16 Best Barrier Repair Products to Replenish Dry, Damaged Skin

Whatever TikTok trends or buzzy skin-care ingredients are out there, heed this piece of advice: Don't compromise your barrier in the process. Luckily, the best barrier repair cream will help your skin stay healthy and properly moisturized.

Our Top Picks:

• Best Overall: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream, $48
• Best for Oily Skin: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream, $12
• Best for Dry Skin: Caudalie Premier Cru The Rich Cream, $129
• Best for Sensitive Skin: Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream, $48
• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer, $23
• Best for Mature Skin: Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer, $38
• Best Overnight Treatment: U Beauty The Barrier Bioactive Treatment, $198
• Best for Stressed Skin: Tower 28 SOS Daily Barrier Recovery Cream, $24

For context, our skin's job is to protect us — it acts as a shield to protect the body from external aggressors such as bacteria, pollution, and UV rays. But skin-care products and habits, like harsh chemical exfoliants and cleansing too often, can inadvertently harm the skin's moisture barrier, which is the outermost layer of the skin (also known as the epidermis) that guards against external stressors. The result? Dry, irritated skin.

Below, take a look at 16 of the most effective, anti-inflammatory formulas for addressing barrier damage and nourishing compromised skin — you're welcome.

• How does the skin barrier become damaged?
• Which skin barrier repair ingredients should I look out for?
• How often should I use skin barrier products?
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream

Why It's Worth It: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream is a thick yet fast-absorbing cream that feels almost sinful as you apply it, relieving dry patches, making the skin appear visibly smoother, and reducing redness. It contains a blend of glycerin, urea, and squalane to provide intense hydration to the skin. No level of dryness is too severe for this cream — here's looking at you, scaly winter skin.

Editor Tip: If you're not facing extremely dry or distressed skin, try the brand's best-selling Ultra Facial Cream, a classic, lightweight option powered by squalane and ceramides to hydrate skin and maintain a healthy skin barrier. Since it sinks in quickly, it makes for a winning daytime moisturizer, too.

Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, beta-glucan, urea | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Oily Skin: The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

Why It's Worth It: Those with oily and acne-prone skin are just as vulnerable to skin barrier damage, but the catch is that many creams can be occlusive — or simply feel too heavy for people prone to breakouts. That's not the case with The Inkey List's Omega Water Cream, which has an oil-free formula that's powered by ceramides, glycerin, and niacinamide to balance skin and restore hydration. The lightweight, cushiony cream sinks in quickly to comfort and protect skin.

Editor Tip: The addition of niacinamide gives it brightening abilities, which is helpful for those dealing with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Dry Skin: Caudalie Premier Cru The Rich Cream

Why It's Worth It: For immediate relief from redness, flakiness, and peeling (a hallmark of a damaged skin barrier), consider Caudalie's Premier Cru The Rich Cream. This 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner errs on the pricier side of things, but it's worth it to bathe your skin in a luxurious blend of lipid-replenishing bio-ceramides that prevent water loss. "It's really more than just a moisturizer: I have noticed my skin has transformed from looking dull and dry to hydrated and glowy, and I even find that it's helped treat my pesky hyperpigmentation and even out texture," said our tester. Plus, you can cut back costs ($20, to be precise) by springing for a refill pod once you've hit empty on the jar.

Editor Tip: Did we mention that its sibling, The Cream, won a 2022 Best of Beauty Award? When comparing the ingredient lists of The Cream and The Rich Cream, cosmetic chemist Ginger King noted that the oils (like grapeseed) are listed much higher in The Rich Cream, therefore making them more potent. Keep that in mind if you're trying to choose between the two.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance-free: No

Best for Sensitive Skin: Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream

Why It's Worth It: Dr. Jart+ launched an upgraded version of its beloved Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream, with twice the 5-Cera Complex to help build up the skin barrier. It's also chockfull of hydrating panthenol, making it a great option for all skin types, but especially those with rough, dry, itchy skin. "My skin is visibly more hydrated and less irritated," says our tester, who has extremely dry skin and papulopustular rosacea. "Without sounding too enthusiastic, I was really impressed by the results, which were noticeable after just three days."

Editor Tip: Allure commerce editor Sarah Han likes to pair the cream with the corresponding Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner for an extra punch of skin-softening goodness.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, panthenol, shea butter | Fragrance-free: No

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer

Why It's Worth It: A top pick of board-certified dermatologist Nazanin Saedi, MD, who is based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, this La Roche-Posay hydrator has a light consistency and contains ceramides and glycerin to strengthen the barrier and lock in moisture. It's oil-free, making it a great option for those who suffer from acne-prone skin. Slather it on your face and neck daily for immediate comfort.

