Dry or dehydrated skin? Find out in 2 minutes

Hello! 

Have you ever asked yourself ‘is my skin dry, dehydrated or both?’ 

Skincare is confusing and it’s hard to work out exactly where you stand! So, which are you?

Dehydrated skin 

Dehydration is a skin condition that can come and go.  Essentially, dehydrated skin is thirsty! It hasn’t got enough water to heal and generally look after itself. 

Dehydrated skin looks dull and tired. It has a loss of elasticity, plus lines,  wrinkles and dark circles appear more prominent. 

Dry skin 

Dry skin is a skin type that doesn’t hold as much of that all-important oil and sebum as it needs. Skin can feel tight and rough. It could also be flaky, red or irritated. Folks with dry skin are often more likely to have conditions like eczema too.  

If you’re going through menopause or perimenopause dry skin may have become an irritating friend. 

You can have both dry and dehydrated skin!  If you have both, look after the dehydration first.

Here is a quick two-minute test you can do to check if your skin is dehydrated 

The Two Minute Test 

• Stand in front of a mirror, pinch a little bit of your cheek and hold for 3-5 seconds. 
• Let go and see how the skin responds. If it bounces back you are hydrated. If it takes a few moments, the skin is likely dehydrated. 
• Repeat the test on a few areas (cheek, hand, stomach, chest) to check you’ve got fairly consistent results.  

Now you know which you are, what can you do? Here a few tips… 

Dry Skin Tips 

• Stop stripping your skin with crazy foams and sulphates. These strip skin of its natural protective oil barrier which is exactly what dry skin doesn’t need! 

• Skip the long hot shower. When skin is subjected to lots of hot water, that all-important proactive oily layer wears away faster making skin drier than before.

• Dry skin needs exfoliation to encourage healthy skin turnover. The trouble is most exfoliators are too harsh for dry skin. Go for a natural all-in-one that can cleanse, naturally exfoliate and replenish oils. 

Dehydrated Skin Tips  

• Hydrate from the inside out. Drink more water and eat water-filled foods and cut down on the booze and the caffeine. 

• Dehydrated skin is not in tip-top condition and needs to be treated gently. Go for a natural, gentle cleanser that cleanses and balances without drying.  

• Lock in hydration with a nourishing face oil that leaves skin feeling renewed without heaviness. 

Love 💗 Emma x