Make no mistake. Dehydrated skin is NOT the same as dry skin.
Dry skin is a skin type. It’s in your genes.
Dehydrated skin, anyone can get (even those with oily skin!).
Dry skin = less oil in your skin.
Dehydrated skin = less water in your skin.
How do you know if your skin is actually dehydrated?
You have dehydrated skin if it:
- Feels oily and dry at the same time.
- Gets breakouts every now and then.
- Gets sensitive sometimes.
- Looks dull and uneven.
- Feels rough.
- Gets crepe-y (paper-thin wrinkles) when you pinch it.
Everyday things that cause Dehydrated Skin:
- Hot baths.
- Air-conditioning
- Wrong skincare products
- Sleeping with makeup on
- The weather
8 ways to fix Dehydrated Skin:
1. USE THE GENTLEST CLEANSER YOU CAN FIND.
The best way to cleanse dehydrated skin is with a very gentle cleanser.
Pick a cleanser that is soap-free and fragrance-free as that can really strip your skin of moisture.
Stuff I ❤️: I actually love two cleansers and can’t make up my mind about which one I like more. Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser and Bioderma Sensibio H2O are my go-to’s when my skin lacks moisture.
2. CHECK YOUR SKINCARE PRODUCTS.
Are you using skincare products that don’t suit your skin type?
Using the wrong skincare products can actually harm your skin’s moisture barrier.
Another thing to check is whether your products have alcohol or fragrance. These ingredients really suck out the moisture from your skin – making your skin suffer big time.
It may be time to ditch that great-smelling cream or that tingly, refreshing alcohol-packed toner.
3. MAKE HYALURONIC ACID YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND
You want to hydrate your skin with water, not oil. So look for products that contain Hyaluronic Acid.
Don’t be frightened by the word ‘acid’. This awesome ingredient is already naturally present in your skin – but it gets lesser as you get older.
The really cool thing about Hyaluronic Acid is that it has the ability to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water! So your skin literally keeps getting hydrated through the day.
Stuff I ❤️: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel goes on so light but literally soaks my skin with hydration.
4. STOP EXFOLIATING. FOR NOW.
Right now is NOT the time to scrub your skin. That’s because your moisture barrier has been hurt and needs to heal.
Scrubbing damaged skin will just irritate it more – leading to sensitivity. So just don’t.
WATCH OUT!: Many skincare products (especially acne-treatments) contain chemical exfoliants like AHAs, salicylic acid, retinols… These are great for skin under normal conditions – but not now. So make sure you check the ingredient list of all your products.
You can start using scrubs and exfoliants once your skin has come back to it’s original state (it may take a month or two).
5. NO MORE HOT SHOWERS. PLEASE!
I know, I know. It feels soooooooo good. But seriously, you need to stop.
Very hot water strips your skin of its natural oils – dehydrating it within seconds.
I’m not saying take cold showers. Just make it lukewarm. Yes, it’s not as amazing, but you’ll get used to it within a week. And you are saving your skin – so it’s totally worth it
6. REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CUPS OF COFEE (OR TEA) YOU DRINK.
Caffeine can dehydrate your skin in a jiffy. That’s because it’s a diuretic – which means it pushes water out of your body (hence, the need to pee after drinking a cup).
So limit the number of cups to 2 a day and you’re good.
Tip: Drink 2 extra glasses of water to counter the effect coffee has on your skin.
7. GO EASY ON THE SALT!
So I had chips one night, and woke up all puffy and dry the next morning! Well, thank you salt.
Salty food sucks out all the moisture from your skin, so cutting down on salt really helps to get your skin back on track!
Tip: Seriously, the best remedy for dehydrated skin is to drink more water to neutralize the drying effects certain foods have on your skin.
8. NEVER EVER, EVER (DID I SAY EVER?) SLEEP WITH MAKEUP ON.
While you’re sleeping, makeup sucks the moisture right out of your skin. So you wake up to dehydrated, dry, flaky skin.
One night of sleeping with makeup on disturbs the delicate moisture balance of your skin and sets you back by days.
It just makes so much more sense to take it all off at night.
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