skin hydration - woman drinking a glass of water

10 reasons your skin is dehydrated and how to fix it

Winter, darn winter! Unfortunately, it’s the time of year that your skin can look and feel seriously parched. We’re talking tighter, drier, duller, shiner or just plain devitalized. If that sounds like you, chances are your skin is simply dehydrated and in need of some serious moisture boosting love! And let’s not forget, even those with naturally oily skin can be suffering from dehydration too! After all just because your skin is oily doesn’t mean you are immune to external factors and lifestyle choices that deplete your skin’s water content. Dehydration is in fact characterised by a lack of water not oil!

Luckily dehydrated skin can be relieved with a combination of lifestyle changes and topical treatments. Below are 10 reasons you could be battling dehydrated skin and our recommendations for how to fix it.

 

  1. You aren’t drinking your 8 glasses of water a day!

Yes, we all know that the number one way to counteract dehydration is to drink plenty of water! But there is the when and the how! This water intake actually needs to commence as soon as you awaken from blissful slumber! It is suggested that drinking approximately 2 glasses of water first thing is hands down the most ideal way to bring back your hydration levels, after all you’ve not replenished fluid levels for a number of hours over night and make sure you drink at least 8 glasses a day.

  1. You aren’t getting enough ‘quality’ sleep

Remember this as you will! Poor sleep leads to dehydration, dehydration causes poor sleep. Eek we have ourselves a vicious cycle here. Firstly, before bed, prise that mobile phone out of your fingers (sooo guilty here!) and put it down! I don’t need to tell you the impact screen time has on your skin, secondly drink a glass of water prior to sleep, yes you may think bad idea as surely you’ll be up in the night stumbling to the bathroom but believe me your skin (and all other vital organs) will lap up that glass of water and you’ll be able to notice the difference in the morning! Finally turn off the light and get that precious shut eye as apparently those that sleep for an average of six hours a night are up to 59% more likely to be dehydrated that someone who sleeps for say 8 hours. That’ll be me then. Pass me a glass of water someone!

 

  1. You’re consuming too much caffeine & alcohol

I’m not saying go cold turkey or anything as like me I love a good cuppa and won’t say no to a glass of vino in an evening, but if dehydration could be something you are suffering from, significantly reducing your intake of both caffeine and alcohol will dramatically benefit your skin. Instead enjoy a cup of herbal tea or a fruit juice!

Oh and for every coffee or alcoholic beverage you do indulge in, be sure to drink a glass of water too!

 

  1. You aren’t using the right skincare products

Unfortunately, your skin is the last part of your body to receive hydration from water, so it’s important to provide hydration from the outside as well!

One of the best ways to achieve this is with a topical treatment to lock in moisture and prevent transepidermal water loss.

The best ingredient to beat dehydration is hyaluronic acid.

 

a) Use A Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Using a serum containing hyaluronic acid is the quickest way to deliver moisture to a thirsty complexion as serums are quickly and deeply absorbed into the skin. Plus, Hyaluronic acid is the number one go to ingredient for effectively replenishing dehydrated skin, it delivers a burst of moisture thanks to its ability to hold 1000 times its weight in hydration! It helps bind and retain moisture and draws moisture from the air to the skin plumping and rehydrating skin cells from inside out. Amazing stuff right? Well we are in love with the Pevonia’s Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Serum. This hydration hero is worth its weight in gold. Just a few drops of the super serum will not only help to rejuvenate skin cells but will bind any moisturiser you apply on top like a magnet too!

Featuring one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid on the market (12%), combined with the powerful anti-ageing duo of marine collagen and Hibiscus Esculentus extract, it delivers immediate skin soothing results and deep hydration. Plus it quite literally blasts even the most dehydrated of complexions with a surge of moisture, maintaining surface hydration throughout the day.

Beauty Collective - Pevonia Hydra Serumb) Wear a rich, hydrating moisturiser morning and night

Moisturising is paramount no matter what your skin type. To battle dehydration we highly recommend both the Pevonia Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream which is rich in both Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen the perfect combination to replenish devitalised skin. As well as the Phytomer Hydrasea Night Plumping Rich Cream, which provides optimum skin hydration during the night. From the very first use, the skin appears drenched in moisture!

c) Apply a nourishing face oil before bed

We all naturally lose moisture while we sleep so using a nourishing face oil prior to bed will stand your skin in good stead! Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate should be your go-to every evening! It’s a dream come true! With its amazing mandarin aroma and rich formulation of vitamin A and E, it drenches skin in antioxidant goodness and hydration, locking in moisture that says! This means you’ll wake up to smooth, supple and seriously glowy skin every morning, we promise!

Beauty Collective - Pevonia Vitaminic Concentrate

d) Don’t use harsh face Scrub but do exfoliate!

As dead skin builds up, it can diminish the absorption of important skincare essentials like your serum and moisturiser, exfoliation is therefore an important skincare step in aiding the recovery of dehydrated skin, however be sure to use a gentle exfoliating cleanser and once or twice a week only.

Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser blog

 

  1. You’re showering with water that is way too hot!

Hot water will strip your skin of its natural oils fact! and those natural oils are what protect your skin against water loss by forming a barrier. Eek.

Believe me I love me a hot bath or shower! Especially on a cold morning or evening, but you will thank me by telling you to turn down that heat and opt for a more lukewarm temp.

 

  1. Your daily diet needs adjusting

We already know that what you eat can impact your skin but did you know that our skin is reliant on essential fatty acids like oily fish, nuts, and fresh green veggies to battle dehydration? In addition to nourishing the skin, essential fatty acids also form part of the acid mantle which is the skins protective barrier against environmental damage. They keep the cells moist and reduce the amount of transepidermal water loss giving the appearance of plump skin!

In general, when you consume foods that are high in water you can help to add hydration to your skin too! Fruits such as watermelon can increase the level of moisture in your skin.

 

  1. Your heating/air conditioning

As much as many of us have become reliant on heating in winter or air con in the warmer months, both can dramatically disrupt the natural moisture balance in your skin. Now while it’s highly unlikely we’d be prepared to suffer the consequence of not turning the heating on, brrrrr, or indulging in the cool aircon air in the sweltering hot months, just make sure you balance your day with fresh air and if your skin is feeling particularly parched, keep on hand a spritz to add a burst of rehydration when needed.

  1. The weather

Cold, hot, dry, and windy weather can literally suck moisture out of the skin. This is because cold temperatures and low humidity levels result in dry air that draws moisture away from the skin while hot weather increases water loss from the body due to sweating, leading to dehydration!

 

  1. Sun exposure

Too much sun can disrupt your skin and compromise its protective layer. Think of that tight feeling your skin has after a day in the sun. Make sure to always wear your daily sunscreen!

 

  1. Age!

Yes, that’s right, as we get older hormone changes cause our skin to lose the ability to produce as much oil and tends to dry out. Oh the joys!