PRODUCT REVIEW: SKINFIX BARRIER+ TRIPLE LIPID-PEPTIDE CREAM WITH B-L3 COMPLEX - How can you tell your skin barrier is damaged? How do you fix a damaged skin barrier? What are oligopeptides?
SKINFIX BARRIER+ TRIPLE LIPID-PEPTIDE CREAM WITH B-L3 COMPLEX
I’ve made no secret of the fact that Skinfix is one of my go-to skincare brands. And the Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream (or TLPC) is IMO among the best face creams for dry skin – and all skin types in winter.
In fact, there are but a handful of products that I’ve featured on the blog multiple times and TLPC is one of them.
I consider Skinfix’s lipid-replenishing cream to be a staple of my regular skincare routine – one of the products I reach for when I’m not testing out something similar. (I test facial moisturizers quite often!)
Hands-down one of the best skincare products on the market, Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream is right up there with the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster. I always have them in backstock and recommend each regularly to friends, family and followers of my blog and social channels. I restock them regularly so I’m literally never out.
It’s not often that a popular skincare product is reformulated, upgraded, or improved upon. I’m still waiting for SkinCeuticals to update their iconic C E Ferulic. That formula is two decades old. And while the brand offers a better, more modern version of the C E Ferulic Vitamin C serum in Europe, it seems L’Oreal is terrified to mess with a good thing. I get it; at $182, it’s their bread and butter.
But the people at Skinfix recently took a brave leap in making their own bread-and-butter product better. The newly improved Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex was introduced a few weeks ago. I’ve been test-driving it and comparing it to the original for weeks now. Read my impressions of it in my full product review below…
BEST DRY SKIN MOISTURIZERS & SERUMS
There are a select few brands I think do a great job of addressing skin barrier health. And only a handful put it at the center of their entire brand identity. No brand does that more clearly and consistently than Skinfix. It’s literally at the core of the brand’s entire positioning and in nearly all product messaging.
Of course, Paula’s Choice is among the elite skincare brands that offer products that are so well made, they can’t help but strengthen and optimize your skin barrier. But the brand doesn’t focus on skin barrier health as much as it does on key active ingredients and product innovations that support a healthy barrier. The new Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer is the perfect example. Catch my product review here.
And while The Ordinary’s marketing is similarly aligned, but at more accessible pricing, the brand has been increasingly targeting barrier health with their latest innovations. The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum as well as the new Natural Moisturizing Factors + Phytoceramides are both barrier maintenance essentials that help up your skincare game – easily and affordably.
Seriously, if you focus on the health of your skin barrier first, everything will fall into place…
SEE THE NEW TLPC IN ACTION! THE TEXTURE IS INSANE…
Before I get into my detailed Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream product review just below, I wanted to explore some of the most frequently asked questions about skin barrier health and some of the key ingredient technologies behind the brand’s upgraded face cream for dry skin…
1. How can you tell your skin barrier is damaged?
It’s actually not that difficult to determine if your skin barrier is in need of more attention – whether it’s damaged, or just needs a bit more TLC. Some of the most common everyday skin concerns are actually signs of a damaged or compromised skin barrier. Among the visible signs your skin barrier is in trouble are:
Increased sensitivity: If your skin suddenly becomes more sensitive to products that previously gave you no issues, it’s a sign your skin barrier is out of whack. These signs may include stinging, burning, redness or irritation when applying a serum, cream or other treatment you were okay with.
Dryness and dehydration: A compromised skin barrier is less efficient at retaining water, often leading to a loss of moisture, leaving your skin feeling dry and/or dehydrated.
Rough skin texture: If your skin feels rougher or appears flaky, it may be the result of a damaged skin barrier. Roughness is often caused by dehydration and disruption of the skin barrier.
Redness and inflammation: A damaged skin barrier is less efficient at protecting against irritants and allergens, which can result in redness, rashes, and even swelling of the skin.
Itchiness, tightness and discomfort: Compromised skin barriers are often itchy, a sign of irritation and dryness. And, a tight sensation or other discomfort, especially after cleansing, as an indication that your skin is stripped of its natural oils, further compromising your skin barrier.
Acne or eczema flare-ups: A damaged or weakened skin barrier often experiences micro-tears or tiny cracks. These allow bacteria and irritants to more easily penetrate your skin, leading to acne breakouts or more serious skin conditions like eczema and rosacea.
