Article: 5 Ways to Increase Skincare Penetration
5 Ways to Increase Skincare Penetration
IN THIS ARTICLE:
5 Ways to Increase Skincare Penetration
6-minute read
The skin's primary function is to shield the body from environmental hazards, prevent infections, and block harmful substances from entering, all crucial for maintaining overall health. The skin barrier, also called the ‘skin permeability barrier’ is made up of a lipid structure in the stratum corneum - the outermost layer of the skin.
Early era ‘social media skinfluencing’ saw the unfettered promotion of exfoliating tools and strong actives, a trend that left many skin barriers (mine included) in need of some serious TLC. More recent trends have (thankfully) regained a focus on repairing the skin barrier and a gradual approach to skin actives.
What if there was a way to temporarily disrupt the skin barrier to let in the good stuff, while not disrupting it so much as to cause any long-term harm? Enter: Penetration enahncers.
Boosting your skincare absorption allows for high-performing (and often expensive) actives to permeate the skin barrier more effectively. They allow your skincare to pass through the stratum corneum and reach the epidermal skin layer where intended benefits can be achieved quicker and more thoroughly.
We explore 5 skincare practices to boost skincare penetration while effectively reinforcing skin elasticity for radiant and healthy skin.
1. Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a mechanical exfoliating technique that effectively removes the stratum corneum or outer skin layer which consists of keratinized cells. Keratinized cells form a strong barrier making the skin more difficult to penetrate. While a strong skin barrier is important, exfoliating away the outermost dead skin cells prevents dull, dry, and flaky skin helping to speed up cell rejuvenation and ensure brighter and clearer skin. How can I increase my skincare absorption with exfoliation?
Microdermabrasion uses diamond-encrusted tips to gently slough away dead skin so follow-up serums such as hyaluronic acid, squalane, peptides, and ceramides penetrate the skin more effectively.
Reinvo | Facial Microdermabrasion Wand
Mechanical exfoliation technique using diamond-encrusted tips to reveal a smooth and bright complexion
2. Electroporation
The cell wall contains phospholipids in a bilayer formation. Electroporation delivers rapid electrical pulses which disrupt the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane creating microwounds. The temporary pores allow the effective introduction of nourishing skincare actives into the skin reaching each individual cell. Where the cell membrane remains intact, these molecules will typically stay on the superficial skin layers as the molecules are too large to pass through the phospholipid bilayer as the microwounds begin to repair, collagen production is boosted leading to enhanced elasticity and firmness.
Electroporation for skincare penetration can be administered in a clinic setting or with an at-home device such as Reva | Instant Age Renewal Wand. While in-clinic electroporation machines are powerful, continuity of treatment may be more diffiult as electroporation is most effective when it can be done 2-3 times per week. More frequent salon visits may also be costly comparatively.
REVA | Instant Age Renewal Wand
5-in-1 skin tightening tool for the ultimate at-home facelift with LED light therapy
3. Dermarolling
Dermarolling is an at-home alternative to microneedling, an in-clinic treatment that uses microneedles to create tiny, painless wounds in the skin’s texture to enhance product absorption. The microscopic wounds also trigger the skin’s natural healing process to rebuild lost proteins such as collagen, elastin and hyaluromic acid. The tiny punctures allow for increased absorption of skincare products to enhance their effectiveness. At-home dermarolling improves skin texture and treats hyperpigmentation.
The Derma Roller | 540 Titanium Microneedle Facial Tool
0.25mm microneedling device to boost collagen and improve skin elasticity by boosting skin's natural healing process
4. Skin Steaming
At-home skin steaming is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase skin permeability allowing your skincare actives to work harder. Steam increases skin permeability by applying gentle heat and moisture to the skin, which helps to soften and relax its outer layer. The heat from the steam particles also boost skincare absorption. The best at home skin steamer is one that uses nano ionic steam particles - such as the Sensa. Ion-rich micro-steam particles penetrate the skin ten times more effectively than regular steam.
Sensa | Nano Ionic Facial Steamer
Deeply cleanse pores and extract impurities while retaining skin moisture in one 10 minute treatment
5. The Correct Skincare Order
Knowing how to apply your skincare in the correct order is key to getting the most from each product. Cleansing and exfoliating should be done at the start of every routine but in terms serums, creams, moisturizers, and other lotions as a general rule, they should be applied from thinnest to thickest. This order promotes better absorption as lighter weight serums don’t have to penetrate thicker layers to work effectively. Lighter serums, like hyaluronic acid, should be applied first, followed by cream-based products. For your evening routine, finish with a barrier cream, and in the morning, apply SPF as the final step. If you are new to a certain topicals such as retinol or other vitamin A derivatives your derm may recommend applying these over your moisturizer to strengthen skin tolerance. This technique, known as the "sandwich method," involves layering harsher active ingredients between two applications of moisturizer. This helps protect the skin barrier by preventing direct contact and reducing potential irritation.
The Takeaway
Boosting skincare absorption doesn’t have to mean compromising your skin barrier. By incorporating gentle exfoliation, advanced skincare devices, skin steaming, and the right layering techniques, you can maximize your existing skincare routine to promote better absorption and improved results. Advanced skincare techniques such as dermarollig and electroporation actually allow you to create microscopic holes in the skin cell to allow deeper and better skincare absorption without causing any damage to your skin barrier.
written by Olivia Khader
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