This Derm-Developed Barrier Repair Serum Is Like a Safety Blanket for Skin That Irritates Easily—And I Can’t Stop Using It

As much as I love exfoliating acids and treatments to help keep my breakout-prone skin in check, I’ll occasionally (read: frequently) overdo it—leaving my skin barrier (the protective shield that keeps moisture in, and inflammatory elements like pollution and bacteria, out) in dire need of repair. Enter Three Ship’s new Replenish Ceramides + Blueberry Barrier Repair Serum ($31). The nourishing serum is specifically designed to soothe red, irritated skin (but can be used on all skin types), while strengthening skin and repairing a compromised barrier using ceramides and antioxidant-rich blueberry oil.

But wait—how do you know when your skin barrier has been compromised? Board-certified dermatologist Sandy Skotnicki MD, who co-developed the Replenish Barrier Repair Serum says to think of your skin as a brick wall: the bricks are our skin cells, and the skin’s natural lipids are the mortar that holds all the bricks together. “When our skin barrier is compromised this brick wall is leaky,” explains Dr. Skotnicki. “This can lead to water loss and dry irritated skin. It can, in more extreme cases, lead to barrier dysfunction which leads to redness, burning, discomfort and dermatitis.”

Three Ships, Replenish Ceramides + Blueberry Barrier Repair Serum — $31.00

This nourishing, milky serum contains strengthening ceramides, antioxidant-rich blueberry seed oil, and soothing prickly pear oil to help restore your skin barrier to its former glory.

About the Replenish Ceramides + Blueberry Barrier Repair Serum

Three Ships Replenish Barrier Repair Serum contains strengthening ceramides, antioxidant-rich blueberry seed oil, and soothing prickly pear oil to address all of the above, and rebuild your barrier back to its former glory. “Ceramides are the main component of the brick wall mortar” explains Dr. Skotnicki, making them a must for restoring a damaged skin barrier. “Blueberry seed oil also has linolenic acid which helps repair the barrier,” Dr. Skotnicki adds.

It also contains potent antioxidants, Dr. Skotnicki tells us, which help combat the damaging effects of environmental stress on skin and minimize inflammation. Plus, Three Ships uses blueberry seed oil derived from upcycled blueberry pulp from the juice industry—a sustainability win. “Prickly pear oil is also very high in linoleic acid and has a very high antioxidant activity which translates to very good anti-inflammatory activity,” says Dr. Skotnicki, perfect for calming redness and irritation.

The review

The Replenish Serum couldn’t have come into my life at a better time. I was in the throes of a breakout-pick-irritation cycle, and my skin barrier was in need of some serious TLC. So I put down my exfoliating toners and serums and adopted Replenish Serum as the sole “treatment” step in my skin-care routine. The serum has a lightweight, milky consistency that feels immediately comforting—and slightly cooling—on my irritated skin, and once absorbed, it leaves my face feeling pillow soft, plump, and hydrated. Not too shabby!

The next morning, I was relieved to discover my skin looked calmer, and more nourished. My breakouts looked less red and inflamed, and the burning, itchiness I was experiencing had (thankfully) subsided. Plus, no new blemishes had sprouted overnight (always a risk for me, when trying something new). My skin felt so good, in fact, I used the Three Ships serum again that morning before applying sunscreen. Three drops was all I needed to give my skin the reparative moisture it needed. My face drank the stuff up—and felt incredibly soft, nourished, and smooth as a result. What’s more, the effects lasted all day, and didn’t leave me wanting for moisture. TLDR; it’s been an everyday essential in my skin-care routine ever since.

After weeks of consistent day and night use, not only did the Replenish Serum do serious skin barrier-damage control, it also just made my skin feel insanely good. Which is why I’m still reaching for it everyday, not just when my skin needs a little extra love. And Three Ships customers report the same experience. “I’m not exaggerating when I say this might be the best product I’ve ever put on my skin,” writes one happy shopper in a 5-star review. “My skin has never felt so hydrated, smooth, and the texture is just overall a huge improvement.” She even says she’s experienced less breakouts and redness since adopting the Replenish Serum into her routine—which I 100 percent agree with.

Like me, another Three Ships shopper says she saw results right away. “I noticed a difference in my skin within a few days,” she writes in a 5-star review. “My skin is hydrated, soft and looks so healthy. I’ve also noticed that my frown lines on my forehead are significantly less defined. I have sensitive, acne-prone skin and I was able to introduce this into my routine with zero issues.” The lesson: run, don’t walk to snag a bottle of this holy grail serum for yourself—you can find it on Three Ships site, here.