Explore my picks of the best face creams for dry skin on the blog here.
Sources: The Cleveland Clinic: How To Tell if Your Skin Barrier Is Damaged and What To Do About It; Byrdie: How to Tell if Your Skin Barrier Is Damaged
2. How do you fix a damaged skin barrier?
If you’re showing multiple signs of a damaged skin barrier, including irritation, redness, dryness, sensitivity, even acne, you should take a two-fold approach. The first, of course, is to treat the individual signs. Second, and most important, is to treat the underlying cause – a compromised barrier.
How to fix a damaged skin barrier in a few simple steps:
Swap out your cleanser: Switch to a gentle, hydrating cleanser that won’t strip your skin of natural oils and avoid harsh soaps or cleansers with strong surfactants or exfoliating actives like Glycolic Acid. Limit washing your face to 2x day to prevent drying out of your skin. The CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a great option.
Reduce or pause exfoliation: Give your skin a rest and pause the exfoliating step in your routine. Avoid strong chemical exfoliants like Glycolic Acid or Lactic Acid. Do not under any circumstances use a physical face scrub. If you feel you must exfoliate to maintain a bright, smooth complexion, consider a gentler alternative like Mandelic Acid or PHAs like Gluconolactone or a Niacinamide serum – a great alternative to harsh acids. The Paula’s Choice 20% Niacinamide Treatment has the ability to smooth skin’s texture and brighten your complexion while strengthening your skin barrier.
Boost your moisture: Use a daily facial moisturizer made with barrier-replenishing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and fatty acids. These actives replenish the skin barrier with what it needs to retain more moisture. Again, Niacinamide is an excellent option for strengthening your skin barrier, without risking further damage. Go for a higher concentration like the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster that will not only strengthen your skin barrier against moisture loss, but brighten and even out your skin tone.
Protect against photodamage: It is imperative to use an effective broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning – even on cloudy, seemingly sunless days. Photodamage, or sun damage, is the leading cause of skin aging and is most responsible for thinning the skin barrier, leaving it vulnerable to irritants and moisture loss.
Explore my picks of the best face creams for dry skin on the blog here.
Sources: Vogue: 7 Expert Tips on How to Repair a Damaged Skin Barrier; Healthline: What to Know About Your Skin Barrier and How to Protect It
3. What are oligopeptides in skincare?
What are oligopeptides and what do oligopeptides in skincare do? Well, oligopeptides are peptides composed of amino acids that have the ability to imitate the peptide sequence of molecules such as collagen or elastin – essential for skin firmness and elasticity, the qualities of youthful skin.
Due to their small molecular size, oligopeptides can more easily penetrate skin’s outer layer, known as the stratum corneum, to reach deeper layers and enhance skin barrier health.
When applied topically as with a face cream with peptides, oligopeptides can help stimulate collagen synthesis and activate dermal metabolism to stimulate skin barrier functions. In addition, oligopeptides can help strengthen and repair the skin barrier to improve hydration and reduce sensitivity.
Some common examples of oligopeptides used in skincare include Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide as well as Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2 and Oligopeptide-3.
Explore my picks of the best face creams for dry skin on the blog here.
Sources: INCI Decoder: SH-Oligopeptide-1; NIH, National Library of Medicine: Skin anti-aging strategies;
4. Do dermatologists recommend peptides?
Yes, in fact, peptides are among a few actives proven to improve skin’s youthful qualities and to prevent and correct signs of aging. Among the best anti-aging ingredients recommended by dermatologists are UV filters like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, retinoids like Retinol, antioxidants like Vitamin C and Niacinamide and, yes, peptides.
Peptides are known for their ability to improve skin health by boosting collagen production, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and improving skin barrier function.
A well-formulated peptide face cream with high concentrations of peptide technologies can help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, stimulate the production of elastin and collagen, and even treat inflammation to minimize the irritation that can lead to skin sensitivity and surface redness.
When used properly in a skincare routine, peptides can be indispensable to a pro-skin health, anti-aging regimen. Due to the sensitivity of certain peptide molecules, it is a smart idea to avoid mixing peptides, particularly copper peptides, with Ascorbic Acid, the most potent form of Vitamin C. As a rule, use a peptide face cream in the evening and your Vitamin C serum in the morning.
Explore my picks of the best face creams for dry skin on the blog here.
