If you’ve been anywhere near skincare TikTok lately, you’ll probably have noticed that everyone’s talking about their skin barrier.
Looking at the price tags attached to some of the products recommended for repairing it, you could be forgiven for thinking that getting your skin back on track requires a £30+ investment.
It really doesn’t.
While there are plenty of premium barrier creams doing the rounds, some of the best barrier-supporting ingredients can be found in products for less than £15.
We’re talking ceramides, panthenol, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and other ingredients designed to hydrate, soothe and help support the skin’s natural protective barrier.
If your skin is feeling tight, dry, flaky or generally rather unhappy after one too many acids, retinoids or over-enthusiastic skincare experiments, these are the cheap barrier repair products worth knowing about.
And yes, there are some very good options for considerably less than the price of that viral premium moisturiser.
Skin barrier repair doesn’t have to cost a small fortune (Westend61/Getty Images)
What actually helps repair your skin barrier?
Before getting into the products, it is worth knowing what you’re actually looking for on an ingredients list.
“It’s not about buying something just because it says ‘barrier repair’ on the front, says skin health expert and educator, Smita Ahluwalia.
Ceramides are one of the big ones, “These are naturally found in our skin barrier”, explains Smita.
They’re an important part of the barrier, helping to keep moisture in. That’s why you’ll see them cropping up in so many barrier-focused moisturisers, from CeraVe to BYOMA.
Panthenol, also known as vitamin B5, is another popular ingredient in products aimed at dry or irritated-feeling skin. Smita likes to see Panthenol in an ingredients list as it’s “really soothing”.
Humectants are another useful category. Ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid attract water to the skin, helping to “get that hydration back into the skin” says Smita.
You don’t necessarily need every single one in one product, either.
A simple moisturiser containing a combination of hydrating and soothing ingredients can be perfectly useful.
Best budget skin barrier creams under £15
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ Repairing Balm
Best overall
Danielle Fowler
Cicaplast Baume B5+ is designed specifically for dry, uncomfortable and irritated-feeling skin, with 5 per cent vitamin B5 alongside La Roche-Posay’s Tribioma complex and madecassoside.
The brand describes it as a repairing balm for compromised skin, making it considerably more barrier-focused than your average moisturiser.
The thick texture also makes it particularly useful as the final step at night, either all over the face if your skin is very dry or just on the areas that need extra attention.
Affiliates Writer, Danielle Fowler says: “It helped to calm my dry skin while giving my compromised skin barrier the extra support it needed. I’m now in my early thirties and have continued to repurchase Cicaplast.”
CeraVe Moisturising Cream
Best everyday moisturiser
CeraVe
CeraVe is probably one of the first names that springs to mind when you think about affordable skincare.
This cream contains three essential ceramides alongside hyaluronic acid and is designed for dry to very dry skin.
Tyla’s senior writer, Rhiannon Ingle, says CeraVe ‘does this job every time’, adding: “It’s a product I pick up year-round as it works well for my drier skin in the winter as well as in the summer when other moisturisers leave a greasy residue. As it’s a little thinner, I use this only in the daytime, but so far, it’s never failed me.”
The fact that it’s suitable for both face and body is also handy if the rest of your skin is feeling dry.
BYOMA Moisturizing Gel Cream
Best for oily or combination skin
BYOMA
Is the thought of putting a rich balm over already-oily skin making you want to run for the hills? BYOMA’s Gel Cream might be your answer.
It uses the same barrier-focused approach as the traditional cream moisturisers in the BYOMA range but comes in a lightweight, oil-free gel-cream texture designed to hydrate without feeling heavy.
It’s proof that repairing your barrier doesn’t have to mean covering your face in a thick layer of cream.
Commercial editor, Natalie Corner, has previously used this formula: “It is extremely light, I think gel-cream is such a genius type of consistency for those of us who already have oily skin types, plus the pump dispenses the right amount so you don’t waste it. The only thing I would say is that this ran out really quickly, at 50ml for £12.99, replacing it regularly quickly adds up.”
