Dehydrated skin is a skin condition that occurs when there’s a lack of water in the skin. This can happen to anyone, regardless of skin type — people with oily or combination skin can still experience dehydration. Dehydrated skin typically looks dull and can show premature signs of aging, like surface wrinkles and loss of elasticity.
To tell if your skin is dehydrated is the pinch test. While this test isn’t definitive, it’s a good way to start thinking about your skin from the inside out. With dehydrated skin, you might also notice:
- darker under-eye circles, or tired eye appearance
- itchiness
- skin dullness
- more sensitive fine lines and wrinkles
WHAT DON’T YOU TEST YOUR SKIN?
- Pinch a small amount of skin on your cheek, abdomen, chest, or the back of your hand and hold for a few seconds.
- If your skin snaps back, you’re likely not dehydrated.
- If it takes a few moments to bounce back, you’re likely dehydrated.
- Repeat in other areas if you’d like.
As your skin is mostly made up of water, it is important to maintain your hydration levels to prevent your skin’s natural barrier from being compromised. Yes, drinking plenty of water is key to hydration but other everything from the weather to your diet and lifestyle can affect the condition of your skin. To help keep your skin at its best we have listed the do’s and don’ts of avoiding dehydration
Avoiding Dehydrated Skin
✓ Include an oil, such as our Luxurious Organic Serum, within your skincare routine, either as a new stage or add a few drops to your moisturizer
✓ Ensure your routine includes a miracle hydrator hyaluronic acid
✓ Avoid harsh cleansers that strip the skin, opt for nourishing formulas like I’m Fbaulous Cosmetics gentle Luxe Cleanser Organic
✓ Keep your hydration levels up by drinking plenty of water
✓ Get your sleep, because no beauty sleep isn’t a myth
Dry skin, on the other hand, water isn’t the problem. Dry skin is a skin type, like oily or combination skin, where the complexion lacks oils or lipids, so it takes on a more flaky, dry appearance.
You may also see:
- scaly appearance
- white flakes
- redness or irritation
- increased incidence of psoriasis, eczema, or dermatitis
Strengthen the skin barrier
Look for cleansers that dissolve skin impurities using the like-dissolves-like theory versus cleaning your face with amped-up surfactants (fine for most, but for those dealing with moisture issues, you don’t want to strip anything away). That means that opting for an oil-based, balm, or creamy cleanser could help you to degunk your face without further drying it out.
Apply moisturizer when skin is wet
When you apply your holy grail facial oil or balm, make sure your skin is very damp—either freshly cleansed without patting dry or freshly sprayed with a mist. That’ll prevent dehydrated skin and also help dry skin not get dehydrated.