Overcoming the Catastrophe of the Changing Seasons Barrier Collapse

Isn't the weather really fickle these days? The sun is so hot during the day that I sweat profusely, but then a cold wind blows in the mornings and evenings, making it chilly... Whenever the seasons change like this, my skin miraculously senses the weather shift and starts breaking out. ㅠㅠ I had already felt my skin texture getting a bit rough these past few days, so I diligently used toner pads with exfoliating ingredients morning and evening, and I guess that was the cause of the problem. My skin barrier completely broke down, so even applying just the mild moisturizer I usually use without any issues made my face sting and turn red. It stings just from the touch of water while washing my face, so I just sighed deeply every time I looked in the mirror. Haha...

So, starting a few days ago, I put all the functional cosmetics I used to use aside and am going all-in on restoring my skin barrier. First, I make sure to wash my face using a mild, slightly acidic foam cleanser that lathers up really well. I wash it by gently rolling it over my face, avoiding contact with my hands as much as possible. I also dry my skin by patting it gently instead of scrubbing it with a towel, and then immediately spray on the mist I keep in the bathroom. I’ve drastically reduced my skincare routine; I just apply a soothing ampoule containing panthenol and madecassoside, and then I put a thick layer of rich ceramide cream on top like a mask before going to sleep.

After doing this for exactly three days, the stinging definitely subsided haha. As expected, when your skin is hurting, it's best to give it a rest and stick to the basics rather than applying a bunch of different products. The redness has faded a lot, and that stinging sensation when washing my face, as if my skin had thinned out, is gone. For the time being, I plan to stick to this barrier-strengthening routine without getting greedy at all. I hope everyone avoids overdoing exfoliation during the change of seasons so you don't suffer like I did ㅠㅠ. If anyone has any other tips that worked for repairing a damaged barrier, please share them in the comments! I plan not to even look at functional products for the time being haha.