Cetaphil Moisturising Cream
Best for sensitive skin
Cetaphil
This is one of those wonderful skincare products that, although unglamorous, does exactly what you need it to.
Cetaphil’s moisturising cream is aimed at dry to very dry and sensitive skin, and is fragrance-free.
It’s designed to help restore the skin barrier while providing long-lasting hydration.
Tyla’s senior writer, Rhiannon Ingle, commented that the Cetaphil cream is ‘super hydrating while also being lightweight’, adding: “It’s great for my sensitive skin due to the gentle ingredients, which soothe any irritation almost instantly. Easy to use and very reliable.”
The enormous 453g tub also makes the price particularly good value if you’re dealing with dryness beyond your face.
While the RRP is ever-so-slightly over our £15 budget, this huge tub regularly goes on sale so more often than not, you’ll be able to snap it up for less than £15.
Revolution Skincare Ceramides Moisture Cream
Best for a rich formula
Revolution
Revolution’s moisturiser keeps things simple without skimping on barrier-supporting ingredients.
The formula contains five different ceramides, alongside hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, dimethicone and cholesterol.
That’s a pretty comprehensive ingredient line-up for a moisturiser that costs less than a tenner, with the combination designed to hydrate skin while helping to support its natural barrier.
The texture is creamy and nourishing, making this a good everyday option if you want one straightforward moisturiser to use on dry skin morning and night.
Child’s Farm OatDerma Face Cream
Best gentle option
Natalie Corner/TYLA
Don’t be put off by the fact that this comes from a children’s skincare brand.
Child’s Farm’s OatDerma Face Cream is specifically formulated for the face and is fragrance-free, making it a surprisingly strong budget option for sensitive, dry skin.
It contains nourishing oat oil, which is naturally rich in ceramides, and the brand says it is clinically proven to support the skin barrier and provide up to 24 hours of moisturisation.
Commercial Editor, Natalie Corner, has been using this cream for six months and has already repurchased it twice, saying, “I found myself looking for a product that would soothe my skin after a breakout, and work well with the exfoliators in my skincare routine.
“Even though it’s a small bottle, I found it lasts me several weeks because I only need a coin-sized amount and it covers my whole face. It’s gentle and moisturising, and is ideal for nighttime.”
Weleda Skin Food
Best for very dry, rough patches
Weleda/Amazon
Weleda Skin Food is a cult classic for a reason.
It combines plant oils and waxes with extracts including calendula, chamomile and wild pansy to provide intensive moisture for very dry and rough skin.
The texture is undeniably rich, so this isn’t the one I’d choose if you prefer a barely-there gel moisturiser.
Instead, think of it as the tube to reach for when your skin is particularly dry or you have rough patches that need some extra TLC.
Senior Journalist, Rhiannon Ingle, has been using Weleda Skin Food for two years after initially picking it up while looking for an affordable, natural moisturiser.
She says, “I slather this all over my face when my skin feels like it needs a proper drink. It’s great for getting rid of rough patches overnight if you’re into ‘slugging’. Love how quickly it absorbs and the herbal scent is lovely too!”
Aveeno Dermexa Emollient Cream
Best for very dry skin
Aveeno
When your skin isn’t just dry but feels really dry, itchy and uncomfortable, this is where AVEENO Dermexa comes into its own.
It’s formulated with a soothing triple oat complex alongside ceramides, helping to moisturise and support the skin barrier without leaving the heavy, greasy feeling you might expect from an emollient cream.
The combination of oat and ceramides makes this particularly useful when your priority is soothing uncomfortable dryness while supporting the skin barrier, rather than simply adding a bit of hydration.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Best for straightforward everyday hydration
The Ordinary
Sometimes, the best thing you can do when your skin barrier is struggling is stop throwing complicated products at it.
The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is a brilliantly straightforward option for those moments, providing hydration without piling on a long list of actives.
The formula contains hyaluronic acid alongside glycerin, amino acids, urea, allantoin and fatty acids, which work together to help replenish the skin’s natural moisture
It’s a good everyday moisturiser for keeping a stripped-back routine hydrated, particularly if you find richer creams too heavy or simply want something uncomplicated.
