Sometimes, looking for the right hydrating skincare product can feel like looking for the holy grail: You know that it’ll be worth it once you find it, but the search can be super challenging.
Every natural beauty enthusiast knows that the best hydrating products leave your skin feeling soft and supple all-day long - even when you’re not wearing them. But how do you find these products, and what’s the difference between hydrating and moisturising your skin, anyway?
These are definitely questions we’ve asked ourselves at RAWW HQ, and now that we know the answers, we’d love to share them with you. Read on to learn the answers and figure out which type of skincare product your skin needs now!
Understanding Different Skin Concerns
Before you start shopping for skincare products, take the time to ask yourself, “what is my skin concern?” It may seem like an obvious question, but figuring out what exactly is going on with your skin is the first step to take before deciding which products you can use to solve this. In our experience, two of the most common skin concerns are dryness and dehydration - which are actually two completely different things!
How To Know If Skin Is Dry Or Dehydrated
To put it simply, “dry skin” is a skin type that lacks oil, while “dehydrated skin” is a common skin concern in which skin lacks water. Dry skin naturally produces less sebum (skin oil), resulting in an impaired moisture barrier that is prone to moisture loss. Because of this, dry skin tends to feel itchy or uncomfortable, with tell-tale flakes near the brows and corners of the nose or mouth.
On the flipside, dehydrated skin is usually caused by dietary and environmental factors - such as being in an airconditioned room all day or not drinking enough water - that reduce the amount of water available in your body to hydrate your skin. To spot dehydration, look for skin that’s dull, red, and inflamed.
The Dry Or Dehydrated Skin Test
If you’re not sure which category your skin falls into, don’t fret! There are two quick, easy ways to test your skin:
Observe it closely to see if you can spot any of the telltale signs listed above.
Gently pinch your cheek or the back of your hand for a few seconds, then release. If your skin stays wrinkled and doesn’t flatten out immediately, it’s a sure sign that it’s dehydrated.
How To Choose The Right Skincare For Your Skin
Now that you know your main skin concern, it’s time to put that knowledge to use by choosing a moisturiser or hydrator. Choose a moisturiser if you have dry skin, or go for a hydrator instead if you’re dealing with dehydrated skin.
Moisturisers For Dry Skin
Protect your skin, strengthen its natural moisture barrier, and relieve itchiness with a moisturiser. To understand how moisturiser works, first you need to understand some simple skincare science. Skin has three layers:
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The epidermis, or outer layer
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The dermis, or middle layer
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The hypodermis, or lower layer
Blood flow to your dermis means that moisture is delivered to this layer first, before working its way to the surface of the skin. Moisturisers stop this moisture from evaporating by trapping it in the skin, in turn nourishing it and smoothing your complexion. It’s as easy as that!
Our favourite moisturisers for dry skin are:
Hydrators For Dehydrated Skin
Before you reach for a hydrator, start by drinking more water! Drinking enough water is one of the best ways to hydrate skin naturally, so aim to drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Once you’ve gotten into the habit of doing this, it’s time to choose a skin hydrator.
Also known as humectants, skin hydrators do two things: Reduce water loss and increase your skin’s ability to absorb water from the atmosphere. Because of this, they work best when the air contains a little bit of humidity. Our top picks of skin hydrators are:
Top Tip: Spend a lot of time indoors or in air conditioned spaces? Consider using a humidifier or spritzing on our super-hydrating Super Hydrate-ME Facial Mist.
Learn How To Nourish Your Skin Naturally
Getting to know your skin type and concerns is the first step to building an effective skincare routine and choosing products that suit your skin perfectly. Once you’ve identified your specific concerns, learning how to get healthy skin naturally becomes a whole lot easier.
Ready to give your skin the TLC it deserves? Explore our natural skincare now or head to our blog for more skincare tips!