It may not look like it on the surface, but your skin is constantly hard at work; the toughest job, though, is of the uppermost layer, the skin barrier. Much like a security guard for your skin, the barrier is there to stop potential problems passing through and to protect what lies within - and it’s the weakness of this shield that is the underlying cause of sensitive skin. A thin, weak or damaged skin barrier allows irritants in, or irritates more easily - and so building up this surface layer could be the key to reducing skin sensitivity long term.