BYOMA Hydrating Serum
Best for adding an extra layer of hydration
BYOMA
If your skin is feeling tight and dehydrated alongside a damaged barrier, a serum can be a useful extra step.
BYOMA’s Hydrating Serum is one of the more barrier-conscious options.
It’s formulated with glycerin to help replenish moisture, alongside BYOMA’s Tri-Ceramide Complex, which combines ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids.
It’s important to note this serum is a supporting step to repairing your skin and not a replacement for a barrier cream, which is why BYOMA itself recommends following the serum with moisturiser to seal everything in.
Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturiser
Best lightweight soothing option
Aveeno
Aveeno’s Calm + Restore Oat Gel Moisturiser is a much lighter option compared to some on this list. No more sticky face.
The fast-absorbing gel cream is formulated with prebiotic oat, which Aveeno says helps soothe and repair skin by restoring its moisture barrier.
It’s also fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and specifically formulated for sensitive skin.
It’s a particularly good choice if your skin is feeling sensitive or dehydrated but you don’t want to cover it in a thick balm.
The lightweight texture sinks in quickly, while still giving normal-to-dry skin the hydration it needs.
Molly-Mae Hague has previously named the Aveeno moisturiser as one of her favourites, cementing its status as a beauty-girl staple.
It’s ideal if you’re looking for something soothing and hydrating for daytime, particularly to wear under SPF and make-up, rather than a heavy-duty overnight treatment.
Boots Ingredients Barrier Support Ceramide Moisturiser
Best budget buy
Boots
If you’re looking for a budget ceramide moisturiser in the UK, it’s hard to argue with one that costs just £6.
Boots’ own Barrier Support Ceramide Moisturiser combines ceramides with 5 per cent shea butter and hyaluronic acid, giving you three useful ingredients for supporting the skin barrier and keeping dry skin hydrated.
The texture is on the richer side, so it’s better suited to dry or dehydrated skin than anyone who prefers a weightless gel.
Shea butter and dimethicone help give it that more nourishing feel, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate help draw and hold moisture in the skin.
It doesn’t have fancy packaging or a premium price tag. It’s just a straightforward moisturiser built around some of the ingredients your skin needs.
Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Soothing Balm
Best for very dry and sensitive skin
Bioderma
Formulated for very dry and itchy skin, Bioderma’s Atoderm Ultra-Soothing Balm is the sort of no-nonsense moisturiser worth having in your arsenal if your face is feeling dry, tight and generally fed up.
It has a rich but non-sticky texture that helps soothe discomfort while keeping skin moisturised.
What makes it particularly relevant for a barrier-repair routine is its combination of ceramides, cholesterol and phytosphingosine alongside hydrating ingredients.
These are all components you want to see in a formula designed to support the skin’s natural barrier, rather than simply giving you a temporary hit of hydration.
It’s fragrance-free and designed with sensitive skin in mind, too, which is exactly what you want when your skin is already feeling a little fragile.
E45 Cream
Best pharmacy-recommended skin barrier repair cream
E45
E45 might not have the prettiest packaging to put on your bathroom shelf, but when your skin barrier is struggling, aesthetics aren’t really the priority.
It’s designed to treat and soothe dry, itchy, flaky, chapped and rough skin, making it a particularly useful option when your skin barrier needs a bit of extra support.
Despite being made for seriously dry skin, it doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve coated yourself in a thick layer of cream.
Proof that the oldies in the skincare world are still the goodies.
One thing to note is that E45 Cream is classed as a medical cream, so make sure you read the label before using it and speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you’re unsure whether it’s suitable for you.
Tyla’s editorial lead, Jess Hardiman is a firm fan: “I’ve been using E45 all my life, having found it’s the only product that really helps keep my eczema under control – especially during colder months, or when temperatures flip from one extreme to another, which is common with our notoriously unpredictable British weather. It’s one of the simpler solutions, which is my preference when it comes to skincare.”
