Glow Academy: What's the difference between nourishing and hydrating products?

Glow Academy is back with another demystifying jargon-buster. This time, we’re clarifying the difference between nourishing and hydrating. Ready to dive right in?

Hydration

Even the word ‘hydration’ conjures up images of a refreshing, ice-cold glass of water. And that’s exactly what it is! Hydration is the process by which your skin drinks in water, absorbing the H2O molecules it needs to quench thirsty skin cells and make skin plump and bouncy.

It’s a simple equation really. High water content in your skin cells creates glowy, dewy skin. Low water content in your skin cells leads to dull, dehydrated skin.

All cells need water. So, even if you have oily skin, don’t skip the hydration station in your routine! As well as using hydrating serums and natural toners, remember to drink plenty of water (around six to eight glasses a day) and eat lots of juicy fruits and vegetables. Hydration is an ‘inside-out’ project.

Our first hydration hero is Rainforest Dew. Like a refreshing waterfall, this serum showers your skin with hydrating botanical extracts and reparative plant peptides from the world's tropical rainforests. Plus, it contains a world-famous hydrator: hyaluronic acid. This little ingredient is a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin like a magnet and holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water – leaving cushiony, plump skin cells.

Next up, our newest hydration hero is our Hydrogel Face Mask – a concentrated solid serum of nature’s most quenching ingredients, encapsulated in advanced hydrogel technology. Refined from three years’ worth of in-house formulation and extensive shape-testing, each mask creates an effective barrier on the skin to retain moisture and allow for faster and deeper absorption of the active ingredients. The result? A visibly plumper, dewier complexion in just 20 minutes.

Nourishment

Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as drenching your face in Rainforest Dew and calling it a day. Without following up with a nourishing oil or natural moisturiser, your hydrating products could evaporate by the time you leave the bathroom!

Luckily, nourishing products (like Skin Feast Nourishing Moisturiser) are designed to lock in the hydrating benefits of your serum and prevent trans-epidermal water loss.

A healthy skin barrier is the secret to sealing in water – keeping in the good stuff and fighting off the bad. To stay strong and supple, the protective layer must be nourished with omega fatty acids. That’s why our favourite nourishing formulas contain natural oils and butters like avocado oil, murumuru butter or jojoba oil. These are packed with healthy fats as well as essential vitamins – so you can rest assured your skin is nourished with a well-balanced diet to keep it on its water-retaining, dehydration-defending A-game.

Do I need to hydrate and nourish if I have oily skin?

Absolutely! All skin types need to be hydrated and nourished. Oily skin types will love lightweight moisturisers, whereas flaky, dry skin types can indulge in richer oils. There’s just one piece of wisdom that everyone can share: hydrate first, nourish second!

Want to find perfectly balanced products for your skin type? Head to our Skincare Routine Finder – we’ll do all the work for you!