Strengthening the Skin Barrier: How Scott Bader Ingredients Power One of the Biggest Skincare Trend
01/02/26
Skin barrier health has without a doubt come up on at least one of your digital algorithms in the last two years. How do we know this? Because this topic has become one of the most influential forces shaping the beauty and personal care market in the last few years. Searches for “barrier repair”, “skin barrier cream” and “microbiome-friendly skincare” have surged by 29% year over year as consumers shift from quick fix beauty to long term skin wellness. Now with 71,000 searches per month this change is driving formulators to rethink how they design moisturisers, serums and treatments – with a renewed focus on gentle, effective and scientifically validated ingredients.
Personal Care from Scott Bader is positioned in a unique way to support this movement. From the very beginning our portfolio focused on naturally derived rheology modifiers, sensory enhancers and natural oils, the Texique and Texiterra ranges offer formulators the tools they need to create barrier supportive products that meet modern expectations for performance, sustainability and clean label transparency.
In this blog we explore why skin barrier care is dominating the beauty landscape and how Personal Care from Scott Bader ingredients help formulators stay ahead.
So, why did skin barrier health get to the top of Skincare trends?
Skin barrier health used to be a very niche topic, with only qualified aestheticians and medical professionals being properly educated on this now mainstream consumer priority. It has become a topic on everyone’s lips, rightfully so but lets look at what trends are driving this movement:
- Increased sensitivity and irritation caused by over-exfoliation, retinoid use and environmental stressors. Statistically, 71% of people report having sensitive skin which is a 55% increase over just two decades.
- A rise in “derm-approved” and “skin-science” marketing, making barrier health a key selling point on platforms like YouTube and Reddit which provide “Classroom” and “Clinic” skincare discussions with over 9,000 conversations in 2025 highlighting sensitivity and inflammation issues.
- A shift towards functional skincare, where efficacy and long-term results matter to people more than cosmetic efforts
Simply put, products today are expected to protect, strengthen and restore with consumers actively seeking ingredients that support these claims.
Science behind a healthy skin barrier
The skin barrier is made up of three key components:
- Lipid layers (ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids) form a protective matrix that locks in moisture and keeps irritants out. If disruption occurs it can lead to dryness, flaking and inflammation – all very recognisable among today’s consumers.
- Moisture retention. When barrier weakens the trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) increases, leaving the skin dehydrated and prone to sensitivity. Maintaining hydration is now one of the top global skincare priorities.
- Microbiome balance. Microbiome friendly skincare is on the rise due to imbalanced skin flora and links to conditions like eczema and recurring irritation.
In barrier repair formulated products, texture, viscosity and emollient choice are the priority. Polymers and rheology modifiers help stabilise lipid-rich systems and present any phase separation which is the key to success when working with delicate actives like ceramides, niacinamide and peptides.
How Scott Bader Ingredients Support Barrier Focused Formulations
There is more to skin barrier than adding lipids, the key to provide stable delivery systems that protect actives, maintain texture integrity and create a comforting sensory experience for compromised skin. Successful barrier formulations will balance occlusion, hydration and elegance while remaining compatible with sensitive skin requirements.
Scott Bader technologies support formulators at every level of barrier focused system: emulsion architecture, sensory optimisation, lipid reinforcement and long-term stability.
Texique HE Series (HE10, HE20 & HE50) – Rheology Modifiers (the backbone) for Barrier Repair Emulsions:
Barrier creams and other products typically contain high oil loads, occlusive agents and delicate actives. Without the right rheology system, formulations can separate, feel heavy or degrade overtime.
The Texique HE series acts as a structural backbone, helping formulators build rich yet controlled emulsions designed specifically for repair focused skincare.
Advantaged of using Texique HE series include:
- High stability in lipid-dense barrier creams and overnight recovery balms
- Controlled viscosity that prevents phase separation
- Enhanced suspension of ceramides, peptides, and niacinamide
- Elegant cushion textures without drag or tack
- Excellent pH tolerance for sensitive skin systems
These rheology modifiers allow formulators to design creams that feel protective without suffocating the skin, remain evenly distributed and improve both product efficacy and shelf stability.
Barrier repair skincare market (specifically) is growing each year with projections of $4.8B by 2033 – hence why stability and sensory performance are at a crucial advantage to formulators.
