Many elements factor into achieving healthy young-looking skin, the most important being hydration. Soft, supple, well-hydrated skin is worth putting in the extra eff ort. Hydration comes with a myriad of skin health benefits. Not only does it give you a healthy glow, but hydrated skin can also stave off acne, the appearance of fi ne lines and wrinkles, and signs of advanced aging. Here are our best tips for preventing dehydration. We recommend using them all together for maximum results.
Keep Up Your Water Intake
Drinking water is the most important step in keeping your skin glowing from the inside out. When dehydrated, skin cells deflate, causing them to look dry and flaky. It is recommended that the average adult drink 6-8 cups of water per day, This is, however, dependent upon other factors such as climate, how much exercise you get in a day, and your general health, so always listen to your body. You can also help your body retain the water you drink by adding water-soluble electrolytes to your drinking water.
Lower Your Water Temperature
Hot water is known to be very drying to the skin. To combat exposing your skin to high temperatures when washing your face, taking showers or cleaning the dishes; lower your water temperature from the source, your water heater. If this is outside of your comfort zone, you could also take cooler showers, or reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower.
Avoid “Bad” Alcohol
We all know alcohol is a common skin-care ingredient, but what you may not know is there are good kinds of alcohol and bad kinds of alcohol. Bad alcohols such as SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol produce a “quick dry” finish while degreasing the skin. This may sound appealing, but it strips the skin of its natural oils, and only encourages your skin to produce more sebum, thereby exaggerating the problem. Applying these volatile alcohols to the skin can cause irritation, lipid depletion and free radical damage. Instead, opt for “good” alcohols that are skin tolerable such as cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohol.
Use a Humidifier
Adding a humidifier to your home can make a huge difference in the health and hydration of your skin. Dry air pulls moisture from your skin causing dryness. To combat this drying effect, use a humidifier daily to increase the moisture level in your immediate environment.
Apply Skincare to Damp Skin
As tempting as it may be to dry your skin thoroughly before applying skincare, it is not doing you any favours in the hydration department. A little dab with a clean towel is all you need, as damp skin is more permeable than dry skin, thus able to better absorb serums, oils, and moisturizers.
Barrier Protection
Your skin barrier is one of the most important elements to healthy and hydrated skin. Not only does this thin layer of fatty acids protect us from environmental toxins and pathogens, but it also is essential to lock in moisture. In fact, without a skin barrier, the water inside your body would evaporate, leaving you dry, itchy, and flaky. Look for ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, or glycerin.
Choose Moisturizing Ingredients
When seeking out skincare, look for ingredients that hydrate the skin. Three important ingredients to look for are humectants, emollients, and occlusives. These ingredients work best in unison. Think of these three as the perfect trifecta for healthy hydrated skin. Humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin help bind water in the outermost layer of the skin, but they cannot retain that moisture without a little help.
That is where emollients, squalene, ceramides and fatty acids help protect the skin barrier to lock in that moisture. Occlusives like petrolatum, beeswax, and mineral oil seal everything in as they form a layer on the skin and physically block transepidermal water loss.
Exfoliate Regularly
Exfoliation sloughs off dead skin cells which helps your moisturizing products absorb into the skin better to ensure best results. Don’t overdo it, though, or you could do more harm than good. Generally, once or twice weekly is enough to do the job. Also, it is best to opt for chemical exfoliation rather than mechanical exfoliation, as using harsh scrubs can damage the skin barrier.
Add-Ons
On top of your regular skincare routine, add in some fun moisturizing treatments like weekly moisturizing sheet masks or on-the-go thermal water sprays, to refresh you on a hot day and replenish vitamins.
Jessica Gardner | Contributing Writer
