Skin barrier & moisture
How your skin keeps water in and irritants out, what dries it, and what moisturizers actually do.
How long does a damaged skin barrier take to recover?
What tape-stripping studies reveal about how fast the skin barrier repairs itself, why it takes longer with age, stress and repeated damage, and what you can do to help it along.
The skin around your eyes: thinner, touchier, different
Why eyelid skin reacts so easily, the common triggers of eyelid dermatitis (including nail polish, metals, fragrance and preservatives), how eye products are checked in Canada, and gentle care.
The three lipids your skin barrier is made of, and why their ratio matters
Ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids make up the “mortar” of your skin barrier in a set balance. What research on “physiologic lipid” moisturizers found.
Acne treatments and a dry, irritated barrier: finding the balance
Why retinoids and benzoyl peroxide leave skin dry, red and peeling, what studies show about adding a moisturizer, and practical ways to protect your barrier without giving up on acne treatment.
Can you get “addicted” to lip balm?
Why lip balm can’t cause physical addiction, what’s really behind the feeling you can’t stop (irritants, flavours, licking, habit), and how to choose a plain balm that breaks the cycle.
Dry skin vs dehydrated skin: what’s the difference, really?
Dry skin lacks oil and lipids; dehydrated skin lacks water. What the research says about each, why oily skin can still be short of water, and what helps.
Skin after 65: dryness, itch and fragile skin
Why skin gets drier, itchier and more fragile after 65, what asteatotic eczema and skin tears are, and a gentle daily routine that research and wound-care experts support.
Everyday habits that weaken your skin barrier (and how to recover)
The ordinary habits that strip your skin barrier: hot water, over-washing, harsh cleansers, over-exfoliating, stacking actives. How to spot the damage and let it heal.
Why lips dry out so fast (and what actually helps)
Why lip skin loses water faster than the rest of your face, how licking, cold and sun make it worse, when a lip product is the cause, what a good balm does, and when chapped lips need a doctor.
When to moisturize: the timing that actually makes a difference
Does moisturizer work better right after a shower? How often should you apply it, does bedtime matter, and in what order should it go with a medicated cream? What the research says.
Protecting your skin from wind, cold and dry indoor air
Why Canadian winters dry out skin (low humidity outside, furnace air inside), and a practical routine for the season: showers, moisturizer, humidifier, gloves, lips.
Rough “chicken skin” in kids and teens: what parents should know
Why so many children and teens get keratosis pilaris, its link to eczema and dry skin, why it isn’t harmful or catching, a gentle routine that helps, what to avoid, and when to see a doctor.
Lotion, cream, ointment or gel: choosing the right texture
How lotions, creams, ointments and gels differ, what a large trial found when it compared all four, and which texture suits which body area, season and time of day.
Why some moisturizers feel greasy and others don’t
The science of moisturizer texture: oil-to-water ratios, silicones and film formers, how “absorbs quickly” is tested, and why greasy isn’t bad for very dry skin.
“Slugging”: sealing your skin overnight, explained
What “slugging” actually does to your skin, the science of occlusion behind it, who it suits, when it can backfire (acne, active treatments) and what it can’t fix.
Can a moisturizer really “restore” your skin barrier?
What studies actually measure when they test barrier repair (TEWL, hydration, ceramides), what the evidence says about lipid-rich moisturizers, and the honest limits.
Do humidifiers help dry skin in winter?
What dry winter air does to your skin barrier, what the research does and doesn’t show about humidifiers, Health Canada’s humidity targets, and how to avoid the mould and bacteria risks.
Humectants, emollients, occlusives: the three jobs of a moisturizer
What humectants, emollients and occlusives each do in a moisturizer, with examples like glycerin, ceramides and petrolatum, and how to pick by skin type and season.
Hot showers and your skin: the comfort that costs moisture
What studies show about hot water and your skin barrier, why a long hot shower can leave you itchy, when itch after bathing needs a doctor, and easy ways to keep the comfort without the dryness.
TEWL: the water your skin loses every day, and why researchers measure it
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in plain words: what it is, how a probe measures it, why it rises in dry skin and eczema, and why studies use it as a barrier score.
Your skin’s pH: why slightly acidic matters
Why the surface of your skin is slightly acidic, how that acidity runs the enzymes that build your barrier and keeps friendly bacteria in place, and what pushes pH up, from soap to tap water.
Ceramide NP, AP, EOP: decoding the ceramide names on a label
What the letters in ceramide NP, AP, EOP and NS stand for, how they match the ceramides in your own skin, what the old numbered names were, and what evidence exists for each type.
Your skin barrier: the brick wall that keeps water in and irritants out
What the skin barrier actually is, how its “bricks” and “mortar” keep water in and irritants out, how to tell it’s damaged, and what damages it most.