Skin & Immunity: What You Need to Know

When you typically think of boosting your immunity, you probably imagine fresh meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables and getting consistent rest. But your body’s immunity and your skin’s immunity aren’t the same thing. Unfortunately, drinking orange juice doesn’t necessarily make your skin glow. Healthy-looking skin requires a balance of careful lifestyle choices and a solid skincare routine. It’s part of the reason we were inspired to launch our NEW SKINLONGEVITY Long Life Herb collection, an anti-aging skincare line that includes everything from a hydrating serum to limited-edition eye masks.

To further understand how we can preserve our skin’s immunity and strength, we chatted with bareMinerals Dermatology Ambassador Dr. Joyce Park. The California-based board-certified dermatologist let us in on her secret to healthy-looking skin, a little about her personal journey and why the new skincare collection is her go-to for boosting her natural glow.

What is our skin’s immunity and why does it matter?

The skin has an incredibly robust immune system which helps it perform its primary function: protecting our bodies from outside aggressors such as germs, temperature fluctuation, radiation and more. 

We talk a lot about the importance of “stronger skin”, why is it important to have strong skin? When your skin is strong, what benefits can you expect to see? 

Strong skin refers to the ability of the skin to perform its major function of being your primary defense against the outside world. When you have strong skin, you see less negative effects of environmental aggressors, such as dark spots, fine lines, sensitivities, and more.

What does “strong” skin have to do with skin immunity? 

When I think of “strong” skin I think of a healthy-looking skin barrier, meaning the skin is well hydrated with no openings in the skin or sores that affects its function as a barrier from the outside world. I also think of this in terms of skin disease, where the skin barrier is compromised and weakened. A common skin condition I treat is eczema, which causes dry scaly itchy patches and cracks in the skin. Because of the many cracks, eczema skin is more likely to get infections and even mount allergies to particles in the environment. 

How can we help strengthen our skin’s immunity?

You want to maintain healthy-looking skin to keep your skin’s immunity strong. This means keeping your skin hydrated using products with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or glycerin. You also want to use products with antioxidants such as niacinamide to help prevent DNA damage from environmental aggressors such as UV radiation and cigarette smoke. 

What kind of lifestyle choices can we make to help maintain our skin’s immunity?

Always use sunscreen always to prevent UV-induced sun damage to the skin. You also want to limit your alcohol intake, since that is a diuretic that makes your body lose water. You want to stay hydrated and eat a diet rich in leafy greens packed with antioxidants. And definitely do not smoke cigarettes!

What happens when your skin immunity is weakened (i.e., if you get a sunburn)? 

When your skin immunity is weakened it is not able to act as a strong barrier to protect your body from the outside environment. You are more prone to getting rashes, infections, and allergies from outside insults.

What has been your personal journey of strengthening your skin?

I will be honest – I did not start investing in my skin strength until my late 20’s! I did not truly understand how important it was to have strong healthy skin, which really serves as the foundation of glowing radiant skin. During my dermatology training I started learning about the scientific research behind ingredients such as Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid, and that’s when it clicked for me – it is so important to incorporate skincare products with these ingredients into my daily routine. My personal philosophy when it comes to skincare is “less is more;” I now focus on investing in high quality skincare ingredients that are backed by science to improve skin’s overall health and strength.

How do you personally incorporate the SKINLONGEVITY Collection into your daily skincare routine?

I use the SKINLONGEVITY Long Life Herb Serum morning and night on clean skin, and I follow that up with the SKINLONGEVITY Long Life Herb Night Treatment and Eye Treatment at night. This ensures that I wake up the next morning with hydrated skin!

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