
Is Your Skin Dry or Dehydrated?
Healthy skin needs to be free of debris and get ample hydration to be at its best! Read on to learn about the science of hydration, how to perfect the at-home facial, and why cleansing the skin is very important.
In this post you’ll see
The Science of Hydration
Perfecting the At-Home Hydration Facial
At Home Hydrating Product Guide
The Science of Hydration
When it comes to hydration we may run into some confusion when it comes to the terms dehydrated and dry as well as some confusion of whether our skin needs oil or water. When our skin gets that rough flaky feeling it’s super important to determine whether it is a dry type or a dehydrated condition before taking action. You may think that these two words are synonyms, but they indicate two different skin conditions.
Dehydrated skin is a skin condition that occurs when there’s a lack of water in the skin. This can happen to anyone, regardless of skin type — people with oily or combination skin can still experience dehydration. Dehydrated skin typically looks dull and can show premature signs of aging, like surface wrinkles and loss of elasticity. When your skin is dehydrated it creates an unstable barrier which can lead to clogged pores and inflammation. On the other hand, in dry skin water is not the problem. Dry skin is a skin type, like oily or combination skin, where the complexion lacks oils, or lipids, so it takes on a more flaky, dry appearance.
So, if your skin is dry, it needs oil and if it’s dehydrated it needs water. If you want your skin to look and feel its best, you need to both hydrate and moisturize in your daily routines. However, those with dehydrated skin may be able to skip moisturizers while dry skin types may find their skin getting worse by only hydrating. If you’re hydrating and moisturizing, use hydrating ingredients first and then take the steps necessary to seal that moisture in. So here is the deal – visualize this with us – the more fluid-like (liquidy) the product is, the more water it contains and the smaller the molecule. The thicker the product is – turn it upside down and it remains in the jar kind of thick – the more lipids and oils and the larger the molecule. Therefore, applying the smaller molecule first just make good logical sense. Water first then oil! Adding more water after the oil is just straight bogus. After cleansing and treating the skin, from start to finish – and spray to spray – your hydrating routine should look something like this: toner, serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation, and finish off with a hydration spray.
Here are some important terms to know:
Humectants – are substances that attract water from the air or from deeper in the skin. They come in three main forms: natural or unchanged, naturally derived, and synthetic.
Natural moisturizing factor (NMF) – is essential for appropriate stratum corneum hydration, barrier homeostasis, desquamation, and plasticity. It is formed from filaggrin proteolysis to small, hygroscopic molecules including amino acids. This substance is wrapped around your skin cells, so when you hydrate you plump up its volume – big time.
Perfecting the At-Home Hydration Facial
To perfect the at-home facial you just need to follow these 7 simple steps!
Step 1: Pre-cleanse
Use makeup remover even if you don’t have on makeup currently. Chances are there’s a ton of past sins left on your skin that is unseen. Don’t skip on this step and make sure to use a good quality makeup remover – this is not the step to be cheap about! A clean slate to build upon is the name of the game here. In this instance, the wipes won’t cut it. Cleanse twice a day to remove any dirt, impurities, and makeup. Even if you’re not wearing makeup at home, your skin still needs cleansing to keep your pores clear. The first cleanse, believe it or not, is only removing old makeup and loose surface debris that was not removed with the first swipe of makeup remover. We call it part B of the pre-cleanse step. Add a quick spritz of toner before you move on to the next step.
Step 2: Exfoliate
Choose the correct exfoliator for your skin. Physical scrubs work on the top layers to slough off dead cells, while chemical AHA formulas penetrate deeper working to target blackheads, dullness, and signs of aging. Add a quick spritz of toner before you move on to the next step.
Step 3: Mask
Treat yourself to a multi-mask! If your t-zone is oily but you’re experiencing some dry patches on the cheeks, apply a combination of masks just to the spots where they’re needed.
Step 4: Tone
Think of toner as your “after” step – use it after cleansing, after removing an exfoliating scrub, or after removing a mask. Toning helps lock in the products that follow and helps re-balance the skin after any step.
Be generous with your spritzing. You want to make sure your entire face, neck + v-area soak in the refreshing ingredients from your toner of choice. Smooth the product with your fingertips and reapply if it quickly disappears.
Step 5: Target
Incorporate a targeted serum or treatment to zero in on what concerns you most – like dullness, redness, breakouts, or hyperpigmentation.
Step 6: Moisturize
Finish with the right moisturizer for your skin type. You want to properly seal in all your hard work without either over or under-moisturizing. Your skin will drink the proper moisturizer right up!
Step 7 (the most important of them all): Listen to your skin!
“If a product or technique isn’t working for you, your skin will tell you!” says Dawn Gantt, licensed esthetician and member of Bioelements Esthetics Experts Panel. “Pay attention and adjust products when necessary.”
At Home Hydrating Facial Product Guide 
Pre-cleanse
Makeup Dissolver Perfected – non-stinging and brightening
Cleanse
Hydrating Cleansers:
Moisture Positive Cleanser – rich hydrating cleanser for dry skin
Sensitive Skin Cleanser – two and one makeup remover and soothing reparative cleanser
Deep Cleansers: On the fence about what to use? Go full strength or a dollop to your hydrating cleanser.
Urban Undo Cleanser – deep purging copper plus clay
Flash Foam Cleanser – exfoliating foam with natural enzymes
Measured Micrograins + – double duty scrub
Pumice Peel – double duty scrub
Kerafole – double duty mask
Tone
Soothing Reset Mist – aloe camel mill and silver ear mushroom
Power Peptide – age fighting peptides
Equalizer – skin balancing adaptogens
Exfoliate
Physical:
Measured Micrograins + – multi action facial scrub and pore refining mask
Pumice Peel – manual microdermabrasion
Magic Mitt – knitted microfiber cloth that gently removes makeup and cleanses skin
Chemical:
Quick Refiner – leave AHA exfoliating gel
Skin Editor – leave on aha peel cream
Kerafole – double duty deep purging mask
Mask
Collagen Rehab – face and lip mask rehabilitate aged exhausted skin
Hydroplunge – saturation sugar beets and hyaluronic acid
Target
Moisture x 10 – super hydrating hyaluronic acid
Stress Solution – soothing honeysuckle and spearmint
Recovery Serum – moisture-binding ceramides
Dewluxe – occlusive argan, squalane + sea kale for dewy hydration
Moisturize
Beyond Hydration – gel moisturizer for oily skin
Absolute Moisture – lightweight moisturizer for combination skin
Crucial Moisture – soft cream moisturizer for dry skin
Really Rich Moisture – ultra emollient cream moisturizer for very dry skin
Remineralist Daily Moisture – pollution neutralizing lightweight aging skin
Barrier Fix Daily Hydrator – whipped hyaluronic acid and silver ear mushroom
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