If you're a mom then you definitely know what a barrier cream is! Babies need a barrier cream to keep their delicate (and cute) little bottoms protected from a wet diaper. The last thing anybody wants is for an innocent little baby to get an uncomfortable rash. But what about adults? Adults need barrier creams just as much – but we need it for somewhere much more obvious. Our hands! If you’re thinking that a barrier cream is only meant for babies, think again. Barrier cream for hands should be on everyone’s ‘must have’ list.
Your skin is your body’s natural barrier. It’s what helps protect your body from unwanted things on the outside that you don’t want coming in. Just think germs, bacteria, chemicals and all those nasties. It also protects your body from losing things that it doesn’t want to lose. Now, I don’t mean your bones and liver are going to start falling out (don’t start panicking!) but what your skin doesn’t want escaping is water. Water keeps your skin and body healthy and hydrated.
If the outer layer of skin (officially known as the stratum corneum for biology buffs) gets damaged, that’s when the problems start. If your skin shows signs of dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis, for example, what’s happening is that your skin’s protective barrier is compromised and your skin will start to lose water, it will become more sensitive to irritants and allergens and be more susceptible to inflammation.1 I don’t think I need to point out that this is something you want to avoid!
Because our hands go through a lot in a single day, the skin on our hands is so susceptible to being damaged and dried out. Whether it’s from washing your hands 20 times a day, your job, the weather or any other external factor, we need to remember to protect the skin on our hands and keep that moisture in.
A barrier cream will step in when your skin isn’t doing the job you need it to do or if you want a little extra protection. If you have eczema or any skin inflammation, you need something that will help keep up that barrier so that your skin doesn’t let your natural moisture escape, become even more dry or more irritated. You also don’t want it to let in any irritants that will cause more trouble for your skin, do you?
But hold on for a second. I’m not finished yet. Not all barrier creams are the same. Many barrier creams out there feel very heavy and greasy when put on because they are made with ingredients like petroleum jelly1 which are great at keeping moisture in but not great at letting your skin breathe naturally and feel light. Gloves In A Bottle, on the other hand (no pun intended), is an advanced kind of barrier lotion called a shielding lotion. The difference is that the shielding lotion doesn’t sit on the top of your skin like a conventional barrier cream does. It actually bonds with the top layer of your skin to form a protective shield. Because of how it bonds, it doesn't wash off so the protection lasts much longer. It also lets your skin breathe naturally, feel natural all while keeping your oils and moisture in and keeping unwanted irritants out.
However you choose to take care of your hands, make sure they are protected from the daily damage you put them through so that your skin’s own moisture isn’t escaping. Protect your skin’s own natural barrier so it can keep protecting you. For the best barrier cream for hands, try a shielding lotion instead. Gloves In A Bottle is effective but so gentle that it’s safe for kids too! It just might be that instead of you using your baby’s barrier cream, your baby is going to want to start using your shielding lotion!
1 https://dermnetnz.org/topics/barrier-cream/
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