Sources: Healthline: Peptides and Your Skin Care Routine; Academic Alliance in Dermatology: Peptides in Skincare: The Science Behind the Results
5. Product Review
Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex
Over the last five years, I have probably gone through a dozen jars of Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream – probably the best moisturizer for dry skin on the market. In fact, it’s my winter skin savior – essential for keeping my skin healthy in cold, harsh weather.
How essential is it? Well, prior to discovering TLPC, I used to joke that my skin would age an entire year between the months of November and February. The dry, low-humidity air here in Brooklyn, NY, would suck the water (and the life!) out of my face, leaving my complexion dehydrated, sallow and lifeless. I had no effective defense strategy against the cold until Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream came along.
Proven to replenish skin lipids like ceramides and fatty acids, the thick, rich face cream’s efficacy is unrivaled. No longer does winter air scare me. TLPC keeps my skin as healthy and hydrated as it is the rest of the year. In fact, whenever I recommend it to friends and followers, I always hear back how well it works to combat dryness and leave their skin supple.
So why mess with a good thing?!
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY SOOTHING & BARRIER SUPPORT SERUM
It’s a bold move for a brand to alter an iconic formula. But Skinfix defines itself on its longstanding expertise in skin barrier health. My guess is that the brand saw the beauty market moving in that direction and seized the opportunity to step up their game to really own the barrier-health positioning.
Just two years ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a skincare product on the shelves of Sephora with the words “skin barrier” found anywhere on the label. Now, there are dozens of products that reference the skin barrier – many with “barrier” in the product name itself.
I’ve been using the new Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex for several weeks now. I got my hands on it in early March, when winter would normally be winding down. Not this year. The cold, dry air stubbornly stuck around until this past week – late into April. The only positive to that is it gave me the opportunity to put the improved formula to the test.
After nightly use over the course of four consecutive weeks, I can say that the new Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream performs as expected. My skin always appears soft, healthy and supple the morning after. No signs of dryness, irritation or discomfort. As the original, a little goes a long way. The stuff is rich – even richer than before – and is an effective sealant to prevent trans-epidermal water loss and keep hydration in. It also helps to seal in the actives in your anti-aging face serums!
THE BEST SUNSCREENS FOR FACE
The superior efficacy is achieved by the high concentrations of beneficial actives in the new Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream formula. These include 3.5% B-L3™ Barrier Lipid Complex, which the brand claims “replenishes natural lipids to restore skin’s moisture barrier in as little as one hour.” The patented lipid complex includes significant levels of fatty acids derived from multiple plant oils as well as numerous ceramides.
The formula also contains 3% Nutripeptide Blend consisting of Hexapeptide-11, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2 and Oligopeptide-3. An effective “polypeptide,” oligopeptides have the ability to imitate the peptide sequence of collagen and elastin – essential for skin firmness and elasticity. Due to their smaller molecular weight, oligopeptides can penetrate the skin barrier deeply to help stimulate collagen and elastin, improving skin’s suppleness and strengthening the skin barrier against moisture loss.
Notably, the formula is free of any potential irritants – including fragrance of any kind, silicone or dimethicone, and of course, denatured alcohol – making it ideal for sensitive skin.
Skinfix has always supported product efficacy with clinical proof, rather than consumer perception studies. The brand claims that new Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream is clinically proven to improve six signs of aging and, most importantly, to strengthen the skin barrier in just 30 minutes.
I didn’t need clinical proof. I’ve seen the results for myself.
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The new Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex is slightly richer than the brand’s original face cream for dry skin. The texture is even more elegant than before. One of the most effective products for sealing moisture in the skin, it’s essentially a perfect formula. A little goes a long way. If you’re dry, you couldn’t ask for anything better. If your skin is normal or combination (or it’s warmer where you are now), you’ll need very little of it.
What I don’t like about it: I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types, except very oily and acne-prone. Great for sensitive skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex for $54 here.
FIND OUT WHICH SERUM PERFORMED BETTER – AND BY HOW MUCH!
The Ingredient List of the Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream with B-L3 Complex:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Vegetable Oil/Huile Végétale, Cetyl Lactate, Propanediol, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, C12-16 Alcohols, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Squalene, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Phytosteryl Sunflowerseedate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Phytosterols, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Gluconolactone, Acetyl Glutamine, Lecithin, Amylopectin, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Oligopeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Oligopeptide-3, Caprylyl Glycol, Oligopeptide-2, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Lactic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol.
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