Dry vs Dehydrated SKIN: Is there a difference? And what can we do to help?

DRY vs DEHYDRATED skin

‘Dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ seem like two words which describe the same thing. However there is a big difference between dry and dehydrated skin! To put it simply, dehydrated skin lacks water and dry skin lacks oil / lipids.

Dehydrated skin is caused by not having enough water content in your skin, however oil production may still be present. Meaning – you don’t need to have dry skin to have dehydrated skin!

Dehydrated skin is common among people who have acne-prone and oily skin. Especially if they use strong skincare products that strip water away from the skin.

DEHYDRATED SKIN

• Shows more fine superficial lines
• Looks dull
• Is thinner and more fragile
• Prevents skincare products from working as well as they could.
• Can be sensitive
• Feels rough
• Shows accelerated signs of ageing
• Has decreased elasticity
• Has a compromised lipid barrier, which means more moisture is lost and the skin is vulnerable to bacteria and irritants getting in. For some this can result in redness and irritation.

DRY SKIN

• Feels rough
• Appears dry and sometime flaky
• also has decreased elasticity
• Can have a pileup of dead skin cells which causes a loss of smoothness.
• Can be itchy
• The older we get, the less natural oils we produce.

 

How did my skin get so dehydrated?

Everyday life and the environment can negatively impact our skin. Sun, wind, harsh air conditioning, heaters and some harsh cleansers can leave the epidermis parched and fragile. In Winter, indoor heating removes humidity from the air which can cause are skin to become more dehydrated. Taking long hot showers in winter further exacerbates dry dehydrated skin.

Hydration

When you think of hydration it’s only natural to think of water. To hydrate something means to increase its water content. In relation to skin care, hydration means increasing the amount of water in your skin cells, which results in a healthy, smooth and plump complexion. When our skin doesn’t have enough moisture, it gets scaly, rough and dull—and can in fact look like the skin of someone far older. That means whether you’re in your 20’s OR 50’s or somewhere in between, you need to start making sure your skin is properly hydrated now!

When our skin starts to look and feel dehydrated our first instinct is to slather on heavy moisturiser . The tightness and dullness may go away for a few days or so, but then we find ourselves back at square one trying to solve the problem. Drinking plenty of water will help, HOWEVER since our skin is the last organ to absorb hydration, using topical ingredients that promote hydration are necessary as well.

Moisture and hydration skincare products may seem synonymous, however these products do different things. A moisturiser tends not to hydrate the skin. Instead it forms a barrier to prevent moisture from escaping. A hydration product on the other hand – actually brings water to the skin. So, if you want to show off a healthy glow at any age, make sure you give your skin the right combination of hydration and moisture.

What order should Hydration and Moisturising products be applied?

Since the purpose of hydrating is to bind water to our skin and moisturising is to prevent the water from leaving our skin, it’s important that hydration comes before moisturising. This is why serums are to be applied first (think thin to thick) . Then once you get that layer of hydration on, you need to seal it all in with a moisturiser. This combination creates the perfect balance.

 For those with particularly oily skin, you may not need to moisturise as often. So applying a hydrating product may sometimes be enough. However this only applies if your skin naturally produces enough oil to prevent water from leaving the skin.

A great way to keep your skin hydrated (and therefore looking younger) is with R+F Active Hydration Serum™. This hydrating, oil-free serum contains Hyaluronic Acid and 30% Glycerin to help defend against dehydrated skin. Why do we love this unique Hydration Serum? because it…..

• Is clinically tested for all skin types – even oily, acne-prone or sensitive skin.
• Immediately hydrates skin to its optimal level, maintains it throughout the day and continues to build over time with ongoing use.
• Incorporates 3D3P Molecular Matrix, which acts as your skin’s personal water reservoir, drawing and locking in moisture from the air as your skin needs it.
• Is OIL free
• Serves a totally different purpose than a moisturiser.
• Is clinically tested to boost Regimen performance for all skin types.

The Science

The secret is the patent-pending 3D3P Molecular Matrix. The key ingredients are cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin. These are powerful humectants (aka water magnets) and are the two best water binders on the market. Did you know Hyaluronic Acid can hold 1000 times its own weight in water! Together, these ingredients attract and lock in moisture which subsequently helps nourish and replenish dry skin. Active Hydration Serum is not like any other product on the market. It self adjusts to your skins needs and your environment to address hydration in a different way. Most moisterisers don’t add hydration to the skin. They just form a barrier that prevents moisture from escaping.

Incorporating Active Hydration Serum into your daily Regime?

Active Hydration Serum can be applied before moisteriser and makeup. Because hydrated skin responds more easily to products layered on top, using Active Hydration Serum will also help to boost the visible results of other products.

Click here to purchase. Please contact Victoria to find out how to receive a 10% discount + free shipping.

Other relevant and helpful information-

Skin Masks

Look after your skins protective lipid barrier 

Skin Supplements

What NOT to do

How to Nourish Sun Damaged Skin

Victoria Isherwood

(Registered Nurse / dermatology / Skincare)