Though skincare plays a big part in how hydrated your skin is, however, most of the steps you can take to keep your skin as hydrated as possible come at no cost at all.
One easy way to keep your skin as hydrated as possible is by drinking enough water each day, on average you should try to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day or (2-3 liter) however, that average may increase if you’re taller or bigger or do lots of exercise throughout the day.
As well as drinking plenty of water, you should try to increase the amount of water-based foods you’re eating in your diet. Fruits and vegetables are foods with high water contents and they also contain beneficial nutrients that will help your skin glow and appear clearer and smoother.
Make sure to have some fruit or vegetables with every meal during the day and even use lots of water-based fruits in your morning smoothies.
Other foods like fish, nuts, and avocado can help contribute to increasing the moisture levels of your skin. Integrating more of these foods into your diet can have a positive effect on your skin, your health, and also how you feel throughout the day.
Whenever you shower or bathe, you should try very hot water or spend a long time showering or bathing in it. The hot water and temperature can change your skin’s natural barrier and cause your skin to lose moisture and its natural oils resulting in dehydrated-looking skin.
If you live in a dry climate, you may experience dehydrated skin so try using a dehumidifier to increase the moisture content of the air, this will help prevent your skin from drying out so much.
Whenever you go out in the sun, ALWAYS use SPF and make sure to reapply it every few hours during the day, even if the sun isn’t shining. High SPFs will protect your skin from the damaging UVA and UVB from the sun which can cause it to dry out as it depletes the levels of natural lubricating oils in your skin.
Make sure to use highly moisturizing face masks or sheet masks every week to replenish your skin with beneficial nutrients that you might’ve lost throughout the week through environmental factors, day-to-day activities, and also wearing makeup and other skincare.
As far as everyday skincare goes, make sure to use a moisturizer every day and if you have dry or dehydrated skin use extra products like rich serums and oils to increase the moisture levels in your skin. You can still have dry skin even when you moisturize if you’re not properly hydrating yourself as well.
How do you hydrate your skin overnight?
Throughout the day make sure to stay on top of your water intake, or if you haven’t drunk enough water make sure to chug a big glass before going to sleep to keep the moisture levels of your skin up.
Use hydrating products on your face before you go to bed such as oils, serums, and even a deep moisturizing overnight mask that sinks into your skin overnight or that needs to be washed off in the morning, this will enable you to wake up with plump hydrated skin.
Don’t forget about the eyes and lips – use a nourishing eye cream and apply plenty of lip balm to stop them from drying out.
When possible try not to sleep with the air conditioning on in your bedroom as it’ll dry your skin out and you’ll always wake up feeling dehydrated as well.
If sleeping without air conditioning is not an option then invest in a room humidifier as this will bring some moisture back to the room and it’ll also keep your sinuses clear.
If you don’t want to buy a humidifier then you can also place glasses of water around areas of your room to add moisture to the air, just remember not to knock any over when you get up in the night.
To hydrate the skin on your feet overnight, apply a nourishing foot cream and wear some soft fluffy socks to help your feet absorb as much of the product as possible so you’ll wake up with soft and hydrated skin. The same goes for your hands, apply a rich hand cream right before you go to sleep so it can sink into your skin overnight.
Always wear soft pajamas that are non-irritating for your skin when you go to sleep or if you don’t sleep with pajamas on then make sure the fabric of your bedding is not irritating or any washing detergent you use for them will dry or irritate your skin as you sleep.
What products hydrate skin?
The most common skincare products that hydrate skin is gels, creams, oils, serums, however, what is most important about these types of products is the kind of ingredients that they contain.
The key ingredients you should look out for in these kinds of products if your skin is dry or dehydrated are:
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Ceramides
- Panthenol
- Urea
- Glycerin
Hyaluronic acid has properties that help replenish the moisture in your skin and will also prevent early signs of aging. Hyaluronic acid should always be applied to damp skin.
Never use makeup wipes or harsh makeup removers when removing dirt or makeup at the end of the day. Make sure to use a cleansing oil, balm, or cream that has moisturizing properties which will help retain the moisture levels in your skin whilst removing the dirt.
Make sure to use moisturizing products both in your morning and nighttime skincare routine to ensure that your skin is always properly hydrated.
