Understanding Marie Veronique's Barrier Restore Serum

Marie Veronique Barrier Restore Serum

This Barrier Repair Serum is a really popular product, but when it first came out, I wasn't sure people were going to 'get' the whole 'barrier restore' concept (at that time it was a relatively new term). I've had tons of customers tell me how much they love it ever since and I know for many it's a skin saviour, so I want to delve into today to make sure everyone understands what a skin barrier repair product actually is.

But first... Marie Veronique just (slightly) reformulated their Kristina Holey Barrier Restore Serum this month so let's look at those changes.

 Change #1 - it's now vegan. In their words they were able to 'omit the animal by-products without compromising efficacy, look, or feel'; bovine collagen was replaced with a plankton extract that has superior barrier protection function. Yay!

Change #2 - Ceramide NP* encapsulated in milk lipids was replaced with Ceramide NP that contains superior Ceramide IIIB with protective, age-delay and humectant properties.

And if you're wondering what that actually means, they left us with a lovely little anecdote from a great article about ceramides in The Cut: 

Ceramides for Skin Benefits - What Exactly Are They?

Okay, picture the tiles in a shower. Those are your skin cells. Now picture the grout that holds them together. That’s ceramides. “If there isn’t enough grout between the tiles in your shower floor, then it won’t be able to keep water from leaking out of the shower,” says Dr. Joshua Zeichner (he’s a dermatologist, not a plumber, but we trust him). Ceramides, he explains, “seal the cracks between skin-cell tiles.” They keep your cells arranged into a matrix rather than a useless jumble, and they keep all the hydration from leaking out.

Our skin is more than half fat — we’re like walking wagyu. We need all the “fat grout” to keep out the bad stuff (microbes, infection, pollution), seal in the good (water), and hold the whole skin suit together."

I just love analogies! And it's great to know such amazing products can get even better since skin care technology seems to be advancing at lightening speed...(which at my age I'm ever-so-grateful for!). So that's it for the Marie Veronique Barrier Restore Serum in terms of recent changes, but let's dive into a quick discussion about what this product is good for.

How to Heal Skin Barrier

While all the products in the Marie Veronique 'Kristina Holey' line aim to boost barrier function, the Barrier Restore Serum in particular is really awesome at two things:

1. Balancing moisture levels - it provides nutrients to help the skin regulate moisture levels better on its own (will help eliminate dry, dehydrated skin). BUT - and this is an important point - it's not a moisturizer; it's a serum that helps your skin barrier to function better so that in the long term, your skin will retain moisture more efficiently.
2. Correcting inflammation - this could be from dermatitis, acne, aging, rosacea, etc (it's especially good for those who have used harsh products that have stripped their skin in the past; i.e. done too many harsh peels, been on harsh prescriptions, over cleansing, over exfoliating, etc)

How long to use the Barrier Restore Serum?

Really depends on what the issue is and your personal skin care goals (and budget). For some people just hoping to clear up inflammation, they may want to use it just until the issue resolves itself (often after one bottle), while others might want to use it regularly to benefit from the long-term moisturizing and/or anti-aging benefits. While we typically recommend using it to clear up skin issues, we find that many of our customers prefer to keep using it afterwards as well.

When to use the Barrier Restore Serum?

Marie Veronique suggests applying the Barrier Restore Serum after your toner/mist and before your hydrator (and if you're using more than one serum, use the Barrier Restore Serum as the last one). 

What else is in the Marie Veronique Barrier Restore Serum?  

Other than the Ceramides, there are some other pretty heavy hitting ingredients in the Barrier Restore Serum; hard to pick from them all but a couple stars are:

Sodium Hyaluronate - this is a derivative of Hyaluronic Acid that is a humectant (i.e. attacks and binds water); great for anti-aging.

L-Arginine -  an amino acid that helps protect skin from free radicals, boosts collagen production, and increases skin hydration.

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Sometimes I like to check out outside product reviews just to see what some others think; I loved what this gal had to say about her experience with the Barrier Restore Serum....she said, "over time, I can feel my skin get thicker as if it's been exercising." Love that!

It's a superstar product and I have customers who (rightly so) get a little freaked if we are sold out of it (if we do sell out of it we are never out for long since we get Marie Veronique shipments in every week).

Hope that helps to explain this product a bit better. If you have any questions about it please let me know!