Editor Tip: It offers broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30, allowing you to streamline your morning routine. (Just don't forget to reapply throughout the day!)

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Mature Skin: Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer

Why It's Worth It: The newly reformulated Paula's Choice ​​Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer has a light, creamy texture that absorbs in seconds, visibly improves redness and uneven tone, and helps the skin look plumper. It also doubles as an elasticity-boosting treatment, thanks to its use of peptides, which work to visibly firm the skin and decrease the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Editor Tip: The original formula contained retinol, but this iteration doesn't — making it a good option for pairing with retinoids if you so choose.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, cholesterol, peptides | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Stressed Skin: Tower 28 SOS Daily Barrier Recovery Cream

Why It's Worth It: If you don't have sensitive skin so much as sensitized skin — in which external factors like harsh ingredients and enthusiastic exfoliation damage the barrier, causing sensitivity — call on the SOS Daily Barrier Recovery Cream. This no-frills, sensitive skin-friendly moisturizer drenches skin in hydration with four types of hydrating hyaluronic acid. Meanwhile, barrier-boosting ceramides and calming allantoin reel in redness and irritation day and night. It has the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, too.

Editor Tip: We're also fans of the brand's SOS (Save. Our. Skin.) Intensive Rescue Serum, which is a favorite among Allure editors.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, allantoin | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Eczema-Prone Skin: Murad Daily Defense Colloidal Oatmeal Cream

Why It's Worth It: Another recipient of the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance, this cream contains a proprietary mixture of colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide, and mondo grass sugars, which retains essential moisture and lipids, strengthening the skin from within while also prolonging relief from eczema flare-ups. The sealed pump is also great for people prone to making a mess in the bathroom, and there's less potential for spreading bacteria.

Editor Tip: It's been ophthalmologist-tested so you can use it safely up to and around the eyes.

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, colloidal oatmeal, shea butter | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best Affordable: KraveBeauty Great Barrier Relief

Why It's Worth It: This creamy, nourishing Great Barrier Relief Serum from KraveBeauty is the perfect one-two punch as it restores your damaged skin barrier while simultaneously evening out your complexion. It's loaded with reparative ingredients such as tamanu oil, niacinamide, and ceramides, which are essential to skin health — and even doubles as a spot treatment in a pinch.

Editor Tip: The serum is packaged with an airless pump to ensure you get every last drop.

Key Ingredients: Tamanu oil, niacinamide, ceramides | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Brighter Skin: SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen Activating Serum

Why It's Worth It: This fast-acting Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen Activating Serum is worth splurging on because it contains 10 clinical actives, including niacinamide and peptides, to give you visibly brighter-looking skin in just one hour, according to the brand's clinical studies. That, and a blend of five peptides also increase your skin cells' production of ceramides and fatty acids, effectively repairing skin from within.

Editor Tip: Dr. Saedi also loves the brand's Best of Beauty-winning Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream because it "contains a combination of peptides and lipids to smoothen and strengthen the skin barrier."

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, peptides, jojoba oil | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best Lightweight: Etude House SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream

Why It's Worth It: Etude House's SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream is a holy grail among Korean beauty brands, beloved for its ability to calm skin without feeling heavy. Along with panthenol, which conditions skin and helps seal in moisture to reduce transepidermal water loss, it contains madecassoside — derived from Centella asiatica — to reduce redness and irritation.

Editor Tip: It's non-comedogenic, so consider it a go if you're prone to breakouts. In fact, skin-care content creators like @brutechoi swear by the SoonJung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser for oily/acne-prone skin. So, if you're looking for a calming cleanser and moisturizer duo that won't aggravate breakouts, here you go.

Key Ingredients: Panthenol, Centella asiatica, sunflower seed oil | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best Overnight Treatment: U Beauty The Barrier Bioactive Treatment

Why It's Worth It: Like an overnight mask designed to restore and renew skin, U Beauty's The Barrier Bioactive Treatment relies on a lineup of marine-derived ingredients alongside oat extract, shea butter, and jojoba wax to deeply nourish skin. As with all U Beauty products, the formula also uses the brand's proprietary Siren Capsule Technology to deliver actives where they're most needed (a.k.a. damaged areas) and speed up the skin's healing process.

Editor Tip: It does contain fruit-derived hydroxy acids for very mild exfoliation, so consider that if you're looking for a very straightforward moisturizer.

