How to Treat Dehydrated Skin: Ingredients for Healthy Hydration

Knowing how to treat dehydrated skin can quickly prevent damage. Discover effective ingredients to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Learn more in our guide.

Not everyone suffers from dehydrated skin, but those who do know just how distressing it can be. It can come with a number of other associated issues, such as itchiness, redness, soreness, and more.

If you have dehydrated skin, you may be able to find a solution. There are various products on the market that are designed to help - though it's important to note that they can vary significantly. Finding products with the right ingredients is crucial to dealing with the issue.

If you're wondering how to treat dehydrated skin, this guide will cover the key ingredients you should look for in hydrating skin care products. Keep reading for more.

How to Treat Dehydrated Skin

The first step of your dehydrated skin care routine should be to make sure it's clean. Cleansing your face is essential here, but for the best results, you should try double cleansing.

You can do this using an oil-based cleanser (PreCleanse) first, then following this you can apply a water-based cleanser (Special Cleansing Gel). This process is ideal for removing makeup, and it can get rid of any other contaminants on your skin too.

After this, you want to apply your skin hydration product. You should do this at least once a day, though you may want to do it twice a day if needed. Apply your moisturizer to your face and neck using a circular motion for effective penetration.

As with your moisturizer, you should check the ingredients in any cleansers before using them. This will help ensure you don't use anything harmful throughout your skin care routine.

Types of Moisturizers

It's worth knowing about the different products available so you can find the best option for you. There are three main types of moisturizers to be aware of.

Humectants

Humectants are best for normal, oily, or combination skin. They attract water from the air and the deeper skin layers to the outer layer, which results in a plump and moisturized effect.

Emollients

Emollients are ideal for dry or aging skin and they fill in the spaces that are lacking moisture to smooth the skin out; this gives a softer and smoother complexion.

Occlusives

Occlusives are suitable if you have damaged or very dry skin. They act as natural barrier-builders, sealing in moisture and creating a protective layer that helps prevent moisture loss.

Best Ingredients for Skin Hydration

When trying to improve skin health, the products you're using are one of the most crucial components. There are several ingredients that can be very effective if you need to treat dry skin.

Glycerin

Glycerin (also known as glycerol) is a humectant, so it draws in moisture. When applied to your skin, it will bring this moisture to the surface.

There are various other humectant ingredients that have become popular in recent years, but glycerin remains one of the most common choices in many products. It's a cost-effective option, so you can often find reasonably priced products with this in them.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is another very popular hydrating ingredient, and it's known for being able to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. On top of being an excellent hydrating ingredient, it has been shown to help with:

• Wrinkles
• Elasticity
• Rough skin

Due to these benefits, it's found in a wide range of skin care products. It's already present in the body, which means it's highly unlikely to cause any kind of irritation. People with sensitive skin who sometimes have trouble with skin care products should look out for this ingredient.

Ceramides

Our skin has a natural protective barrier called the stratum corneum. Maintaining this is one of the best ways to keep your skin healthy.

Ceramides are an important part of this barrier and are present between skin cells. They seal the barrier shut to help keep your skin hydrated while stopping potential irritants from getting in. As with hyaluronic acid, the fact that ceramides naturally occur in the skin means they rarely cause irritation, even in people with sensitive skin.

Fatty Alcohols

When you hear "alcohol", you're likely to think it's not good for your skin. Many people know that it can dry your skin out and even irritate it, but it's important to note that not all alcohols are the same.

There are some fatty alcohols such as cetyl and stearyl alcohol which can actually moisturize the skin. These are another type of ingredient that occurs naturally in the skin's moisture barrier and help prevent moisture loss. The fatty alcohols that are used in skin care products are typically extracts from vegetable oils and plants.

Squalane

Squalane is a more modern skin care ingredient that's gaining a lot of popularity. It's a variation of squalene which occurs naturally in the skin. The body produces sebum which makes the skin feel oily but also helps keep it protected and moisturized.

Squalane doesn't give the same oily feeling and is lighter on the skin. It absorbs easily and helps your skin feel more moisturized.

Lactic Acid

Lactic acid (along with other similar ingredients such as glycolic acid and polyhydroxy acids) are typically considered exfoliants, but they can also have moisturizing properties. They're humectants, so they help attract more moisture to the skin.

It's worth noting that this shouldn't be your primary moisturizing ingredient, as exfoliants can sometimes cause irritation. However, it's worth noting when you see this in a product that it can help moisturize your skin.

Finding the Right Products to Keep Your Skin Hydrated

All of the ingredients above can be helpful when treating dehydrated skin. Now that you know how to treat dehydrated skin make sure you always examine the ingredients list on a skin care product so you know exactly what's in it.

At Dermalogica, we offer a huge range of high-quality skincare products which includes a selection of moisturizers as well as products such as cleansers, exfoliants, serums, and more.

You can use Tabby to pay in installments, and we offer free delivery on orders over AED 150. Take a look at our moisturizer selection today.