Dry or Dehydrated Skin? What's The Difference, What Have You Got, and What Can You Do About It?
So many times in the clinic we hear clients say their skin is “so dry”.
You’ve probably said this yourself.
But do you know what ‘dry’ means when it comes to skin? And how dry is different from dehydrated?
You might look in the mirror and see enhanced lines across your forehead, cheeks and around your mouth and eyes, especially when you haven’t drunk enough water.
These exaggerated lines are actually a sign of dehydration.
So, what exactly is ‘dry’ skin?
Dry skin denotes skin that is lacking in oils, lipids and essential fatty acids. In-clinic we discuss this as ‘lipid-dry’, which means your skin doesn’t produce much, if any, of it’s own natural oils. It might crack easily, and feel tight after cleansing. Whereas dehydrated skin, is simply skin that is lacking in water. Dehydrated skin appears dull and lacklustre, as it is water in the skin that literally reflects light and gives your skin the glow.
It’s very common that we come across both dry and dehydrated skins in-clinic, sometimes simultaneously and other times people may have one or the other.
Dehydration comes about from both internal and external factors - internally if you’re not drinking 2.5-3L of water each day, your skin won’t be receiving enough water to plump up the cells, and topically if you are using ingredients that strip your skin’s barrier you are leaving your water that is found within the skin open to evaporation. The analogy we like to use in-clinic is that of a glass of water. Imagine you have a glass of water, and you take it outside. If you pour a glug of olive oil on top, that oil is going to act like a lid and keep that water in the glass. Without the oil ‘lid’, that water will eventually evaporate. This is exactly what happens to your skin, when you use ingredients that strip your skin’s barrier (the oil layer) or if your skin doesn’t even produce much (if any) of it’s own oil to begin with.
So what can be done?
Luckily for both the skin type (lipid dry) and skin condition (dehydrated and/or barrier impaired) there are ways you can help and strengthen your skin.
Essential Fatty Acids
Both topically and internally, EFAs are going to strengthen your skin’s barrier (holding hydration in/acting like the lid) and supply your skin with the essential lipids it needs for healthy cell membranes. We love Bestow Beauty Plus oil which delivers all your essential omegas 3 & 6 in clean, pure plant forms that your body can easily utilise as a daily nutritional supplement. Topically, applying oils such as hemp and jojoba, both of which are found in our very own Glow Face oil, on top of your moisturiser will nourish your skin, delivering essential fatty acids and creating that barrier to hold water hydration in. Within your Advanced Skin Assessment we have other go-to products we reach for to deliver EFAs to the bottom of the epidermis (where baby keratinocytes - majority skin cells - are born) who each require EFAs for healthy cell membranes and hydrated (both oil and water) skin.
Drink your water!
It seems basic, but drinking water is literally how you hydrate your skin from the inside out. Our bodies are made up of over 70% water, which means a lot of our body requires the water we drink, which in turn means our skin becomes one of the last organs to receive said water. Drinking 2.5-3L ensures your skin will receive what it needs for you to absolutely glow from the inside out.
Eat your greens!
Fruit and veggies are also abundant in water content, especially green veggies like lettuce, spinach and others like cauliflower. By eating your veggies you increase your daily water intake plus get the addition of fibre for toxin removal and antioxidants for free-radical skin aging protection.
Use an oil topically
Just reiterating point one, applying an oil topically creates a barrier that may have been either stripped away or just doesn’t produce properly if your skin is lipid dry. Jojoba, hemp and rosehip are our faves, and within these we can curate the perfect blend for every skin type. Even if your skin is oily, if you’re also dehydrated then applying an oil in the evening will help the texture and function of your skin dramatically. We love and recommend our Glow Face oil and suggest applying 2-3 drops on top of your moisturiser and before your SPF (or just use it at night if you’re afraid of the shine factor, however our carefully curated blend of oils in Glow Face are picked for their ability to nourish without shine).
Add a facial mist or tonic
Remember, if you’re using a facial oil, you are getting good lipids (helping the ‘dry’) but you’re not getting any water (not helping the ‘dehydrated’). Combine with either your moisturiser (our pick) or a facial mist to ensure your skin is getting it’s topical water requirements. If you enjoy a facial mist, keep one with you during the day and spritz over your makeup to continuously dose up your skin’s water hydration levels.
Put down the exfoliant
We can’t count the number of times clients have told us they are exfoliating daily, because their skin is ‘so dry’. Well, let us tell you something - you. are. making. it. worse. Think back to the glass of water analogy. That oil lid, if it is continuously removed through exfoliation (both physical and chemical) it is never going to be able to do it’s job of holding in the water, is it? Exfoliation isn’t an essential part of every skin routine - to find out if you need to be exfoliating, or what you could be doing instead, book an Advanced Skin Assessment with one of our highly qualified team members today.