What is a compromised Skin Barrier?

One of the primary functions of your skin is protection. The outermost layer, called the strateum corneum, acts as your skins first line of defense against external aggressors, and is often referred to as the skin barrier. Your skin barrier is composed of:

1.  Natural Moisturizing Factors: water soluble ingredients found in the strateum corneum that keep your skin moisturized (hyaluronic acid, linoleic acid, triglycerides, ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterols, glycoaminoglycans (GAGs), urea)

2. Lipid Matrix: composed of fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol to prevent loss of moisture and maintain integrity of the skin.

3. Acid Mantle: composed of sebum (oil), lipids, sweat and water creating an acid film to discourage the growth of bacteria and fungi. It gives the skin a pH of 5.5-6.5.

4. Microbiome: a community of microorganisms that protect against irritants, repair the barrier and communicate with the immune system to bring down inflammation

• Exposure to irritating ingredients
• Environmental pollutant
• Aggressive chemical peels and products
• Immune System/Stress
• Over Exfoliation

Anyone of these elements can breakdown the lipid matrix, causing the natural moisturizing factors and water to evaporate from the skin, known as trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), and disrupting the balance of the microbiome. This leaves the skin vulnerable to over growth of viruses, fungi, bacteria (the kind we don’t want) and irritants getting passed the skin barrier

causing sensitivity.

• Dryness
• Flaking
• Redness/Inflammation
• Abnormal stinging/burning
• Itchiness

We need to focus on restoring the lipid matrix to reduce TEWL, increase hydration, reduce inflammation and bring balance back to the microbiome. The new Kombucha Microbiome Collection is able to do all those listed above to repair the skin barrier.

Kombucha Microbiome contains the following ingredients to treat a compromised skin barrier:

• Inluin & chicory root: act as a pre-biotic to feed the healthy bacteria on your skin
• Kombucha is a post-biotic that helps to replenish moisture by suppling fatty acids rebuilding the lipid matrix
• Ginger root which is an anti-inflammatory to reduce sensitivity and redness
• Hyaluronic acid to replenish loss moisture