Key Ingredients: Urea, oat extract, jojoba wax | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Redness: Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream

Why It's Worth It: Reactive skin has met its match with Dermalogica's Stabilizing Repair Cream. From the second the formula hits the skin, the soothing benefits kick in. This balmy cream features a proprietary ceramide-building complex that boosts ceramide production, thus providing long-term barrier health benefits. To address instances of redness and itchiness — whether you have naturally sensitive skin or have just had a procedure — there's a blend of deeply hydrating resurrection plant, anti-inflammatory lanceolata, and boerhavia diffusa root (a plant commonly used to alleviate pain) to thank.

Editor Tip: It has a balmy texture, but the formula sinks in surprisingly quickly.

Key Ingredients: Resurrection plant, boerhavia diffusa root, tasmania lanceolota extract | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best for Blotchy Skin: SkinCeuticals Epidermal Repair

Why It's Worth It: Although the texture of the Epidermal Repair lotion is light and airy, it should not be underestimated. You only need a pea-sized amount to nurse your skin barrier back to health after an intense facial treatment like laser resurfacing or microdermabrasion. It's formulated with a soothing combination of sodium palmitoyl proline and nymphea alba flower extract to calm irritated skin and ease any discomfort.

Editor Tip: The tube is small enough to pass TSA requirements, so take it on all of your travels. It'll also help combat dry airplane air.

Key Ingredients: Beta-glucan, Centella asiatica, sodium palmitoyl proline | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best Post-Procedure: Alastin Skincare Regenerating Skin Nectar

Why It's Worth It: "This is a great post-procedural ointment that isn't overly occlusive yet provides hydration, repair, and skin barrier protection," Leah Ansell, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Treiber Dermatology Associates and assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia in New York City notes. Laser treatments aside, when your skin is feeling stripped or overly dry from exfoliating, layer on this concoction of calming arnica montana extract and naringenin to immediately soothe skin. In addition, the brand's proprietary TriHex Technology boosts the skin's ability to produce elastin and collagen — resulting in plumper, stronger skin.

Editor Tip: Because of its protective nature, it can actually reduce the recovery time after cosmetic procedures, like laser resurfacing and microneedling.

Key Ingredients: Arnica, phytoene, phytofluene | Fragrance-free: Yes

Best Body Cream: Nécessaire The Body Cream

Why It's Worth It: Dryness doesn't stop at the face or neck. That's where Nécessaire's The Body Cream comes in handy to soothe dry, flaky skin in often overlooked areas of our bodies. Formulated with five ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, 5% niacinamide, and 1% linoleic acid, this body cream replenishes a dry, damaged skin barrier by providing moisture, healing, and comfort.

Editor Tip: In the summer months, consider swapping it for the brand's The Body Lotion ($28) or The Body Serum ($45), which sink in more quickly.

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide | Fragrance-free: Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

When not properly protected, "the skin barrier can start to crack, which can leave the skin more vulnerable to free radical damage," Florida-based board-certified dermatologist Lesley Clark-Loeser, MD, tells Allure. That leads to dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin.

To be even more specific, "our skin barrier gets damaged from extreme weather, sun exposure, medical conditions, physical damage such as over-exfoliating, and also age," explains Dr. Saedi. “Over time, ingredients like alcohol and glycolic acid can be abrasive to the skin if overused.”

Dr. Clark-Loeser's number-one tip? Go easy on the exfoliation — try simplifying your skin-care routine —  in order to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Additionally, the skin barrier can become damaged by frequent hot showers, not using a moisturizer, and certain medications, so take note.

Another way to maintain a healthy skin barrier is to add a barrier repair product, which is strategically formulated to address the specific needs of the skin barrier, to your routine. Where traditional moisturizing products provide supplemental hydration to the skin, "barrier repair products help to repair the skin's barrier to help skin better retain moisture and prevent environmental damage," explains Dr. Clark-Loeser. If you're unsure what ingredients to seek out in a barrier repair cream, San Diego-based board-certified dermatologist Melanie Palm, MD, previously told us to look for "ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, squalane, natural moisturizing factors, and ceramides."

Consistency is key. Our experts recommended applying the product at least once a day, ideally after cleansing, to help reinforce the skin's natural protective barrier and keep it hydrated. For those with particularly dry or damaged skin, using the product twice daily can be beneficial in helping to restore and maintain the skin's health. Just remember, it's important to use the product as directed and not overuse it, as this can lead to further irritation.

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas. 

For our list of barrier repair treatments, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors — along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

More skin-care recommendations for the colder months:

• The 17 Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin All Year Round
• 19 Best Ceramide-Spiked Skin-Care Products to Nourish Dry, Irritated Skin
• 21 Best Body Lotions That Your Skin Will Love Just as Much as We Do

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