Science of Skincare (S.O.S. #2): Dry vs. Dehydrated

For this month's S.O.S. post I wanted to tackle a subject that can be very confusing for people when trying to understand their skin and pick the correct products for their specific skin type. As the title explains above, today I'm going to be explaining the science behind the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin. While many people are considered dry skin, any skin type can be dehydrated. 

What is dry skin? Dry skin is a skin type that is lacking oil, or sebum. Oil acts as a lubricant for our skin, helping it retain water and prevent premature aging. When your skin has  a hard time retaining water it can lead to your skin cells not being able to function properly. Some people experience dry skin during certain seasons or all the time. It is extremely common to become drier as our skin ages and becomes thinner. Remember! Your skin type can change later in life. 

So what can you do? The first thing you need to make sure you are doing regularly is exfoliating. If you have dry, dead skin cells on the surface, you cannot moisturize those to make your skin feel nourished again. Next, you need to look for products with lipid based ingredients (oils are great) that focus on moisturization, NOT hydration. Your goal is add lipids to the surface to make up for your sebaceous glands not producing enough sebum.  

What is dehydrated skin? Dehydrated skin is that which is lacking water. This means that EVERY skin type can be dehydrated, even oily ones. Water is key in happy functioning cells as well. When your skin is hydrated it will appear more plump, smooth, and glowy. Hydrated skin also hide fine lines and wrinkles better. If you live in an extremely dry environment it's common to be dehydrated. 

So what can you do? If you find that you have dehydrated skin up your water intake first. I know I probably sound like a broken record when saying this, but water consumption is huge for your skin, especially when you are stressed, sick, or busy (hello all of us). Next, look for products that contain humectants because these ingredients attract water to hydrate NOT moisturize the skin. Humectants, like Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate, are great for helping your skin bind water (up to 1000% their weight). Using a night cream with a small percentage of Glycolic Acid can also be beneficial, as Glycolic Acid also binds to water and has a small molecular size so it penetrates well. Another Fall/Winter tip is to sleep with a humidifier in your bedroom at night. It's so helpful for dehydrated skin to be in more humid air while sleeping. 

If you have questions as to whether your skin is dry or dehydrated, please comment below or send me a message! I'd be happy to help you determine if these apply to you. If you have suggestions for my next S.O.S. post, please let me know.

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea