactions. Using products like omega fatty acids in skincare products helps improve hydration levels and supports the skin’s natural ability to soothe irritation.

Barrier damage can cause your skin to overreact to things it would usually tolerate. This can show up as redness, patchy irritation, or even breakouts, since the skin’s natural defences are weakened and more prone to flare-ups. Using glycerin skincare products can help by hydrating the outer layer of skin and offering extra protection against everyday irritants.

Essential skincare ingredients for winter

When cold air and indoor heating start to strip your skin, dryness is often the first sign your barrier needs extra support. One of the common reasons why your skin is dehydrated in winter is that the barrier isn’t holding onto moisture the way it normally should. Certain ingredients can help nourishdry skin in Winter by locking in moisture and reducing irritation.

The key ones to look out for are:

1. Ceramides

Ceramides are natural lipids or fats that help hold the skin together, like mortar between bricks. The skin benefits of ceramides include strengthening the barrier, preventing water loss, and protecting skin from environmental stress.

2. Niacinamide

This form of vitamin B3 is known for its ability to soothe and strengthen skin. Niacinamide skin benefits include calming redness, supporting barrier repair, and helping the skin maintain hydration.

3. Omega fatty acids

These healthy fats are great for reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier. The benefits of omega fatty acids include reducing inflammation, boosting skin resilience, and helping the skin lock in moisture more effectively.

4. Glycerin

One of the most effective humectants for winter skincare is glycerin, which works by drawing moisture into the skin. Glycerin benefits include hydrating the outer layer, improving barrier function, and providing daily protection against dryness and irritation.

Where you’ll find it

How it helps the skin barrier

Help restore the skin’s natural barrier by replacing lost lipids and reducing dryness.

Tips for use

Use daily, especially after cleansing, to help rebuild barrier strength. Ideal for dry to very dry skin.

how to massage a scar

Where you’ll find it

How it helps the skin barrier

Soothes irritation, locks in hydration, and supports barrier recovery over time.

Tips for use

Great for daily use on sensitive, dry, or reactive skin. Can be used across multiple products in your routine.

how to massage a scar

Where you’ll find it

How it helps the skin barrier

Gently cleanses while supporting the skin barrier with nourishing omegas to reduce dryness and sensitivity.

Tips for use

Use as your first cleanser, especially in winter to avoid stripping the skin. Follow up with a gentle moisturiser.

how to massage a scar

Where you’ll find it

How it helps the skin barrier

Hydrates by drawing water into the skin’s surface, helping restore balance and protection against daily irritation.

Tips for use

Use morning and night to maintain hydration. Ideal for layering under moisturisers or SPF.

how to massage a scar

Winter skin often needs a little extra care, especially when cold weather and heating start to wear down your natural defences. Making a few small changes to your routine can help restore your skin barrier and keep it protected through the colder months.

Choose a nourishing, soap-free cleanser

Look for gentle cleansers that clean without stripping. Soap-free, nourishing formulas help maintain your skin’s protective barrier while removing dirt, sunscreen, and makeup, without leaving your skin feeling tight afterwards.

 

Layer hydration under your barrier creams

Start with a hydrating serum, then follow with a barrier cream to lock everything in. This layering approach gives your skin both immediate hydration and longer-lasting support for its protective layer.

 

Be consistent, not reactive

Applying nourishing, barrier-strengthening products daily works better than waiting until your skin feels dry or irritated. Building hydration and barrier care into your daily routine helps prevent issues before they start.

 

Top up moisturiser if your skin feels tight

If your skin starts to feel dry or uncomfortable during the day, don’t wait for your evening routine. Reapplying moisturiser when you need it helps keep your barrier protected, especially when you’re moving between indoor spaces and cold air outside.

 

Turn down the water temperature

Long, hot showers might feel good in winter, but they can strip away natural oils that protect your skin. Try lukewarm water instead to avoid making dryness and sensitivity worse. Follow up with a moisturiser while your skin is still damp to give your barrier the extra care it needs after washing.

 

Skip harsh ingredients while your barrier recovers

If your skin is stinging, red, or extra sensitive, it’s a sign to pause exfoliating acids or other active treatments. Give your barrier time to repair by focusing on hydration and barrier support first. Once your skin settles, you can slowly reintroduce these ingredients.

Skincare during Winter goes beyond just adding extra moisture. To make sure your routine is effective, it’s important to choose products that support your skin’s natural defences and help with skin barrier repair in winter, while also protecting it from ongoing dryness.

The Atoderm range is made for this, with different textures and formulas to match your skin’s daily needs. Here’s how each product plays a role:

Atoderm Shower Oil

This oil-based cleanser nourishes the skin as it washes away impurities, helping to ease tightness that often comes after showering. Its lipid-restoring action keeps the skin hydrated and comfortable long after you’ve stepped out of the water.

Best for: Very dry to eczema-prone skin

Atoderm Shower Gel

  • With its gentle foaming texture, this cleanser lifts away dirt while respecting the skin’s natural balance. It rinses off easily, leaving the skin fresh, soft and comfortable without any dryness.
  • Best for: Normal to dry ski

Atoderm Intensive Gel Moussant

  • This soap-free gel cleanses effectively while soothing sensations of discomfort that can come with dryness. It helps protect against further dehydration, supporting skin that needs extra care each day.
  • Best for: Very dry to eczema-prone skin

Atoderm Intensive Baume

  • Perfect for very dry or eczema-prone skin, this balm works to calm irritation while restoring the skin’s protective lipids. It helps reduce flare-ups over time, making skin feel stronger and more comfortable with regular use.
  • Best for: Very dry to eczema-prone skin

Atoderm 2-in-1 Oil

  • This lightweight dry oil smooths rough patches and deeply nourishes the skin barrier without leaving a greasy layer behind. It’s a simple way to keep skin comfortable and moisturised for 24 hours, even when the weather is working against you.
  • Best for: Normal to dry skin

Atoderm Crème Ultra

  • A go-to for daily hydration, this cream helps soften and protect normal to dry skin. It sinks in quickly, supports barrier health, and leaves the skin feeling supple after just one application.
  • Best for: Normal to dry skin

Taking care of your skin during the colder months doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent. Choosing products that support your skin barrier in Winter is the simplest way to help it stay hydrated and protected when the weather turns harsh.

BIODERMA keeps it simple by working with your skin, not against it. Our approach is rooted in Ecobiology, creating products that work with your skin’s natural intelligence to help it adapt and protect itself year-round. With the right Winter skincare products and daily habits, you can help your skin stay balanced and protected throughout winter and long after it’s over.

Contact

Need help ?

Questions about your skin?

Messenger

Monday to Friday, 9am to 6 pm

Email

24/7

Find a store