Most visits to our favorite skin care professionals often lead to a diagnosis of the common issue: skin dehydration. No matter how diligently you care for your skin, this is a problem many of us encounter.
Dr. Ifeoma Ejikeme, a medical consultant and expert aesthetic physician, explains that dehydrated skin lacks water or has a reduced ability to retain it. It can feel tight, and dry, and, in severe cases, may show signs of scaling and irritation. Those who’ve experienced dry skin likely know it can also appear dull, and sallow, and accentuate fine lines. This significantly impairs your chances of having a radiant complexion.
Apart from the impact on your skin’s radiance, Pamela Marshall, a clinical skincare specialist and co-founder of Mortar & Milk emphasizes the importance of well-hydrated and moisturized skin. This practice reduces the likelihood of skin issues like acne breakouts or redness, which are triggered by inflammation. Dehydrated skin signals the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, leading to swelling and inflammation of the hair follicles. It can also cause the capillaries to expand, resulting in increased redness. Proper skin hydration helps mitigate these inflammation-related problems.
Wondering how to achieve this? In this article, Vogue shares expert-backed, straightforward methods to help you achieve well-hydrated skin.
It all begins with what you eat. Of course, drinking water is the top priority for keeping your skin hydrated. But it’s also crucial to add a healthy dose of essential fatty acids to the mix. According to Marshall, our skin craves both water (it likes to mix with water) and lipids (it’s attracted to fats) to stay hydrated. In the context of pregnancy skin care, foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and oily fish can work wonders for your skin’s overall hydration, including the deeper layers. Additionally, exploring snail mucin skin care can provide further hydration benefits. Marshall also suggests considering an omega supplement for extra benefits.
Let’s take a break from the powerful ingredients. “For truly well-hydrated skin, we need to consider the ingredients we use, which might be causing dryness or loss of water through the skin,” says Marshall. You can apply as much moisture as you want, but if you’re using ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) excessively, you’ll still experience the downsides of dry skin. Marshall points out that while active ingredients like acids and retinol are fantastic for the skin, most people don’t know how to use them correctly. “Actives are like indulging in a piece of cake – it’s great now and then, but if used daily, they can harm your skin’s health. It’s all about finding a balance between actives, antioxidants, and protective products.”
If you want a surefire method for enjoying the perks of exfoliation without harming your skin, consider adding polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) to your skincare routine. Learning how to build a skin care routine with PHAs can help you achieve smoother skin in a gentler, more sustainable way. PHAs have larger molecules compared to AHAs, so they don’t irritate the skin and can even reduce inflammation while exfoliating. They also function as antioxidants and humectants, protecting your skin and locking in moisture.
Dr. Ejikeme suggests paying attention to your skin. If it feels dry or highly irritated, take a break from exfoliation or significantly cut back on it. Instead, opt for ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide, which strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and reduce water loss through the skin. Understanding the correct order of skin care products is crucial as these ingredients also promote collagen production and support the skin’s protective function. Additionally, choose a mild cleanser for cleansing your skin instead of anything too harsh.
Include hydrating products in your skincare routine. While hyaluronic acid gets all the attention and rightfully so, thanks to its incredible hydration capabilities (it can hold a thousand times its weight in water), there are other fantastic moisture boosters worth noting on skincare labels. Dr. Ejikeme emphasizes glycerin as a natural skin moisturizer. It’s budget-friendly but often overlooked because of the hype around hyaluronic acid. In the realm of anti aging skin care, glycerin can be found in many excellent products, and since it’s a smaller molecule, it can penetrate deeper into the skin compared to HA, all while reducing the risk of irritation. It suits all skin types, including oily and acne-prone, as it’s non-comedogenic.
Dr. Ejikeme also recommends incorporating other moisture-attracting ingredients into your routine, such as panthenol and aloe vera. “Ingredients like ceramides, sphingosine, and fatty acids also help lock in moisture,” she adds. Serums are ideal for delivering these hydrating elements to the skin, while moisturizers act as a protective barrier, sealing in these ingredients and preventing dehydration.
Consistency and long-term usage are crucial, according to Marshall. “We should understand that most skincare products mainly address the outer skin layer (stratum corneum), consisting of mature or dead cells, to comply with cosmetic safety regulations,” she explains. “This means that most products initially impact the outer layer, which may not immediately affect the skin’s function. However, in the long run, it yields positive results.”
