During my skincare journey over the past five years or so, the most notable improvements in the condition of my skin happened when I took steps to hydrate it. As someone who used to always have super oily skin, it never occurred to me that my skin could actually be dehydrated.
During my first pregnancy in 2010, my skin became extremely dehydrated, it was red, angry, flaky, spotty and seemed to be super sensitive and nothing seemed to help. When I look back now, I was using products that were far too stripping for my skin, I was in fact treating the acne and using products aimed at oily skin, rather than the dehydration which caused all these skin problems. At the time though I knew nothing about dehydration, it wasn’t until I got more into skincare that I realized that this was the issue.
Throughout the Winter months, many people suffer with dehydrated skin as there is the constant battle between the cold weather outside and the central heating indoors. Skin falls out of balance because of the water loss in our skins and the tell tale signs are probably all too familiar. You may get dry, flaky skin, experience redness, as well as lackluster skin that just does not glow. Spots and blemishes may appear due to excess oil that the skin is trying to produce to combat the dryness so can be a bit of a vicious circle!
So what can you do to increase hydration in the skin?
DIET
Well, the first thing is the most obvious, and that is to increase you water intake. Obviously everyone is different as to how much they need to consume, but aim for around 3 litres per day. You also need to watch your alcohol and caffeine consumption as both of these can dehydrate the body, so switch to teas or decaf if you can. This may be easier said than done and you have to be realistic, so if you need that glass of wine of an evening or that coffee first thing in the morning, just ensure you drink more water to compensate!
Another thing that I do religiously and have definitely noticed a difference is supplement with Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Not only are they beneficial to your brain function, but they really do help to improve the condition of you skin too, as they protect the lipid membranes that help cells retain water. So not only does your skin feel more plump, I find it also keeps hormonal acne breakouts in check too.
SKINCARE
Of course, skincare plays a massive role in how your skin looks and feels and I have trialled my fair share of products over the years and have found some amazing ones that have really transformed my skin.
CLEANSING
Firstly, when you cleanse the skin, you should not strip it at all, as this can lead to breakouts. A gentle, hydrating cleanser is much more beneficial to the skin and my absolute favorite is the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel which cleanses, hydrates and brightens my skin. It is honestly the best ever and I would never be without it now, I have done a full review here.
EXFOLIATION
Gentle daily exfoliation with a chemical exfoliant has been a game changer for me, they rid the skin of dead skin cells and help products to absorb better into the skin, allowing them to do their job. I absolutely love the Pixi Glow Tonic which leaves my skin, smoother, softer and more refined. After chemical exfoliation I balance the skin with a hydrating face mist, such as the Clinique Moisture Surge Spray which is one of my favorites. If you have read my blog for a while, you will know my obsession with face mists and how I always have one on hand to give my skin a moisture injection when needs. I have written a post all about them here.
SERUMS/OILS
Using a hydrating serum every morning has really made a massive difference to the ways my skin feels and the way my makeup looks throughout the day. I apply the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum (review) before my moisturizer and it really hydrates my skin all day long. Sometimes when skin is dehydrated, makeup can often look patchy during the day and you can notice fine lines more. This is the skin basically eating your makeup trying to get any moisture it can. Using a hydrating serum prevents this and keeps you makeup looking fresh and even all day long. I am obsessed with this serum as it also keeps my skin feeling plump and preventing any flakiness or redness too.
In the evening, I love to use the Nude Omega Treatment Rescue Oil, which is probably the best face oil I have used. It is lightweight so absorbs easily and has made my skin much more refined, so my pores appear smaller and skintone is more even and reduces breakouts dramatically. If you want to know more about this, read my full review here.
MASK
Having a hydrating mask on hand at all times can be a lifesaver, and I love to use ones that can be used overnight for maximum benefits. My absolute favorite is the Glamglow Thirsty Mud Hydrating Treatment, which I tend to apply after a cleansing mask and leave on all night long. It smells divine and when I wake in the morning, my skin looks plump and refreshed, as though my skin has had a massive drink of water.
I am so passionate about the effects that hydration can have on your skin, it has massively transformed the condition of my skin. I hope this will help some of you out that may suffer with dehydrated skin too!
Let me know what products are your favorites to combat dehydration!
