When it comes to achieving healthy, glowing skin long term, it can be difficult to debunk the latest trends or hero ingredients. What many people overlook are the hidden ingredients in everyday skincare products that can silently damage the skin barrier over time. Why are these commonly overlooked? Because these harmful ingredients are not often shared within the skin industry.
At Fresh Face Skin, we’re passionate about educating our community on why your skin reacts the way it does and what you can do to support it. A big part of that is understanding how certain emulsifiers, surfactants, preservatives, artificial colours, and synthetic fragrances affect your skin’s health.
Here’s what you need to know and what to look out for.
Why the Skin Barrier Matters
Your skin barrier is your body’s first line of defence. It keeps moisture in and irritants out. When it’s strong, your skin feels smooth, hydrated, and balanced, with an even, glowing complexion to match. But when it’s disrupted, you’re more likely to experience sensitivity, inflammation, redness, dryness, and flare-ups like eczema or perioral dermatitis.
Many of the common ingredients in mainstream skincare can unknowingly compromise this barrier.
1. Emulsifiers: More Than Just Mixers
Emulsifiers are used in creams to combine oil and water. However, many traditional emulsifiers don’t stop working once they’re applied to the skin — they continue binding to your skin’s own natural oils and hydration. This is known as the wash-out effect, where these ingredients strip away essential lipids and moisture. Over time, this can lead to a weakened barrier, dryness, and sensitivity.
Commonly used: PEGs, Polysorbates, Stearates — often synthetic and persistent in the skin, leading to the "wash-out effect".
What we use instead: Naturally derived, skin-mimicking emulsifiers like Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, and Polyglyceryl blends. These emulsify gently without compromising lipid structure or hydration.
2. Surfactants: Clean Isn’t Always Kind
Surfactants are the cleansing agents found in face washes and soaps, often used to create a foaming effect.
Commonly used: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate — can strip protective oils, leading to that tight, squeaky-clean feeling, a sign of barrier damage.
What we use instead: Decyl Glucoside and Cocamidopropyl Betaine — gentle, pH-friendly, coconut- or sugar-derived surfactants that cleanse without disrupting the skin’s ecosystem.
3. Preservatives: Good for Products, Not Always for Skin
Preservatives are necessary to keep skincare safe from bacteria and mold, but many can disrupt the skin’s microbiome — the community of good bacteria that keeps your skin balanced and resilient.
Commonly used: Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (e.g., DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15).
What we use instead:
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid – coconut-derived, microbiome-safe.
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E) – antioxidant and stabiliser.
- Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate – mild and widely accepted in natural formulations.
- Glyceryl Caprylate and Lecithin – skin-compatible with added hydrating and conditioning benefits.
4. Fragrance & Colour: The Silent Irritants
Synthetic fragrances and artificial colours are among the top causes of irritation and allergic reactions. They offer no benefit to your skin and can disrupt your skin’s pH and barrier health.
Commonly used: Synthetic fragrances labeled as "Fragrance" or "Parfum", synthetic colours like Red 40 or Blue 1.
What we use instead: We avoid all synthetic fragrances and colourants. Where scent is necessary, we use low-irritant, naturally derived essential oils — only when proven to be well-tolerated. Some products are scented only by their natural plant or fruit extracts.
Empowering You to Choose Better
At Fresh Face Skin, our products are designed to work with your skin—not against it. We avoid barrier-disruptive ingredients and instead use those that restore, nourish, and support:
- Barrier-first
- Microbiome-safe
- Fragrance- and colourant-free
- 100% toxic free
- Formulated with professional-grade, skin-identical actives & plant-based ingredients
Understanding what’s in your skincare is the first step to making empowered choices. By learning to spot the disruptors and choose barrier-safe alternatives, you’re supporting your skin’s health for the long term.
Feeling like your skin barrier could be a little impaired?
Think: Skin redness, reactivity, dryness, dehydration and a dull skin tone...
Our Fresh Face Skin Go-To Barrier-First Recommendations:
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Barrier Repair Pack:
- Soother Cleanser – use morning and night or just at night to begin
- Soother Treatment – use morning and night
- Recovery Mask – use 2–3x per week at night instead of the Soother Treatment as an overnight mask
*Always finish your morning routine with a physical, natural SPF to further support and heal your skin barrier.
This routine focuses on restoring essential skin lipids while calming surface inflammation. After 4–6 weeks, once the barrier is stronger, consider introducing:
- Hydration Booster – enhances hydration, cell balance, and skin protection.
Note: Hyaluronic Acid should only be introduced once the skin barrier is stable.