Cetraben Moisturising Body and Face Cream
Best for dry, eczema-prone skin
Cetraben
Cetraben is another one of those creams that might not have the TikTok-famous packaging of some of the other products in this edit, but if your skin is dry, itchy or prone to eczema, it’s a pharmacy staple that’s well worth knowing about.
The fragrance-free cream is designed to soothe and moisturise dry, sensitive and eczema-prone skin, while helping to protect it from the things that can make dryness worse.
It’s a fuss-free emollient designed to help keep moisture in the skin, making it a sensible choice when your complexion is feeling dry and uncomfortable, and you want to strip your routine back to the basics.
LADbible Group SEO lead, Tom Earnshaw, shares of his experience with Cetraben: “My son suffered badly with eczema and dry skin during his first four years, often being left with bleeds on the top of his back and crook of his arm that were difficult to heal. Cetraben was a genuine lifesaver not only to stop flare ups and start the healing process, but make him stop scratching at an age where he doesn’t realise it’s harming him. I’d recommend it to any parent to try if their children are suffering.”
Zhanna Danilova/Getty Images
Does cheap skincare work just as well?
Skin health expert, facialist and founder of Smita London, Smita Ahluwalia, says: “Yes, cheaper skincare can work just as well. I think we get far too caught up in price when it comes to skincare.
“A £15 moisturiser can be absolutely brilliant for your skin barrier, and a £100 moisturiser isn’t automatically going to be better.
“For me, it’s always about the formulation, the ingredients and whether it’s right for your skin.
“There are certain things I might invest more money in, particularly when we’re looking at specific active ingredients and clinical formulations, but if we’re simply talking about supporting a damaged skin barrier, you don’t have to spend a fortune.”
What are the biggest mistakes people make when trying to repair their barrier?
“The biggest mistakes people make when trying to repair their skin barrier repair is doing too much or not understanding that your barrier is compromised, so you strip your skin further.
“Your skin is already telling you it’s unhappy, and then you’re putting retinol on it, exfoliating it, using acids, scrubbing it and trying three new products because TikTok told you they’re amazing!
“Sometimes you just need to leave your skin alone.
“Strip everything back. Gentle cleanse, moisturise, SPF. Get the barrier functioning properly again and then we can start thinking about introducing actives a few months later.
“And please don’t think that stinging means a product is working. It doesn’t.”
How do I know my skin barrier is getting better?
“Your skin will tell you that it is getting better. It should start feeling less tight, less sensitive, less itchy and less reactive.
“You’ll hopefully notice less redness and flaking, and when you put products on, you’re not getting that horrible stinging sensation.
“Another big thing is hydration.
“When the barrier isn’t functioning properly, we’re losing water from the skin. As it starts recovering, your skin should hold onto moisture better and feel comfortable for longer.”
FreshSplash/Getty Images
How long does it take to repair your skin barrier?
“The length of time it take to repair your skin barrier really depends on how sensitive the skin has become, your rate of healing recovery time and the products you are using to help the barrier.
“If you’ve simply overdone your retinol or exfoliation, your skin might start feeling much better within a few days and continue improving over the following weeks.
“But if you’ve been compromising that barrier for months, or there’s something else going on with your skin, it’s going to take longer.”
Tips for your skincare routine if your skin barrier is compromised
“If your skin barrier is compromised, the first thing I would recommend is to stop exfoliating and stop using your actives”, says Smita.
“That means put away your retinol, retinal, tretinoin, AHAs, BHAs, exfoliating acids and scrubs for now.
“Your skin is already struggling and this really isn’t the time to keep challenging it.
“Strip your routine right back. Gentle cleanse, moisturise, protect with SPF and concentrate on calming and supporting the barrier.
“Once your skin feels comfortable again (no stinging, tightness, excessive dryness, flaking or sensitivity) then you can slowly start introducing your actives again.
“Don’t put everything back on at once, otherwise you can end up right back where you started.
“Start with one product at a time so you understand what could be causing the irritation.”
