Skin-barrier repair is a huge trend in skin care recently—especially as people degrade their barriers with too many active ingredients and DIY tricks that should be left to the professionals. Although it’s currently a trend, having a healthy skin barrier is eternally important. “A well-functioning barrier is the foundation for healthy looking and feeling skin,” says Emily Philen, senior manager, R&D scientific affairs at Murad. As part of their Not Your Ordinary Serum campaign, Murad is tacking on a new product that’s all about hydration and bolstering the barrier: Cellular Hydration Repair Serum ($72).
Murad Cellular Hydration Repair Serum
It might sound like the product is overpromising when Murad says it can repair the skin barrier in 30 minutes. However, there’s science to back up the claim. This serum delivers hydration at the cellular level, which promotes stronger, healthier, smoother skin in just one use. Plus, in one week it reduces redness. Murad confirms the skin barrier benefits through a skin barrier function test. The test measures TransEpidermal Water Loss (TEWL) or how much water is leaving the skin, explains Philein.
“For the barrier repair protocol, TEWL is measured before (on normal clean skin), after the barrier has been ‘damaged,’ after product application, and finally after continued use of the product for one and two weeks,” says Philen. Barrier damage results in increased water loss. Application of the serum lowered TEWL back to baseline after just 30 minutes, she explains. “Like a serum bandage, this fast benefit is a function of the serum’s hydrating and moisturizing properties that keep water in skin.”
This serum can help balance out the effects of powerful actives like retinol. “We are all in a battle to keep our skin hydrated. Cellular Hydration Repair Serum is an exceptional choice for someone that has reactive skin either from dryness, recent damage (too much time in the sun or wind) or has been using powerful products or treatments and needs some nurturing recovery,” says Philen.
The formula features cutting-edge ingredients that power barrier repair. “Hexapeptide-9 reinforces the stratum corneum to protect skin from external irritants. Bilberry oil is rich in essential fatty acids for soothing moisture. A network of crosslinked hyaluronic acid forms a protective hydration layer over skin,” says Philein. “It’s multifunctional and a very sophisticated approach to barrier repair for fast and lasting results.”
