50ml full size, 15ml travel size
ESK · Barrier moisturiser
Repair +
ESK Repair + · a fragrance-free ceramide moisturiser for dry, sensitive and post-treatment skin
A lightweight, fragrance-free moisturiser for barrier repair: niacinamide 5%, ceramides (NP, AP and EOP), panthenol 1.5%, hyaluronic acid 1.1% in three weights, squalane and a peptide pair, at pH 4.5 to 5. For skin that is dry, sensitive, irritable or recovering from a treatment. Suitable for all skin types, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI).
- Ceramides, cholesterol and phytosphingosine, the lipids a healthy barrier is made of, with panthenol and niacinamide to help it hold water.
- Hyaluronic acid 1.1% in three weights and squalane, so it hydrates without heaviness.
- The cream we suggest after peels, microneedling and laser, once your practitioner clears moisturiser. Morning and night.
- Fragrance-free, no essential oils, non-comedogenic. Rosacea-prone skin: usually fine; patch test if reactive.
3 to 4 months of morning and night use
A barrier cream is the step that lets everything else work: dry, reactive skin tolerates a retinal or an acid far better over it. The 15ml for £35 covers a post-treatment recovery period on its own.
Free UK delivery over £65 · Tracked £3.49 · Sent tracked, 2 to 4 working days
- Good to know
- No fragrance or essential oils in the ingredient list. Light enough for combination skin; rich enough for dry skin.
- Stockist
- Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Genuine product with full traceability.
If your skin reacts to a fragrance-free barrier cream, stop and message us: the cause is worth finding. After a treatment, follow the aftercare you were given first and only start Repair + when cleared.
Not sure if this is right for your skin? Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment and we will confirm the right routine first.
A barrier repair cream, honestly
Most people who reach for it have skin that has been over-treated: too many acids, a retinal started too fast, a peel or laser, harsh weather, or just skin that has always been dry and reactive. The sign is the same: tightness, flaking, stinging with products that used to be fine. That is a barrier that needs its lipids back, and that is what this cream carries.
What it will not do is fix the cause. If the barrier was damaged by a routine, the routine has to change too: fewer actives, introduced slowly, over this cream. If the skin is dry because of eczema, rosacea or a medical cause, a GP or an assessment comes first and Repair + is the comfortable moisturiser alongside.
On deeper skin tones, a damaged barrier is the most common reason irritation turns into dark marks, so keeping the barrier intact is pigmentation prevention as much as comfort. It is the cream we reach for after in-clinic treatments for that reason.
Quick facts
- What it is
- A fragrance-free barrier repair moisturiser.
- Sizes
- 50ml (£69.00, around 3 to 4 months) and 15ml travel size (£35.00, around 3 to 4 weeks).
- Best for
- Dry, sensitive and irritable skin, a damaged or over-treated barrier, and after in-clinic treatments.
- Skin types
- Suitable for all skin types, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI) and rosacea-prone skin.
- Key ingredients
- Niacinamide 5%, panthenol 1.5%, hyaluronic acid 1.1% (three weights), ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol, squalane, palmitoyl peptides.
- pH
- 4.5 to 5.0.
- How to use
- 1 to 2 pumps after cleansing, morning and night. Also on the décolletage and hands.
- Free from
- Fragrance, essential oils, parabens and sulphates. Non-comedogenic.
- Daily SPF
- Recommended over it every morning, and required after treatments.
- Pregnancy
- Ceramides, panthenol and niacinamide are widely regarded as suitable; ESK publishes no specific guidance. Ask if unsure.
Where it fits in a routine
Dry or sensitive skin: Calming Cleanse, Hydraboost if you like, then Repair +, then Zinc Shade in the morning. At night, Repair + alone, or under a gentle retinal such as Ultimate A.
After a peel, microneedling or laser: Calming Cleanse and Repair + only, plus SPF, for as long as your aftercare says, then reintroduce actives one at a time. It is the moisturiser in the Rosacea Kit.
If redness is the main issue, B Quenched leads with hemp seed oil. If breakouts are the main issue, B Calm.
The detail
Ingredients, and what each one does
- Ceramides NP, AP and EOP, cholesterol, phytosphingosine
- The lipids that make up the skin's own barrier. Replacing them helps the skin hold water and keep irritants out. ESK publishes ceramides at 0.06%. Widely studied.
- Niacinamide (vitamin B3), 5%
- Supports barrier function and helps reduce water loss; studied for the look of redness and uneven tone. Widely studied.
