How to Treat Dehydrated Skin?

 

Is Your Skin Dry, or Dehydrated? 

 

With the onset of wintery weather and heated air, your skin can change drastically - especially if you live in a dry climate. If the skin on your face feels tight, looks dull, and has wrinkles or dark undereye bags, dehydrated skin is likely the culprit.

Dehydrated skin is actually different from dry skin - you can simultaneously have oily skin that is dehydrated because hydration has to do with the water content of your skin, not a lack of oil or sebum (like the cause for dryness).

Use BelleCôte Paris's Vitamin-C3 serum for rehydrating your skin and learn about the treatment of dehydrated skin. 

 

Signs of Dehydrated Skin

 

Dry, itchy, and dull skin are all signs of dehydration. An uneven texture or tone, and wrinkles that appear from less elasticity in the skin, are other indications that your skin might be dehydrated.

One big difference between dry and dehydrated skin is that dry skin presents as flaky and red or irritated, while dehydrated skin looks overall dull, can feel itchy, and is often accompanied by prominent dark circles and fine lines.

Dehydrated isn’t a skin type like Oily or Combination or Dry - rather, it’s a condition that can be effectively diagnosed, treated, and prevented.

 

DRY VS DEHYDRATED SKIN 

 

Dry Skin	Dehydrated Skin
Dry skin is a skin type.	Dehydrated skin is a skin condition.
Lack of Oil	Lack of Moisture
Needs Nourishment	Needs Hydrations
Can be genetic or poor skincare regimen.	Caused by environmental factors or aggressive skincare products.
Symptoms: Typically thin skin, peeling and itchy, sensitive to heated air (furnace) in the winter, easily irritated, premature aging.	Symptoms: Skin feels dry, itchy, and tight; appears duller than usual, exaggerated wrinkles ( in places you don't remember having them), dry dark circles, layers of dead cells.

 

 

How to Treat Dehydrated Skin?

 

There are two ways to treat dehydrated skin - through lifestyle changes, and through your skincare routine. We’ll cover both, with an extra emphasis on the components in skincare products that can have the greatest impact on dehydrated skin.

 

Lifestyle

 

 

Drinking more water is an easy way to make your whole body, not just your skin, look and feel better. Drinking water and eating foods rich in water, like fruits and vegetables, hydrates from the inside out. Avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine, and foods high in sodium; these foods and drinks are dehydrating, as they naturally suppress our body’s antidiuretic hormone (meaning you’ll think you need to pee more than you do!).

This makes our bodies flush out water too rapidly, putting you in even more danger of dehydration. Add more water to the air in your home with a humidifier or indoor plants, and swap warm showers for hot - this draws less moisture away from your skin.

 

Skincare Routine

 

 

This is where the real impact is made! There are some excellent formulas available for the treatment of dehydrated skin; we will discuss some of our favorites below, and why they’re the answer for dehydrated skin.

 

Hyaluronic acid

 

 

Hyaluronic acid is one of the best ingredients out there for moisturizing dehydrated skin. This amazing compound can hold almost one thousand times its own weight in water, meaning it packs a wave of hydration into cleansers and serums.

Though hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the skin, it diminishes as we age, so using products that contain it is an excellent way to replenish what we lose. 

 

Exfoliants

 

Exfoliants can help the skin absorb even more moisture; dead skin cells and environmental pollutants and debris create a layer on the surface of the skin that is difficult to permeate. Just like we wear layers of clothes during the winter, use two layers of treatment after exfoliation - first a serum, then a cream.

 

Marine peptides

 

 

Marine peptides, found in many of our skincare products have an amazing effect on dry skin. The phospholipids present in marine peptides make your skin glow like the sea creatures that boast ethereal shimmers down deep. Peptides are healing and hydrating, making them perfect for dehydrated skin.

 

Marine algae

 

Marine algae, another leviathan of ocean-based skincare, produces about 85% of the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, so the benefits it brings to our skin are unsurprisingly unmatched.

For centuries seaweed has been used to treat skin ailments, including burns, and some have anti-aging benefits, like laminaria kelp. Blue algae contains a ton of antioxidants, red algae reduces wrinkles, and brown algae (like chlorella and spirulina) protects the skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and elements in seaweed hydrate and heal dehydrated skin.

 

Collagen

 

 

Collagen can help rehydrate the skin, but it’s important to choose the right type for dehydrated skin. Collagen is a protein found in abundance in our bodies - it keeps the skin smooth and supple by lubrication, and it’s what makes our skin flexible. A lack of collagen means our skin is drier and more wrinkle-prone, so supplementing it can really help.

Look for marine collagen with Type I, plus a variety of different types, for the biggest impact on your skin.

 

Oils

 

 

Oils can be a game-changer! They penetrate past the surface layer of the skin, bringing deeper hydration to your pores. Jojoba, coconut, shea, grapeseed, argan, and rosehip oils are all solid choices to improve the skin’s health and hydration. Look for products like creams that contain these ingredients for an extra boost of intense hydration.

 

Vitamin C

 

Vitamin C promotes a strong anti-aging effect in the skin, regenerating cells and increasing cell turnover while strengthening the skin’s protective barrier. Because dehydration can be exacerbated by the sun, vitamin C provides an extra layer of protection from UVA/UVB light. At the same time, vitamin C works to prevent collagen breakdown and boost collagen production.

Vitamin C makes the skin brighter and more hydrated, giving a youthful glow and dewy complexion. 

 

Regimen by BelleCôte Paris 

 

Takeaway

 

Anyone can have dehydrated skin - even people with oily and combination skin need to hydrate. Small lifestyle changes coupled with impactful products and ingredients can infuse water back into your skin, making fine lines and undereye circles appear less prominent, and leaving the skin supple and soft rather than itchy and dull.

It’s super important to thoroughly moisturize the skin daily, and to wear sunscreen every time you go outside. Never put your makeup on immediately after you moisturize; wait a little while it penetrates the skin, and then apply.

Luckily, dehydrated skin is just a treatable state, not something you’re stuck with for life!