Dry January: Keep Skin Well Hydrated This Winter

We’re all for Dry January…just not when it comes to your skin! Luckily, we’re here to explain the difference between dry and dehydrated skin, and introduce the thirst-quenching ingredients you need in your routine. 

Are dry and dehydrated skin the same thing?

In short, no. We asked our Skincare Specialist, Alana, to explain the difference. 

“Dry skin is a skin type that is caused by an underproduction of oil, otherwise known as sebum”, Alana explains. “It’s usually accompanied by symptoms like tightness, itchiness, redness, and irritation”.

“On the other hand, dehydrated skin refers to a lack of water in your skin’s upper layers. When dehydration hits, your skin will probably look dull (the opposite of dry skin’s inflamed redness) with shadowy, dark patches around the eyes and nose. Plus fine lines and wrinkles will appear more visible. It can flare up at any time for anyone, regardless of their skin type”, she adds. 

Still not sure whether your skin’s dehydrated? Lightly pinch the back of your hand. If it takes a good few seconds to bounce back to its natural state, it’s a big indicator of dehydration.

What causes dehydrated skin?

Put simply, not drinking enough water. When we’re losing more water than we’re taking in, dehydrated skin is our body’s way of sounding the alarm, letting us know that we need to hit up the H₂0 and bring things back into balance. 

Drinking seven to eight glasses of water a day, or more if you’re losing sweat while exercising, will help to keep your skin bouncy and resilient. 

And if you enjoy a tipple in the evening, this one might sting a bit. Alcohol can dehydrate skin cells fast due to its diuretic nature, so limiting your consumption could be beneficial for your complexion. 

How do I take care of dehydrated skin?

• If you know you’re bad at drinking water throughout the day, set an alarm on your phone to remind you every 90 minutes over 12 hours. That way, you’ll be locking in eight skin-satiating bouts of hydration daily.  
• If you like to exercise, make sure that a water bottle is never too far away so that you’re able to replace the precious H₂0 you’ve lost.
• You don’t have to say goodbye to alcohol entirely, just drink it in moderation. And remember to pour yourself a big old pint of water in between each glass to balance out the fluid levels in your body.
• When the weather takes a turn for the extreme, aim to drink more to account for its effects on the body. Summer sizzlers will naturally make you sweat more and a cold snap dries out your skin.
• You don’t have to get all your water straight from the tap. In fact, almost all living things contain water, so keeping your fridges bountiful with fruit and veg is a tasty way to top up your hydration intake while getting your eight glasses in. Start with cucumber (at 96% water, it’s got the highest concentration of the cool stuff in any food) and work your way through other juicy goodies like mushrooms, tomatoes, melons and oranges.

Which ingredients are good for dehydrated skin?

Look out for: 

Hyaluronic acid – A super ingredient that holds 1,000 times its weight in water, this powerful hydrator can transform dehydrated skin. Our Rainforest Dew is overflowing with hyaluronic acid and is clinically tested and shown to improve skin hydration by an average of 111% in just two hours!

Aloe vera – Intensely soothing thanks to its high water content, this antioxidant-rich shrub deeply hydrates dehydrated skin. To instantly cool and calm, we’ve harnessed its power in our Morning Mist Soothing Toning Essence. 

Resurrection flowers – Resurrection flowers can live for years without water. As soon as they’re hydrated, they come back to life and transform into a beautiful, bright green flower! We utilise the highly resilient cells from this unique plant in our Comfort Food Deep Hydration Mask – and it’s clinically tested and shown to improve skin hydration by an average of 175% after one use!

Complete the routine by browsing more of our most-loved hydrators.