In our quest for radiant skin, hydration is essential for skin health.
Dehydration robs the skin of its natural vibrancy, leaving it dull, prone to fine lines and is the start of many dysfunctions in the skin. The power lies not just in what we consume, but also in what we apply.
Understanding Dehydration
The skin is the largest and outermost organ in the body. While drinking adequate water is vital for cell functioning, your hydration reaches the skin last. Our skin can also lose hydration through transepidermal water loss (water evaporating out of the skin).
Dehydrated skin can present as dullness, flaky skin (even if you’re oily), fine lines becoming more apparent, redness, inflammation, irritation and lacking in elasticity. Dehydrated skin will quickly impair the skins barrier, possibly leading to eczema or acne or exacerbating rosacea. Here are our top tips to ensure you are hydrated from the inside out.
EAT YOUR WATER
Hydrating foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber and celery provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, supporting skin hydration from within.
ELECTROLYTES + EFAs
Electrolytes help regulate fluid balance within cells, replenishing and maintaining hydration. Essential fatty acids help hydrate the skin by fortifying the lipid barrier on the skin, locking in moisture and preventing transepidermal water loss.
USE A HUMIDIFIER
Heating our homes in the winter will dry out the air. Use a humidifier to rebalance moisture levels, preventing excessive dryness in the skin.
ADD IN A MIST (OR TWO)
Mists are like fresh pressed juice for the skin - they provide hydration and nutrients, essential for skin health. My latest obsession is layering two mists before my serums. Game changer.
HUMECTANT SERUMS
Humectants are ingredients that attract and hold onto water molecules. Use serums with hyaluronic acid, beta glucan, pathenol, aloe, ceramides, or peptides twice per day for topical skin hydration.
A MOISTURIZER FOR YOUR UNIQUE SKIN
Layer an emollient moisturizer over your serums to prevent your humectants + skin hydration from evaporating. Moisturizers may need to be changed with the seasons - talk to your aesthetician to ensure you’re using the right moisturizer for your skin’s needs.
SLUGGING
This technique of applying an occlusive product over your moisturizer at night creates a barrier and locks in hydration. Skip the petroleum-based product for Facial Recovery Oil, Prickly Pear Nectar or Seabuck + Neroli Nectar.
SHOWER MASQUES
Wear a humectant masque in the shower to draw moisture into the skin. Our favorite shower masques are the Firm Skin Acai , Stone Crop or Eight Greens Masque.
Which Hydration tip are you going to implement into your routine? Tell us in our latest Instagram post and we will send three of you Facial Recovery Oil to try!