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Want To Even Out Your Skin Tone? Don't Skip This Step

Author:

Hannah Frye

April 24, 2023

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

Image by ohlamour studio / Stocksy

April 24, 2023

Maintaining a perfectly even-toned complexion is practically impossible. Plus, it's not reasonable: Who doesn't love a little natural flush every once in a while? So before you give yourself a hard time for any dimension in your skin tone, just know those fluctuations are normal and healthy.

That being said, consistent ruddy or blotchy patches that stick around no matter what can become frustrating, and it may be a sign your skin barrier is damaged. Don't worry; there are a few ways to heal those spots and keep your complexion in tiptop shape from here on out.

Signs your skin barrier is damaged

Uneven skin tone can be a sign of many things—too much sun exposure, irritation from a new product, dryness, rosacea, and the list goes on. However, one common reason your skin may look more red than usual is a damaged skin barrier. Here, a few more signs this might be your situation:

Heightened sensitivity
Itch
Dryness
Increased oiliness and breakouts (if that's out of the norm)

How to heal it & keep it healthy

If you think a damaged skin barrier might be the case, stick with the following topical protocol:

Take a break from exfoliating for a few days.
Use hydrating, fragrance-free products.
Hold off on retinol for now.
Use products with pre- and postbiotics.
Support the skin barrier from within.

The latter tip is oft-forgotten but incredibly important. To ensure your skin barrier stays supported from within, take a twofold approach: Drink enough water and ingest hydrating skin supplements.

See, your skin barrier can become damaged simply from dryness, and that's not exclusive to lack of topical moisturizers. What's more, natural hydrators in your skin like collagen, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides decrease as you age, which is why dryness often accompanies aging skin.

One way to support internal skin hydration is by replenishing those hyaluronic acid, collagen, or ceramides levels via ingestibles. Here's why:

Hyaluronic acid: Your body naturally contains HA with about 50% of your supply residing in the skin 1. If your body is short on hyaluronic acid, you may see increased dryness on the surface. Taking hyaluronic acid supplements can help ensure your internal bank is full, no questions asked.
Collagen: Clinical studies on collagen supplementation and skin hydration show that with regular use, it supports your skin's hydration levels. For example, one double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that participants' moisture levels in the skin were seven times higher 2 than those who did not take collagen supplements.
Ceramides: Your body also contains ceramides, a key structural component in your skin that keeps it hydrated and smooth. If your ceramide levels aren't at their full capacity (and yes, ceramide levels decline with age like collagen and HA as well), you may notice dryness on the surface. The fix: Look for beauty supplements that have phytocermaides in them.

Some supplements even contain more skin-healthy ingredients, like healthy fats and antioxidants, so look for a robust skin supplement to get a bang for your buck—here's a list of the best expert-backed formulas available right now.

The takeaway

While there's nothing wrong with uneven skin tone, persistent redness can become frustrating and may even signal skin barrier damaged. To heal it ASAP, eliminate irritating products from your routine, use topical hydrators, and hydrate from within. Want to dive deeper into skin barrier damage? Check out this guide for healing tips.