Dry V Dehydrated. Discover What Your Skin Is?

I suffer greatly with my skin. Most people don’t realise that my skin really affects how I see myself and feel.

80% my body is scarred, and this knocks my confidence every day. But hey, there are a lot worse things out there and I consider myself very fortunate and lucky.

The scarring is caused by an immune disorder that I have called ‘Psoriasis’. I’ve had this condition for over 20 years now and it’s caused by my immune system sort of self-imploding.

However, the good news is it’s made me a total skin GEEK! You could say I’m fanatical about keeping the little parts of me (just my face right now) that is free from psoriasis, looking and feeling its best.

Does your skin feel dry and tight? If so read on.

It’s time to really investigate what’s actually going on with your skin, and discover if it’s dry or dehydrated. There’s a big difference as you’ll discover…

What You Need To Know…

There are lots and lots of layers of water-based cells that make up our skin. The very top layer is protected by oily lipids (mostly sebum) and waxes. Dry or dehydrated skin becomes an issue when the top layer is damaged and moisture escapes.

How this top layer is damaged is what differentiates dry skin from dehydrated skin {more on that later}.

The Important Bit:

Is Your Skin Dry Or Dehydrated?

Dry skin doesn’t contain enough oil, so it lacks a sheen and plumpness, pores appear smaller, it can look red, sore and get aggravated easily and be itchy and flaky in places. It could feel tight and possibly be difficult to rub moisture products into the skin. A quick way of knowing: if you have small facial pores and immediately after a shower or bath your skin feels tight and itchy – then your skin is Dry.
Dehydrated skin doesn’t contain enough water, looks grey and washed out, has a feeling of tightness and dryness – although it can still appear oily and spotty and have large or small pores. The skin is thirsty and it quickly absorbs the water in moisturisers and makeup, causing patchiness or shine. A quick way of knowing: if you have medium to large facial pores and immediately after a shower or bath your skin looks and feel better – your skin is Dehydrated.

The Causes Of Dehydrated Skin?

The main causes are:

Health – excessive sweating, menstrual cycle, medication, pregnancy, naturally ageing;

Diet – not drinking enough water, eating the wrong foods (such as foods with lots of sugar), drinking too much alcohol or caffeine;

Lifestyle – stress, smoking, no skincare routine, not moisturising, using harsh products that upset the skin’s PH balance;

Environment – central heating, air-con, being out in the elements of wind, frost, cold air, sun, heat or dry air.

Take This Action To Fix Dehydrated Skin

The best way to improve dehydrated skin is to rehydrate it with lots of moisture. Whether you change your diet or use more hydrating products for your skin, the aim is to prevent further water loss and replenish fluids in all the body’s cells.

These actions will also help…

The easiest way to help rehydrate the body is to drink more water. Aim to sip water constantly throughout your day. Fill a bottle or flask and carry it with you.
Try your best to eat plenty water-rich foods, like grapes, watermelon, cucumber and tomatoes; perhaps increase your freshly made juices, soups and smoothies too.
Look for a water-based, oil-free face moisturiser with the words ‘hydra’ or ‘hydrating’ on the label, or scan the ingredients for ‘hyalauronic acid’, ‘aloe vera’, ‘Sodium PCA’, ‘glycerol’ or ‘glycerin’; Any one of these skin care ingredients will help your skin keep hold of the moisture it has. So if your skin lacks that ‘BOUNCY’ feeling, then NIOD Hydration Vaccine could be your answer – it’s my TOTAL lifesaver for keeping skin looking good when it’s crying out for hydration! And when your skin is hydrated, it means LESS time spent trying to cover up any problem areas – PLUS, fine lines and wrinkles will appear smoother and filled out. Check it out in my boutique today and help give back the feeling your skin once had!

Cleanse your skin using sweet almond oil. Try and buy cold pressed and organic so that you have the best quality possible. Massage the oil into your skin and then wipe away using damp, warm cotton wool. Do this morning and night.
After your shower or bath, apply a moisturising lotion containing ‘aloe vera’ to the skin whilst it is still damp to lock in the moisture and add even more moisture into it.
Use a hydrating mask. There are lots of great ones out there – just Google ‘hydrating masks’ and take a peek at the reviews to find one that’s right for you.
I searched high and low to find a skin care hydration supplement to help with your hydration levels and I found it in H30 NIGHT REPAIR. This is the best product (in my view) that I’ve found for dehydrated skin that needs a hydrating boost. Click here to view it in my boutique.

The Causes Of Dry Skin

Cold Weather – When the temperature drops, the humidity level plunges too. Dry air leaves skin parched.

Steamy Showers – Setting the shower to steamy soothes your body, but it won’t do your skin any favours, as the heat strips out the skins natural oils.

Moisture-Robbing Soaps And Cleansers – Wash with a harsh soap and you’ll send your skin’s natural moisture barrier straight down the drain.

Take This Action To Fix Dry Skin:

The best way to replace the protective oils lost from the skin is to change the way you cleanse and to nourish it with oil-based products. This will relieve and treat the dryness and visibly improve the skin’s texture.

These actions will also help…

Install a humidifier in your home to keep air moist. Set humidity at a constant 45% to 55%, and the temperature at a balmy 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before you go outside in cold weather, create your own moisture barrier. Protect your most sensitive parts – lips, face, and hands – with a scarf and gloves.
Dial down the shower temperature to lukewarm, and keep showers short. Five minutes is enough to get clean without over-drying.
Stop using any cleanser and shower-gel that contains harsh ingredients that strip the skin. Select a soap-free, pH balanced cleanser to give skin the chance to produce its own oils and moisture.
Exfoliate twice a week with a Muslin cloth. Dampen the muslin and work in small, circular motions on your face. Exfoliating helps eliminate dead skin cells that block your moisturisers from working effectively to nourish the skin and work deeper into the skin.
Try to cleanse the skin only at night – rather than the morning – using a very mild cleanser and rinse with cold water (hot water strips oils). Try using sweet almond oil. Try and buy cold pressed and organic so that you have the best quality possible. Massage the oil into your skin and then wipe away using damp cotton wool.
For your face and neck consider using specific balms and oils – avocado oil is incredible for dry skin. Google ‘avocado oil’ and check out some reviews to seek out one that suits you.
For the body, choose a rich butter or cream containing high water-in-oil emulsifiers. Ingredients to look out for are ‘Shea butter’, ‘Beeswax’, ‘Avocado oil’, ‘Vitamin E’, ‘Argan oil’, ‘Jojoba oil’ and ‘Sunflower oil’;
Take 3 spoonfuls a day of ‘Udos Choice Oil’, this stuff works a treat for dry skin. By supplying your body with the correct fats – Omega 3 and 6, it allows your skin’s cell membranes to hold onto water. In this simple action, the omega oils work as internal moisturisers, giving you beautiful skin from within. Give it a ‘Google’, as this is a product that I don’t sell in my boutique.
Take Collagen, orally. I searched high and low to find a skin care supplement to help with your dry skin and I found it in Rejuvenated Collagen Shots. This is the best (in my view) that I have found for skin that needs a youthful boost. Click here to view it in my boutique. I take it daily and have never looked back.