The Key to Hydration
Hydration is important for a number of reasons- not just for skin.
Well hydrated skin is more plump and elastic. It's also stronger, and looks more healthy than dehydrated skin.
Hydration from the Inside Out
The first step in achieving hydrated skin is to hydrate the whole body and drink enough water! This benefits so much more than your skin: brain function is particularly reliant on hydration, and most body functions are closely tied to the amount of water they can access. If you struggle to drink enough, you might find that drinking from a big bottle makes your daily progress a lot more visible. If this motivates you and helps you monitor your intake, it's definitely worth a try.
Don't forget that food can hydrate you too- fruit and vegetables are typically very high in water content and it all counts towards your intake. Salty foods can dry you out, but they also encourage you to drink more, so there is a silver lining! As a general rule, you do want to keep your salt intake low, but some salt is necessary for proper function.
Avoiding diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol will help you to absorb as much water as you need from your diet. Food is important too- low carb diets limit the amount of water that the body can hold. Fibre is also important for retaining water, although this is more about gut health than general hydration. Water is held within fibre, and helps to keep your bowel moving properly. It does mean the water is lost from the body, but this is not a bad thing.
Hydration from the Outside In
You can complement your hydration and lock it in with the right selection of skincare products. The products you use can be especially important if you're spending time in a very dry environment, such as somewhere with air conditioning or high central heating. Being exposed to the elements can be very drying too- sun exposure and wind weather can strip moisture from the skin quickly, so a well hydrating SPF product is a good idea for outdoor days.
Read more about the key ingredients for healthy skin here. Spoiler- a lot of them are hydration focused! If hydration is a problem for you, we can target that with a facial and advise you on the products that may suit you best. If your skin is prone to dryness, you might find that moisturisers just don't give you the necessary effects for long enough. Building a routine with a range of products to encourage hydration is likely the best plan for you. Also moving away from harsher products is key; you might not realise that your cleanser or toner is taking more away from your skin than you'd like. Avoiding alcohol-based products is a good start, and washing your face with warm water rather than hot can all help. Sometimes a final rinse with cold water can help, as it encourages pores to shrink, giving less capacity for water to be lost from the skin.
