How to Choose a Moisturizer Based on Skin Barrier Function

With so many moisturizers to choose from, it can be a challenge to sift through the options and pick the best one for your skin. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck on how to choose a moisturizer, start with one important characteristic of your skin: its barrier function. 

The best moisturizer for you will support and strengthen your skin’s natural barrier so that it becomes better able to retain moisture and seal irritants out. Learn more about what the skin barrier is, how it functions, and how to choose a moisturizer based on your skin’s unique barrier function here.

Your skin barrier is the protective structure of skin cells and lipids that exist in the outermost layer of your skin, called the stratum corneum. Think of it as a protective wall that guards your body against environmental stressors like pollution, allergens, and microbes, while also keeping moisture inside your skin. This barrier is a complex structure made up of skin cells called corneocytes that are embedded in a matrix of lipids, which act like mortar between “bricks” of skin cells. These lipids include ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol.

When this barrier is intact, your skin stays hydrated, resilient, and healthy. When it’s compromised or damaged, moisture is able to escape and irritants can enter, leading to dryness, inflammation, irritation, and increased sensitivity.

To understand how well your skin barrier is functioning, you need to know which of the 16 Baumann Skin Types you are. The 8 dry types have dehydration, which means the barrier is not retaining moisture and is therefore damaged. The 8 sensitive types have inflammation, which can also impair the skin barrier. Thus, if you have a D in your skin type and/or if you have an S with an inflammatory condition like rosacea or eczema, your skin barrier is compromised and needs support from a barrier repair moisturizer. 

Oily Skin Types either have functioning skin barrier, or they make enough sebum to form an occlusive surface that prevents transepidermal water loss. So they typically do not need extra lipids and skin barrier support. 

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If your skin barrier is damaged, a barrier repair moisturizer will help to restore proper barrier function. So how do you find the best barrier repair moisturizer? Look for two key characteristics:

1. A 1:1:1 molecular ratio of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol. These three lipids are the building blocks of your skin’s natural barrier. In healthy skin, they are present in roughly equal proportions and are arranged into structured layers. Note this refers to the molecular ration, not just the percentage on an ingredient list. Too much of one lipid compared to the others can actually disrupt the barrier rather than repair it (3). 

2. Displays a Maltese cross pattern under a cross-polarized microscope. In healthy skin, the lipid layers are tightly packed in what’s called an orthorhombic arrangement. When barrier repair creams mimic this structure, they form a distinctive Maltese cross pattern under a specialized microscope. This is a sign that the lipids are structured in a way that closely resembles your skin’s own barrier. Moisturizers that display this pattern are the most effective barrier repair moisturizers. 

An effective barrier repair moisturizer with these qualities works by rebuilding and strengthening the skin’s lipid matrix, which consists of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol.

• Ceramides are waxy lipid molecules that act as the primary “glue” that holds skin cells together and prevents moisture from escaping. 

• Fatty acids fill in gaps between lipids and contribute flexibility and signaling functions that support repair and reduce inflammation. 

• Cholesterol stabilizes the entire structure, helping the lipid layers to remain fluid yet resilient under stress. 

When these three components are delivered in a balanced 1:1:1 molecular ratio, they can integrate into the damaged barrier and restore the proper lipid structure found in healthy skin.

Some of the best barrier repair moisturizers that have a 1:1:1 lipid ratio and show the Maltese cross pattern include:

Many people with oily skin can still benefit from a moisturizer, but you will not need a heavier barrier repair cream like for dry or inflamed skin. Instead, look for a lightweight product that is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores. 

I have found that my oily skin patients do best with humectant based moisturizers containing ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

Some of the best moisturizers for oily skin types that are lightweight and non-comedogenic include:

If your skin barrier is damaged, a barrier repair moisturizer can take several weeks to work on a molecular level to restore proper barrier function. However, with a properly formulated barrier repair cream, you should feel some immediate relief from dryness and cracking. It is important to consistently use a barrier repair moisturizer to see and feel optimal results.

Knowing the status of your skin barrier function is the best way to choose a moisturizer for your skin. To gain this insight about your skin’s health, take the quiz below to find out your Baumann Skin Type. If you are a dry type, you will benefit from a barrier repair cream. If you are oily, a lightweight moisturizer without pore-clogging ingredients will best suit you.

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1. Baumann L. Moisturizers in Ch. 43 of Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology Ed 3. (McGraw Hill 2022)
2. Baumann, L. Chapters 19-21. Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients (McGraw Hill 2015)
3. Coderch, L., López, O., de la Maza, A., & Parra, J. L. (2003). Ceramides and skin function. American journal of clinical dermatology, 4(2), 107-129.
4. Nolan, K., & Marmur, E. (2012). Moisturizers: reality and the skin benefits. Dermatologic therapy, 25(3), 229-233.
5. Kang, S. Y., Um, J. Y., Chung, B. Y., Lee, S. Y., Park, J. S., Kim, J. C., ... & Kim, H. O. (2022). Moisturizer in patients with inflammatory skin diseases. Medicina, 58(7), 888.