Skin Hydration Tips For Healthy Glowing Skin
As the largest organ in our body, our skin plays a major role in our health. From head to toe, it’s constantly working to protect us. Our skin needs to be in good health to do that effectively. Some of the most important functions the skin performs are regulating our body temperature and protecting against infection and illness by blocking bacteria and viruses.
In order to keep our skin health optimal, proper hydration is essential. Skin hydration refers to the amount of fluid present in the skin on a cellular level. Some of the signs of dehydrated skin can easily be found on the face.
- Dry skin can also be itchy.
- The appearance of fine lines or wrinkles.
- Rough patches
- Puffy eyes
- Dark circles under the eyes.
- Dry mouth.
Below I’ll be going over some easy tips that can easily be done to help keep your skin healthy and hydrated and glowing.
Skin Hydration Tips
Drink up
Glowing skin is hydrated skin! The first and most important step to getting and keeping hydrated skin is to drink lots of water. It really doesn’t matter what other products you’re using on your face or body if your water intake is too low. Making sure to get enough water needs to be the foundation of your skincare routine. Aiming to drink about 2.5 liters of water a day is a good place to start.
If you find drinking that much water every day to be challenging, you can try infusing your water with some fresh flavors. A few favorites to try are:
- Citrus slices (orange, lemon, lime)
- Fresh mint
- Fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries)
- Cucumber slices
Eat Your fruits And Veggies
Eating fruits and veggies with a high water content like cucumber and watermelon can help you keep hydrated and refreshed. Especially during the hot summer months where both the dry heat outdoors and the indoor air conditioning will cause our skin to quickly lose moisture.
Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are high in Vitamin C which is super important to maintaining your skin’s health. Proper amounts of Vitamin C will improve skin tone and texture, hydrate the skin and reduce signs of aging.
Vegetables high in Vitamin A like carrots and sweet potatoes help support skin health by reducing sensitivity to the sun.
Avoid Long Hot Showers
Long hot showers are one of life’s simple pleasures in my opinion and something I really enjoy, but they’re not actually so great for our skin. Bathing for a long time especially in hot water will break down our skin’s barrier which will cause us to lose moisture and make it harder to maintain healthy skin. Showering in lukewarm water is ideal even if it’s somewhat less enjoyable. At the very least try to wash your face with cooler water to avoid stripping it of all moisture.
Try to avoid face and body cleansers as well as shampoos with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Sulfates are ingredients that are commonly used in skin care products like body washes and shampoos. It’s the ingredient that creates that foamy thick lather we love and generally associate with being clean. However, they are rather harsh on our skin and can cause a lot of irritation. Chemicals like SLS strip our natural oils and damage our skin’s barrier causing dryness and itchy skin. SLS/SLES can cause flare-ups or may worsen existing issues in people with sensitive skin or people who have skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Hydrating Skin Care Products
It’s important to find skincare products for your specific skin type or concern. For your face, look for a good hyaluronic acid serum that you should apply as soon as you step out of the shower. It’s best to apply while your face is still slightly damp. Hyaluronic acid works by drawing moisture out of the air and binding to it. This will instantly help hydrate and plump your skin.
A good hydrating face cream is also a daily must. Even if you have oily skin, moisturizing your skin is still necessary. Just look for a water based face cream like this one from Tatcha, which I use and fully recommend. If you want even more hydration look for a good high quality face oil. Apply the face oil after the serums and creams but before your sunscreen.
When buying new body lotions and creams look for products that contain these three ingredients.
- Glycerin is a humectant. Which means like hyaluronic acid, it also works by attracting moisture from the environment onto the surface of your skin.
- Ceramides make up and repair your skin’s barrier which retains moisture and helps prevent water loss.
- Panthenol works by penetrating throug the skin to deliver moisture right to the cells.
If your skin is feeling extra dry, natural oils like jojoba, coconut, almond and argan oil are all great for your body. These natural plant based oils are particularly good at repairing the natural skin-barrier function. Using the right products on a daily baisis will go a long way to eliminating your dry skin.
Pamper Yourself
Show your skin some extra TLC with some at home face masks. Look for a hydrating sheet mask that’s packed with moisturizing ingredients. These masks work great for instant hydration and soothing inflamed or irritated skin. Using one of thsese regularly will leave your face plump and glowing.
Use A Humidifier
A humidifier works by releasing water vapor into the air. They’re especially useful in the winter months when the central heating can dry out the air indoors. Some common symptoms that can be relieved by using a humidifier are:
- dry skin
- sinus congestion/headache
- dry throat
- nose irritation
- bloody noses
- irritated vocal cords
- dry cough
- cracked lips
Healthy Skin Journey
I personally have always struggled with dry skin issues as well as from time to time eczema flare ups. Iv’e learned that preventative measures are the best way to manage my skin concerns and keep my skin healthy.
As always let me know down below if you have any comments or questions!
Xx Monti
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