Is Your Skin Dry or Dehydrated?

Been checking out your skin and thinking it looks dried out and dehydrated? That could be the case, but guess what? Your skin is might be dry OR dehydrated. Yep, they’re two different things and they don’t always hang out together. One of these guys is a skin type, and the other is a skin condition. 

Turns out, dry skin is a skin type that makes an appearance, thanks to decreased oil production. Dehydrated skin, on the other silky-smooth hand, is a condition where the top layer of your skin contains less water than it should. Possible myth-buster: Anyone can have dehydrated skin, even those of us with oily skin.

So, which is which? When you have dry skin, you’ve got less oil being produced. This shows up in the form of red, itchy skin. It can also look flaky and rough. Dehydrated skin often looks tight, and dull. It can also show signs of age earlier, with the added bonus of increased lines and wrinkles. 

How do we make this not happen? It’s all in skincare. Good skincare can help kick dry skin out of our red, flaky lives. This means you need to moisturize often, with heavy creams. Using a cream with ceramide can help replace the naturally occurring lipids that dry skin isn’t making naturally. People with dry skin tend to want to over-exfoliate. This isn’t a great idea, because over-exfoliated skin will strip your skin of those all-important lipids. Instead, opt for gentle cleansers, and an overall gentle skincare plan. 

For dehydrated skin, obvi—proper hydration is really important. Drinking at least eight to ten glasses of water each day, and avoiding caffeine, can keep you from making things worse. Thanks to all that hot dry at that we pump into our homes, and offices in the winter, dehydrated skin is more common in the colder months. Keep the air cooler in the winter months, and take shorter showers to keep from losing extra moisture. 

If you are experiencing the double-whammy of dry, and dehydrated skin, consider using a humidifier at night to help increase your skin’s water content. You also need to be aware that sun damage can cause chronically dehydrated skin. Increased free radicals from sun damage will cause dehydration. 

We can overcome it! Keep skin well moisturized, by using thick creams that contain ceramides, and oils. Use gentle cleansers in place of harsh soaps, to help keep from stripping your skin of its natural oils. 
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You’ve got this! Grab some gentle skincare products and kiss dry, dehydrated skin goodbye. 
At Infinitely Natural, we specialize in all-natural skincare products like lip balm, body butter, body scrubs, and more! Everything we make is handmade, organic skincare, and is never tested on animals. Infinitely Natural all-natural skincare products are always chemical-free and shipped in sustainable packaging. We are your go-to for organic skincare and all-natural skincare. Shop online today or visit us in Key Largo.