Just drink more water, and your skin will glow,” we have all heard. Although staying hydrated is important, it is only half the fight. The last in line for water your body uses is your skin; environmental elements, including pollution, heat, and air conditioning, can leave it parched.
According to Dr Divneet Kaur, Co-Founder & CEO, President – Innovations, Dermabay, just like a plant needs water through its roots and mist through its leaves, your skin requires internal hydration and topical hydration to remain healthy and vibrant. The lack of a balanced routine often leads to:
- Tight, flaky skin
- Fine lines that look deeper
- Dull, uneven tone
- Your body produces excessive skin oils when your skin becomes dehydrated.
While you are living your everyday life with no hydration maintenance routine, some habits sabotage your skin hydration and lead to permanent and irreversible damages, such as:
- Long, hot showers
- Excessive caffeine and alcohol
- Spending hours in air conditioning or near heaters
- Harsh cleansers and scrubs
Hence, a combination of topical (what you apply) and internal (what you eat) hydration is the key to glowing, healthy skin.
Internal Hydration
While your vital organs get all the attention, your skin remains dry even with daily water intake because you work in air-conditioned offices and face harsh sun exposure outside.
How to boost internal hydration?
- Eat hydrating foods consisting of watermelon, cucumber, oranges and leafy greens, which all provide water content and essential skin benefits.
- Drink coconut water or create homemade electrolyte beverages containing no sugar to restore essential minerals potassium and magnesium, which help cells hold moisture.
Topical Hydration
Products that you apply to your skin serve a vital purpose because they transport moisture to skin cells while strengthening the protective barrier that protects moisture.
Key ingredients to look for:
- Hyaluronic acid stores water moisture equivalent to 1,000 times its own weight to give immediate skin plumping.
- Glycerine: Draws moisture from the air into the skin.
- Ceramides: Strengthen the skin’s lipid barrier to prevent water loss.
- The lightweight emollient squalane acts as a moisture-sealing agent which maintains hydration while avoiding greasiness.
How to boost topical hydration?
- Use gentle cleansers that contain no sulphates when cleaning your face because they preserve your natural oils.
- Use hyaluronic acid or glycerin serums to increase moisture levels in the first layer of skin.
- The application of ceramide- or squalane-based moisturisers after serum treatment will lock in hydration.
- Protect your skin with sunscreen because sun damage leads to water loss and skin dullness, which requires an SPF barrier to prevent this.
Your skin hydration requires adjustments to these habits while you also practise smart drinking along with topical skin care to achieve real hydration throughout your body.
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