MEET THE FOUNDERS:

A licensed master esthetician with two decades of experience, Athena Hewitt is the founder of Monastery, a skincare brand grounded in results and ritual. Her extensive hands-on work with clients led her to develop clean, reparative formulas after witnessing the damage caused by conventional skincare. Known for blending ancient botanicals with clinical precision, Athena is a trusted voice in barrier repair and holistic skin health. 

Jaime Pereira is a certified Skincare Consultant and the founder of Glow Jar Beauty, a line of gentle, effective skincare designed with sensitive skin in mind. She also hosts the Glow Diaries podcast, where she challenges industry norms and advocates for skin education, especially for those with chronic skin conditions like psoriasis. Her personal journey with sensitive skin informs her ingredient philosophy and empathetic approach to beauty. 

Founder and CEO of LESSE, Neada Deters is a former beauty editor turned skincare entrepreneur. With a background in art history and theory, she brings a highly intentional, design-led sensibility to organic formulation. Committed to sourcing from regenerative and Canadian-grown ingredients, Neada’s perspective blends aesthetics, sustainability, and lived experience, having personally navigated cystic acne and ultra-sensitive skin.

A trusted name in Canadian clean beauty, Fran Miller is the founder of F. Miller, a Toronto-based brand known for elevated botanical skincare. Since formulating her first product in 2014, Fran has become a leading voice in the industry, advocating for simple, effective routines rooted in nourishment over harsh actives. Her expertise lies in formulating for reactive and sensitive skin using high-performance, organic ingredients.

So, What Is the Skin Barrier?

Think of your skin barrier like a brick wall. Your skin cells are the bricks, and lipids (like ceramides and fatty acids) are the mortar holding them together. This protective layer—the stratum corneum—keeps water in and irritants out.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the barrier regulates hydration and protects against environmental stressors like pollution, UV rays, and bacteria. When the barrier is strong, skin looks radiant, feels smooth, and behaves predictably. When it’s not… well, things get complicated.

Signs Your Skin Barrier Might Be Damaged

If your skin suddenly feels more sensitive than it did six months ago, you’re not imagining it. A compromised barrier can show up as:

• Redness or inflammation
• Tightness or flakiness
• Unexpected breakouts
• Stinging when applying products
• Skin that feels stripped or overly “squeaky clean”
  

Fran Miller sums it up:

“When your skin struggles to self-regulate and feel comfortable, it’s typically a barrier issue.”

Why the Skin Barrier Gets Compromised.

The most common culprit? Overdoing it. This can look like aggressively over-exfoliating like there’s a prize for “smoothest forehead,” hot showers (yep, sorry!), high-strength actives that are used on rotation, and changing your routine every other week because… new serums (we’ll put our hands up for this one).

And just because we’re Canadian, add that mid-summer heat warning, icy winter winds, and those unexpected smoky sunsets. 

Jamie, founder of Glow Jar, puts it simply:

“Your barrier hates extremes—extreme heat, cold, aggressive products, and constantly changing your routine all put it under stress. Beauty is not pain.”

Top Ingredients That Help Repair the Skin Barrier

Let’s shift from what hurts your barrier to what heals it. Here are three powerful ingredients, featured in some of our most-loved Health Hut products, that restore resilience and radiance:

1. Ectoin

Think of Ectoin as your skin’s stress reliever. This naturally occurring molecule is produced by bacteria that thrive in extreme environments (like salt lakes and deserts), and it helps your skin do the same, minus the sand.

A 2022 review in Dermatology and Therapy found that ectoin-rich creams significantly improved skin hydration, reduced itching and barrier dysfunction, and were well-tolerated even in those with dermatitis and rosacea.

BEST FOR: When your skin needs a breather.

FIND IT IN: F. Miller Support Serum, Susanne Kaufmann Advanced Anti-Aging Rich Cream, Susanne Kaufmann Enzyme Exfoliator.

2. Tremella Mushroom (Snow Mushroom)

Move over, Hyaluronic Acid. Tremella fuciformis (aka snow mushroom) is nature’s own water magnet. This jelly-textured fungus can hold up to 500 times its weight in water, delivering plumping hydration without the stickiness.

A recent study showed that Tremella extract significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and boosted skin hydration, making it a gentle powerhouse for dry, sensitive skin types.

BEST FOR: That bouncy, “I drink water” look.

FIND IT IN: LESSE Regeneration Mist, LESSE Essential Moisturizer, F. Miller Support Serum, Susanne Kaufmann Vitamin C Complex

3. Ceramide NP

Ceramides are the glue in your skin’s barrier.

A 2020 clinical trial found that a ceramide-rich cream delivered long-lasting hydration and improved barrier function in dry, eczema‑prone skin. Another study showed that applying ceramides before sun exposure helped prevent redness, improve hydration, and preserve skin cell integrity.

BEST FOR: Quenching parched, reactive skin.

FIND IT IN: Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum, Graydon Super Sensitive Skin Stuff.

A Gentle Skin Barrier Routine (No Overachieving Required)

Less is truly more. Here are products that include standout ingredients for barrier repair, and where to include them in your routine:

Step 1: Cleanse

Monastery Rose Cleansing Oil - No surfactants, just pure oil that removes impurities without stripping your skin.

Lesse Calming Cleanser - Creamy, not foamy; soothing, not stripping.

Step 2: Support + Hydrate

Vintner’s Daughter Active Treatment Essence - This is so much more than a toner, it’s a full skincare orchestra.

LESSE Regeneration Mist - A refreshing, mineral-rich mist that initiates barrier repair and calms the skin.

F. Miller Support Serum - Delivers barrier-strengthening hydration with Ectoin and Tremella Mushroom.

Step 3: Moisturize

Lesse Essential Moisturizer - Infused with Ceramide NP, Squalane, and Glycerin to seal in moisture and reduce inflammation.

Graydon Super Sensitive Skin Stuff - A creamy, barrier-loving moisturizer that acts like a soft sweater for stressed-out skin.

Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum - A lush, award-winning oil that feeds your skin 22 whole-plant nutrients, think facial in a bottle.

Step 4: Protect + Restore
Monastery Attar Floral Repair Concentrate - A velvety balm-to-oil that melts into skin to deeply nourish and rebuild overnight. 

Ready for a reset?
Try Athena's tried and true method, the Monastery Rose Reset. Two to three weeks of using only the Rose Cleansing Oil, "so your skin can rebuild its natural oils, good bacteria, and pH balance.”

Everyday Habits That Repair Your Skin Barrier

You don’t need a 10-step ritual to fix your barrier, just a little consistency. Here’s what helps:

• Avoid long, hot showers (we know, it’s tough)
  
• Keep your skincare routine steady and minimal with barrier repairing ingredients, add products back in to your routine only when your skin feels good
  
• Use a humidifier in dry spaces, this has been tested!
  
• Hydrate inside and out, water is helpful to the barrier
  
• Wear SPF, every. single. day.
  
  

HH RECOMMENDS: Glow Jar’s Tinted Daily Glow Sunscreen SPF 30. It blends beautifully, protects without clogging, and layers effortlessly over moisturizer.

Skin Barrier Myths to let go of

Myth: “If it stings, it’s working.”
Truth: That’s a red flag, not a result.

Myth: “You need actives to fix the barrier.”
Truth: Your skin wants calm, not chaos.

“So often we are drawn to quick, bandaid solutions but to truly develop a resilient skin barrier, it takes time and consistency—and of course using skin care that is clinically proven to provide the support needed.”
- Neada, LESSE Founder