- Panthenol (provitamin B5), 1.5%
- A humectant that supports the barrier and is soothing on irritated skin. Widely studied.
- Hyaluronic acid, 1.1%, in three molecular weights
- Binds water at more than one level of the surface layers.
- Squalane, sweet almond and soybean oils, shea butter
- Skin-identical and plant lipids that give slip and seal moisture in, in a formula that stays light and non-comedogenic.
- Palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7
- A signalling peptide pair (Matrixyl 3000) studied for the look of texture and fine lines with steady use.
- Urea, trehalose, allantoin, thioctic acid
- Humectants, a conditioning agent and an antioxidant included in the formula.
Niacinamide 5%, panthenol 1.5%, hyaluronic acid 1.1% and ceramides 0.06% as printed on the ESK pack; the three-weight split and pH 4.5 to 5.0 as published by ESK. Descriptions are about the look and feel of skin, not a medical outcome.
Full ingredients (INCI): Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Niacinamide, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethoxydiglycol, C12-16 Alcohols, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Erythritol, Trehalose, Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phospholipids, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Allantoin, Thioctic Acid, Serine, Dehydroacetic Acid, Silica, Glycolipids, Ceramide NP, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Homarine HCL, Potassium Phosphate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP.
How to use it
Morning
- Cleanse with a soap-free cleanser and pat dry.
- Apply any serum and let it settle.
- Smooth 1 to 2 pumps of Repair + over the face and neck.
- Finish with SPF.
Night
After cleansing, as your night cream. On nights you use a retinal, Repair + can go underneath it to reduce dryness.
After a treatment
Follow the aftercare you were given. Once moisturiser is cleared, Repair + morning and night, with a soap-free cleanser and SPF, and nothing else until the skin has settled.
Beyond the face
Décolletage, the backs of the hands and anywhere the skin is dry or irritated.
What to expect, and when
- First use
- A light cream that absorbs cleanly with no scent. Skin feels comfortable straight away.
- First week
- Tightness and stinging with other products usually ease as the barrier recovers.
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Flaking and dryness settle. The point at which actives can usually be reintroduced, one at a time.
- If dryness persists
- A moisturiser keeps skin comfortable; it does not treat eczema or a medical cause. Message us or see your GP.
Is it right for my skin
- Dry and dehydrated skin
- Yes. This is who it is made for.
- Sensitive, irritable and reactive skin
- Yes. Fragrance-free, no essential oils.
- An over-treated or damaged barrier
- Yes. Pause actives and use this until it settles.
- After peels, microneedling and laser
- Yes, once your practitioner clears moisturiser.
- Rosacea-prone skin
- Yes, per ESK. B Quenched is the alternative aimed at redness itself.
- Deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI)
- Yes. Barrier care is pigmentation prevention on deeper skin.
- Oily or breakout-prone skin
- Usable, it is non-comedogenic, but B Calm does more for oil and congestion.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Widely regarded as suitable; ESK publishes no specific guidance. Ask if unsure.
Using it with what you already own
- Retinal
- Yes. Repair + under the retinal at night makes it easier to tolerate.
- Exfoliating acids
- Yes, once the barrier is settled: acid first, Repair + over it.
- Vitamin C
- Yes: vitamin C first in the morning, then Repair +.
- Hyaluronic acid serum
- Yes. Hydraboost first, then Repair +.
- Prescription creams
- Apply the prescription as directed, then Repair + over it. Ask your prescriber if unsure.
- SPF
- Over it, every morning.
Questions we actually get asked
What is ESK Repair +?
A lightweight, fragrance-free moisturiser for barrier repair, with niacinamide 5%, ceramides, panthenol 1.5%, hyaluronic acid 1.1% in three weights, squalane and a peptide pair, at pH 4.5 to 5. It is used morning and night.
What is a barrier repair cream?
The skin barrier is the outer layer of cells held together by lipids, mainly ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. When it is damaged, water escapes and irritants get in, so skin feels tight, flaky and stingy. A barrier repair cream puts those lipids back and helps the skin hold water while it recovers.
How do I know my skin barrier is damaged?
Tightness after washing, flaking, redness, and stinging from products that used to be fine, often after too many actives, a treatment, or harsh weather. The fix is fewer actives and a barrier cream, for a few weeks.
What do ceramides do for skin?
