Berlin-based skincare brand Herbar harnesses the healing power of mushrooms and adaptogens in everything it creates. Launched by Catarina Oliveira and Rui Liu in 2022 (the founders have backgrounds in sports science and nutrition respectively), Herbar’s philosophy is rooted in the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.
The range of products put out by the brand currently includes an Adaptogenic Face Oil, a Face Nectar, and ingestible Skin Pearls (plus a Gua-Shroom gua-sha, a face tool ergonomically shaped like a mushroom to aid in sculpting and de-puffing facial massage).
Herbar’s new cream repairs your damaged skin barrier
Now, Herbar is on a mission to repair, soothe and protect damaged skin barriers (the shield of fats and lipids that lock in moisture and keep out external aggressors) with its new release: The Barrier Cream. Harm to the barrier can occur through over-exfoliation, over-washing and environmental stressors, stripping natural oils and causing dryness, irritation and breakouts.
Tips to repair an unhappy skin barrier include an overhaul of your skincare routine, going right back to basics. Firstly, focus on deep hydration and gentle, non-irritating ingredients, washing your face with a cleanser at night, and using water alone in the morning. Use face mists to dampen the skin before applying restorative creams and balms Also, look for ingredients such as glycerin and ceramides in products. Herbar’s barrier cream contains both, formulated with a 5-ceramide complex and Pentavin, a patented, plant-derived ingredient that binds to the skin’s natural keratin.
The texture of the cream (which is vegan and free from fragrance and parabens) is intensely rich and velvety, but also highly absorbent and non-comedogenic, providing long-lasting hydration. A mushroom blend of Split Gill, Fu Ling and Chaga brightens the complexion, whilst Ashwagandha and Schisandra reduce skin irritation, helping to fight and even diminish acne.
Herbar’s The Barrier Cream can be used directly after any cleansing routine as a moisturiser, morning or night, or also over the top of other products. Housed in the brand’s delightfully designed packaging, with a mushroom-shaped screw top and squeezy aluminium tube displaying 1970s-inspired branding by illustrator Élise Rigollet, it is also an aesthetic delight for any bathroom shelf.
