Get Dehydrated Skin Under Control

Skin types and conditions can be a tricky subject and one that I’m not going to delve completely into at the moment. But one common issue many people run into is confusing dehydration for dry skin. Dry skin is a skin type, just as oily and normal is and you are born with it. Dehydration is a particular type of skin condition that develops over time as a result of a number of factors and can be treated. You can have any skin type and still be dehydrated. Remember, oily or dry skin is an abundance or lack of oil. Dehydration is a lack of water. If you have oily skin, people tend to over use harsh cleansers and astringents in an attempt to strip the skin of all that oil, and by doing so, the skin only becomes more oily and dehydrated in the process. Never strip your skin of the moisture it needs. Moisturizers are just as important for those with oily skin as it is for those with dry skin. Now, dehydration is a very common skin condition that will cause you to age much faster so lets cover some basics so we can fix it:

What does dehydrated skin look like?? Dry, flaky. When you gently push up the skin on your cheek, it “crinkles” almost like tissue paper. It feels tight. It doesn’t have that healthy glow, instead it just looks dull

What causes dehydration?? Improper diet, excessive perspiration, tanning, caffeine, alcohol, harsh or improper skin care, toners with alcohol in them, excessive salt intake, not drinking enough water, not using daytime and nighttime moisturizers, powder foundation, smoking, stress, air conditioning, wind, bleaching facial hair, and the list goes on…..

How do I care for it??
~Avoid harsh cleansers and toners containing alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfate
~Use protective moisturizers in the morning to prevent moisture loss throughout the day-look for ingredients such as collagen, dimethicone, and hyaluronic acid.
~Use nighttime moisturizers to add moisture into the skin-look for ingredients such as glycolic, lactic acid, and glycerin
~Incorporate oils and hydrating masks into your skin care routine
~Drink lots of water!!!!!!
~Avoid excessive use of the factors listed above as causes

I also happen to have very dehydrated skin and here are some of my favorite products that I use treat it:

1.) Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15-Prevents moisture loss in my skin while providing protection from the harsh rays of the sun, and manages to not break me out-definitely a plus

2.) Olay Active Hydrating Cream-I apply this at night and wake up to hydrated, glowing skin. And once again it doesn’t break me out which a lot of other moisturizers do

3.) Botanics Intensive Moisture Mask-Absolutely love this hydrating mask made from plant extracts. Makes my skin super soft!

4.) Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate- This is my new secret weapon! I use the Kiehl’s Microdermabrasion treatment and then apply a few drops of this to my skin and the next morning I wake up to perfectly dewy skin.

Hope this helps to treat your aggravating dehydrated skin! And remember proper skin care will never be enough if you don’t maintain a healthy lifestyle. Drink lots of water, stop smoking and cut down on your alcohol intake-your skin will thank you!

Thanks for reading!!

xo Courtney