Ceramides are the main lipids in the skin's barrier. Replacing them helps the skin hold moisture and keep irritants out, which is what makes a damaged barrier feel comfortable again and what makes actives easier to tolerate afterwards.
Is it good for dry skin?
Yes. It carries barrier lipids, humectants and light emollients, so it hydrates and seals without heaviness. Very dry skin can layer Hydraboost underneath.
Is it good for sensitive skin?
Yes. It is fragrance-free with no essential oils, and it is ESK's cream for irritable skin. Patch test if your skin reacts to most things.
Can I use it after a peel, microneedling or laser?
Yes. It is the moisturiser we suggest after in-clinic treatments, once your practitioner has cleared you to moisturise. Follow the aftercare you were given first, and use it with a soap-free cleanser and SPF only until the skin has settled.
Is it suitable for rosacea?
ESK lists rosacea-prone skin. It is bland, fragrance-free and barrier-supporting. If redness itself is the main concern, B Quenched is the alternative built around that.
Is it suitable for eczema?
ESK positions it for dry, sensitive and irritable skin. For diagnosed eczema, your GP's emollient plan comes first; Repair + can be the daytime face moisturiser alongside it if your GP is happy.
Is it suitable for deeper skin tones?
Yes. It is suitable for all skin types, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI). On deeper skin, a damaged barrier is the most common route from irritation to dark marks, so barrier care matters more.
Is it suitable for oily skin?
It is non-comedogenic and light enough for combination skin. If oil and congestion are the main concern, B Calm is the better fit.
How do I use it?
1 to 2 pumps after cleansing, morning and night, on the face and, if you like, the décolletage and hands. SPF over it in the morning.
Can I use it with a retinal?
Yes. Put Repair + on first at night and the retinal over it, or the retinal first and Repair + over it if your skin is very dry. Either way it reduces the dryness a retinal can cause.
Can I use it with acids or vitamin C?
Yes, once the barrier is settled. Serum first, then Repair +. If your barrier is currently damaged, pause acids for a few weeks.
Can I use it in pregnancy or breastfeeding?
Ceramides, panthenol and niacinamide are widely regarded as suitable in pregnancy, and ESK publishes no specific guidance. Ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist if unsure.
Does it contain fragrance?
No. No fragrance or essential oils appear in its ingredient list, and it is free from parabens and sulphates.
Does it contain peptides?
Yes, palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, the pair sold as Matrixyl 3000, studied for the look of texture and fine lines with steady use.
How long does it take to work?
Comfort is immediate. Tightness and stinging usually ease within a week; flaking within 2 to 4 weeks.
What is the difference between Repair + and B Quenched?
Both are fragrance-free barrier moisturisers with niacinamide 5%. Repair + leads with ceramides, panthenol and hyaluronic acid for barrier repair and post-treatment skin. B Quenched leads with hemp seed oil and is aimed at redness.
What is the difference between Repair + and Peptide Primer?
Repair + is fragrance-free and built for barrier repair. Peptide Primer is a lighter peptide moisturiser with a make-up-primer finish and contains essential oils.
How long does a bottle last?
The 50ml lasts around 3 to 4 months of twice-daily use. The 15ml travel size lasts around 3 to 4 weeks, about the length of a post-treatment recovery.
Is it cruelty free and vegan?
Yes. ESK states that Repair + is cruelty free and vegan.
Is Melatone an authorised ESK stockist?
Yes. Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Stock comes directly from ESK, so every item is genuine and traceable, and it is the same product we use in clinic.
Can someone help me work out whether this is right for me?
Yes. Message us on WhatsApp with a description of your skin, or book a skin assessment at the clinic in Battersea.
What is the delivery and returns position?
Tracked UK delivery is £3.49, or free over £65, and usually arrives in 2 to 4 working days. Sealed, unopened items can be returned within 60 days for a refund.
Buying it from Melatone
Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Stock is bought directly from ESK, so every item is genuine and traceable, and it is the same product we use in clinic in Battersea, London.
If you are not sure this is the right moisturiser for your skin, do not guess. Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment, and we will suggest a routine before you buy.
Delivery
Tracked UK delivery, £3.49 or free over £65. It usually arrives within 2 to 4 working days, with tracking by email. The price you see is the price you pay, with any delivery charge shown in full before checkout.
Returns
Sealed, unopened items may be returned within 60 days of receiving your order for a refund. For hygiene reasons we cannot accept returns of skincare once any seal has been opened, unless faulty. Your statutory 14-day right to cancel is unaffected.