Keeping yourself hydrated is crucial to the overall functioning of your body including your brain, muscles and flushing out bad bacteria. It is also paramount for good skin health.
Without adequate hydration, your skin can quickly become dehydrated and result in some of the following symptoms:
- Dry mouth
- Itchiness
- Dull appearance
- Puffy eyes
- Wrinkles and fine lines
These symptoms are different to people suffering from dry skin, which tends to look flaky, red and irritated.
How are Hydration and Moisturising Different?
Whilst daily moisturising is important, it should not be mistaken as the answer to your skin’s hydration needs.
Hydrating your skin, refers to the water content of your cells and helps to make it appear plump and radiant. Moisturizing is used to trap and lock this water in your skin’s lipid barrier. If we don’t use a moisturiser, the water will escape as there is nothing to retain it. Therefore, both are important.
How to Keep Hydrated
Drink Plenty of Water
1.5L - 2L or 8 glasses of water per day is a good start. It helps with digestion, eliminating toxins and aiding circulation. It also helps prevent dehydration that can lead to skin becoming dry, itchy and looked wrinkled. Remember that water will reach all our other organs before it reaches the skin, so you may have to drink a large amount in order for your water consumption to be effective. Rather than drinking it all at once, it is a good idea to drink often throughout the day.
Eat Water Rich Foods
An easy and nutritious way to help stay hydrated is eating foods containing a high percentage of water.
Some examples are:
- Salads containing cucumber and celery
- Citrus based fruits such as oranges and lemons
- Other fruits such as watermelon
Get Your Omega-3 Fats
It can be a good idea to increase your intake of natural fats that may help to prevent skin dryness. An easy way to do this is using avocados, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes in your recipes.
Additionally, salmon contains vitamin D, an anti-inflammatory that can help with acne, eczema and irritated skin. Other foods to add to your diet include eggs, kale and pomegranate seeds and foods high in vitamins A, C, E and zinc.
You may like to look into an anti-inflammatory diet as I have found it very helpful when I have had skin issues.
Aim for 8-9 Hours of Sleep
Sleeping not only makes you feel well rested, if can help to give your skin the precious time it needs to repair>.
Avoid Long Hot Showers
Standing in a hot steamy shower or soaking in a bath for a prolonged period can remove the protective barrier from our skin, leading to dryness and that tight feeling. Keep shower and bath times short and if desired add barrier creams or carrier oils to your bath can help boost moisture levels.
Hydrate with a Humidifier
A good idea is to invest in a humidifier to keep the moisture levels up in your home. If you do not have a humidifier, you can place a few bowls of water near the heater or radiator (more suited to the cooler months).
Hydrating Skincare Products
If your skin is suffering from dehydration, it is helpful to use water-based lotions that penetrate your skin.
Ingredients to Look Out For Are
Urea
This is a humectant that occurs naturally within the surface layer of our skin. Part of our skin’s natural moisturising factor, it readily absorbs water and has an extremely high-water content that helps to keep our skin hydrated and protected.
Ceramides
These are lipid molecules found in high concentrations within cell membranes in the upper layer of the skin. They hold skin cells together, forming a protective layer that plumps the skin and holds moisture.
Hyaluronic Acid
This ingredient helps to replenish the moisture that is crucial to younger-looking, supple skin. It is a humectant; it draws moisture into the skin and keeps it there.
Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is derived from cane sugar and is part of the group of active compounds known as AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids). It contains the smallest molecules of the group and therefore is able to penetrate the skin easily and rapidly, making it most effective for helping the appearance of fine lines, acne, blackheads, dullness and oiliness.
Glycerine (Plant Derived)
Vegetable glycerine is a clear odourless liquid produced from plant oils. Glycerine is a humectant; a substance that attracts moisture to the skin and leaves your skin hydrated.
If you’re looking for products to help with hydration, AMPERNA® skincare range contains the above ingredients and a unique probiotic complex to deliver good bacteria to your skin gently and effectively. You can find out more about the AMPERNA® range and how it can help your skin care needs here.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/hydration-moisture
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-skin/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353891
https://www.cosmedica-skincare.com/blogs/news/hydration-vs-moisture-what-does-my-skin-need
https://dailytimes.com.pk/533776/is-hydrating-and-moisturising-your-skin-the-same/
