Understanding skin hydration and 5 steps to achieve it

Most of us know that our skin should be hydrated because it looks beautifully healthy and glowing when it is, but when asked why skin hydration is important and how best achieved, most can’t articulate the why or how.

Can you?

Let me start with an analogy because, quite frankly, I loooooove analogies!

Think of a sponge sitting on your kitchen bench all shrivelled and dry after a few days of no use – not that it ever happens in my house because there’s someone in the kitchen about 633, 762 times a day, but let’s imagine it anyway.

Now if I take this shrivelled up sponge and try to clean up that dollop of tomato sauce that the ghost in our house dropped (again), it’s probably not going to be greatly effective other than to scratch at the splodge, leaving most of the sauce sitting pretty smugly in place. If, however I instead run the sponge under water, saturating it then wringing it out so that it’s lovely and plump, the sponge will of course be magically transformed into a useful piece of material, and within two seconds that sauce is goneski!

Applying this analogy to the skin now - the skin works very similarly: when dehydrated its absorbency is low, however when lovely and hydrated, not only does it absorb products better, it also functions more efficiently = healthier!

What constitutes dehydrated skin and how is it caused?

Dehydrated skin is defined as a skin condition that occurs when the top layer of skin lacks water, and is characterised by tightness and sensitivity that often leads to a dull complexion. What’s particularly interesting is that even an oily skin type can suffer from dehydration.

Dehydration can be brought on by environmental factors such as air conditioning, practices such as chemical exfoliation, not drinking enough water or conversely drinking too much caffeine or alcohol (or both!).

An additional factor that contributes to skin dehydration is skin dryness: effectively, skin that lacks oil which naturally declines as we age. 

So why is hydrated skin important for effective skin function?

When skin is dehydrated, not only does it look rough and flaky, but it is less effective at absorbing beneficial nutrients from quality skincare and simply doesn’t function optimally.

In fact, when skin is dehydrated, the outermost layer of skin (the stratum corneum) is compromised. Similar to the peel on an orange, the stratum corneum functions as a layer that protects us from bacteria/microbe invasion that would otherwise enter our systems and make us very sick.

And the result of a compromised stratum corneum? Skin irritation, an impaired acid mantle and undesirable skin conditions such as congestion, eczema and rosacea.

So, all in all it’s in your best interest to keep your skin hydrated.

How best to hydrate your skin and keep it in great shape

The best part about dehydrated skin is that it’s usually pretty easy to rectify once you recognise the tell-tale signs.

Follow these 5 steps and you’ll be well on your way to beautifully dewy skin.

Step 1.

A great place to start is to ensure the body is hydrated from within noting that we are made up of approximately 60% water molecules. *Small tip here, add a dash of Himalayan salt to your water and your body will retain water considerably more readily rather than immediately flush it out.

Step 2.

Next, shake up your skincare routine by incorporating a multi-tasking cream cleanser that is both hydrating and nourishing to both gently remove any flaky skin that may have built up and deliver a balanced combination of hydration and lipids to help set the skin up for follow on products. Our Cream Cleanser is just the fix, packed with lipid-rich organic Almond Oil and wonderfully hydrating Aloe Vera.

Step 3.

Boost your hydration by spritzing our gorgeous Hydrating Mist, packed with skin-loving extras such as super-hydrating ingredients Hyaluronic Acid and Neroli Hydrosol known for their age-defying benefits.

Step 4.

Correct your skin with our highly active Hydration Serum that has been designed to penetrate the skin to deliver powerful native botanical ingredients and dramatically boost skin moisture. This incredible serum is humectant-rich to help lock water into the skin, lightweight and easily absorbed, making them perfect for layering with your daily moisturiser. It’s also fortified with anti-oxidant rich native Kakadu Plum

Step 5.

Lock in moisture and create a protective barrier to reduce water loss and keep skin soft and smooth. Our Renew Moisturiser is boosted with powerful ingredients such as ceramides and calendula to help maintain a healthy skin barrier, introducing plumpness and glow, to feel soft and smooth, and help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

So hopefully, this all makes sense. Essentially, happy skin is skin that is well-hydrated. It’s super easy to fix and maintain, especially with a well-considered skincare routine with hydration-rich ingredients.