hydrate or moisturise?

To achieve healthy and smooth skin, it is essential to moisturise and hydrate. However, not many of us know that moisturising and hydrating, although often used interchangeably, are actually not the same thing.

 

Hydration comes from within, it refers to the amount of water in the skin. The purpose of hydration is to build moisture from the deepest layers of the skin to keep it radiant, firm and healthy. The same as when we drink water, we do this to hydrate, not moisturise our bodies, right?

 

Our skin has a natural lipid barrier that protects itself from damage and water loss. We need to make sure this protection is properly sealed, and that's when the moisturiser comes in. The purpose of the moisturiser is to help trapping the natural oils and lipids on the surface of our skin, preventing water from evaporating, and maintaining a healthy moisture balance.

 

What does the skin need? Both are important to achieve healthy skin! It's well known that different skin types need different things, however, In some cases, even if we have in mind that certain types of skin types have specific needs, we still choose incorrectly.

 

For example: People with oily skin tend to want to dry out their skin. What is commonly not known, is that this can cause the sebaceous glands to freak out, and respond by producing excess oil. This can overwhelm the pores causing congestion and breakouts. (This is how I explain it to my patients). However, Oily skin can also be a sign of dehydration; showing the skin is not absorbing the necessary amount of water from within the body. When in addition to this, you exfoliate to excess, stripping away all oil without replacing it, the skins finds itself without the barrier that helps retain moisture.

 

Dehydrated skin types lack the ability to lock water in by themselves. Drinking water, or applying water directly to the face will probably hydrate, but the natural moisturisers on the surface of the skin, and the water will evaporate away without the lipids barrier. Dehydrated skin that is moisturised without receiving adequate hydration will still look dull and feel uncomfortably tight.

 

While drinking plenty of water is still the easiest way to hydrate our skin, those with dry skin will benefit from a hydrator with hyaluronic acid, it helps to boost and lock in the moisture in the skin. You can find this ingredient in the quandong green booster serum and in the herbal face tonic.

 

As for your moisturiser, opt for products with essential oils, fruit extracts and shea butter to help your skin retain moisture. These ingredients can be found in the australian blue cypress face nectar and in papaya SOS marmalade.

 

Oily skin will also benefit from hydrators; this will balance sebum levels of the skin. Look out for products that contain "dry oils" like jojoba, frankincense, grapeseed, rice, raspberry and jasmine; they won't clog your pores and are less likely to cause breakouts. These oils can be found in our australian blue cypress face nectar and in the quandong green booster serum.

 

Skin facts.

 

My easy advice is to include both in your skincare routine: hydrate and moisturise. Your skin will heal faster in a moist environment.