If a facial cleanser is too harsh, we often say it “strips the skin.” What does that mean? Harsh cleansing formulas can damage the skin barriers, and therefore can have a negative impact on visible skin health. Specifically:• Harsh formulas disrupt the Microbiome Barrier, both directly by impacting surface microbes, and indirectly by changing skin pH.• Harsh formulas weaken the Moisture Barrier by removing lipids (a special type of natural oil in skin), leaving skin prone to dehydration.