Texique Lux5 – Natural Silicone Alternative for Sensitive Skin:
Modern barrier care customers want comfort without compromise. Silicones are hard to step away from since historically they were the best performers however, many brands are adopting the silicone-free alternatives to align themselves with clean beauty standards.
Texique Lux5 provides a soft-focus sensory profile that mimics premium silicone aesthetics while maintaining natural origin positioning
Advantages of using Texique Lux5 include:
- Lightweight emollience ideal for reactive or inflamed skin
- Enhanced spreadability in thick repair creams
- Reduction of greasy after-feel in high lipid formulas
- Velvety finish suitable for minimalist skincare routines
- Compatibility with microbiome-conscious formulations
Texique Lux5 gives formulators the chance to create products that feel breathable and calming which presents itself as a key emotional and tactile cue for barrier damaged skin.
Texiterra Natural Oils – Lipid Reinforcement for Barrier Recovery
Quite often, a compromised skin barrier is fundamentally a lipid deficiency problem. Replenishing skin identical or biomimetic lipids is the key to restoring barrier resilience.
Texiterra natural oils provide lipid profiles that support the skin’s protective matrix while aligning with sustainable formulation goals.
Advantages include:
- Skin-compatible fatty acid composition
- Deep nourishment without excessive occlusion
- Excellent oxidative stability in emulsions
- Compatibility with sensitive skin actives
- Support for natural origin and eco-conscious claims
When combined with advanced rheology systems, Texiterra oils help create emulsions that reinforce the barrier while maintaining long-term formulation stability.
This synergy between oil phase design and polymer architecture is what separates functional barrier skincare from basic moisturisation.
Texiterra Seabuckthorn Fruit Pulp Oil
Formulation Challenges in Barrier Repair — And How Scott Bader Helps Solve Them
Barrier repair products present unique technical challenges that demand precision in formulation engineering.
Challenge 1: High Oil Phase Instability
Rich lipid systems tend to destabilise over time.
Solution: Texique™ HE builds robust emulsion networks that stabilise heavy oil phases without sacrificing elegance.
Challenge 2: Active Sensitivity
Ceramides, peptides, and niacinamide require controlled environments.
Solution: Texique™ HE supports pH flexibility and protects active integrity during storage and use.
Challenge 3: Heavy Texture Perception
Consumers want nourishment without a suffocating feel.
Solution: Texique™ Lux5 refines spreadability and reduces greasiness, improving consumer acceptance.
Challenge 4: Sensory Comfort for Reactive Skin
Barrier-damaged skin reacts negatively to draggy or occlusive textures.
Solution: Lux5 delivers a breathable, soft sensory profile that reinforces soothing positioning.
Verdict?
The skin barrier health has stopped being niche dermatological concept a while ago and has become the foundation of modern skincare design. As preventative skin health gains traction, formulators face increasing pressure to deliver products that are gentle, stable and performance-driven while still meeting expectations for sustainability and sensory excellence.
Barrier repair is a technically demanding category. It requires more than trend-driven ingredient selection; it demands intelligent formulation architecture. The rise of highly engineered specialty ingredients reflects a broader industry shift toward systems designed to support long-term skin resilience rather than short-term cosmetic fixes.
By combining advanced rheology modifiers, sensory enhancers and carefully selected natural oils, formulators can create barrier-focused systems engineered specifically for sensitive skin. This approach marks an important evolution in skincare: moving away from reactive solutions and toward formulations that actively strengthen the skin over time.
Resources:
Application Opportunities in Barrier Focused Skincare
Repair and Rejuvenate Cream (HE10, HE20 and Natural Oils)
Moisture Hit Cream (Lux5, HE20 and Natural Oils)
Bi-Phase Night Serum (Lux5 and Natural Oils)
References
Pravada Private Label — “Trending in 2025: Skin Barrier Repair”
(Search growth: +29% YoY, 71,000+ monthly searches)
Accio Market Insights — Skin Barrier Trend analysis
(High social media engagement, #skinbarrier hundreds of millions of views)
Grand View Research — Sensitive Skin Market Report
(71% of people have sensitive skin, 55% increase over two decades; eczema: 31M Americans; rosacea: 16M Americans)
2025 Global Skincare Pulse (Mediapod)
(9,000+ conversations, barrier repair as major topic)
LeeCosmetic Ingredient Trends (2025) — Microbiome imbalance linked to eczema
Strategic Revenue Insights — Barrier Repair Skincare Market
($2.5B in 2024 → $4.8B by 2033, 7.2% CAGR)
