Are there instances when you look into the mirror and find that your skin looks dull, tired, and you see fine lines? If you have, chances were your skin was dehydrated. Dehydration of the skin, or in layman terms “skin that lacks water”, is a skin condition (unlike dry skin, which is a skin type and something you are born with).
For a good example of how dehydrated skin is like in comparison to hydrated skin, look at how different a grape and a raisin look. A raisin is simply a dehydrated grape! (Omg! Look at those lines!)
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What exactly happens to your skin when it’s dehydrated? Read on and find out.
1. Skin feels tight and uncomfortable
When your skin is dehydrated, there is a tight and uncomfortable sensation on it. If this condition continues, bumps will start to form, leaving skin feeling uneven and rough.
2. Over-production of sebum
Sebum is produced naturally by the skin to moisturise and act as a barrier to prevent moisture loss. When the skin is dehydrated, the natural mechanism of the skin is to produce more sebum. Over-production of sebum will cause oiliness and clog the pores. This may potentially cause breakouts.
3. Break down of skin’s natural defence system
If skin continues to stay dehydrated, its natural defence system will break down, leading to inflammation and irritation. When prolonged, your skin will see the formation of fine lines or even wrinkles, a sign of premature ageing.
Such dire skin conditions can easily be corrected with the right approach and hydrating skincare products.
DV Tip: While your skin is your biggest organ, it is the last organ to receive water you consume. Hence, simply depending on water for hydration is never enough. This is why the usage of topical products like hydrators, essence, and serums are very important!
How can we hydrate our skin?
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If you look closely at hydrating products, you will notice that most of them use an ingredient called “Hyaluronic Acid” (HA). This ingredient is a favourite for hydrating skincare products as it is naturally produced in our skin, and has the ability to bind water. The water trapped within the skin helps to hydrate it, leaving it supple and smooth.
Here are some products that use Hyaluronic Acid as their star ingredient!
1. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum
This night serum is a clever blend of hyaluronic acid and anti-oxidants that helps to purify our congested pores, and reduce the damage done during the day. It also helps to stimulate our skin’s renewal process when we are asleep, hence maximising our skin’s repairing capabilities (SGD150).
2. Hada Labo Hydrating Essence
This essence is a more potent version of the popular Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion (SGD22.90), containing three times the concentration of moisturising ingredients than its lotion counterpart. What’s more, other than the huge amounts of hyaluronic acid, it also boasts the High Performance Penetrating and Deep Moisturising (HPP&M) technology which features four sizes of hyaluronic acid. This technology has customised the hyaluronic acid for each layer of the skin to ensure super hydrating effects! The Hada Labo Hydrating Essence retails at SGD31.90.
3. SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel
An oil-free moisturiser with super hydrating abilities, this hyaluronic acid-rich product leaves your skin hydrated, supple, and smooth. Loved by dermatologists, this is recommended for all skin types, even for acne prone skin due to its lightweight formula. The SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel retails at SGD161.
DV Tip: People with acne-prone skin or oily skin in general should still constantly hydrate and moisturise their skin, especially because people from this group often use harsh cleansing products that strip moisture from the skin. Cream products may be too rich for such skin types and cause an outbreak. Try using a gel product instead!