DRY skin vs. DEHYDRATED skin

Almost like a garden, your face needs constant tending...

Facial skin needs almost all the same maintenance required for growing any kind of plant; you have to make sure it gets the proper nutrients, receives controlled exposure to the sun*, unwanted pests need to be kept at bay**, and in some cases... frequent clippings may be necessary. Bumt, most importantly of all, in order to thrive and look it's best, adequate hydration is a MUST.

This is especially true as the weather starts to noticeably change from summer to fall, to winter. You may already be noticing that your skin feels dryer and tighter than it did just a few weeks ago? 

It's this time of year when skin regimens have to be updated in order to accomodate the changing seasons-- and the biggest change from summer skin care to winter skin care is the needed addition of extra moisture. 

During the summer months there is typically a lot moisture in the air (humidity), and the heat encourages your oil glands to be extra active, both factors providing natural hydration for your skin. However, as the temperature starts to cool down and the humidity dissipates, you are left with a dryer, tighter feeling face.

Dry skin not only feels uncomfortable, it also takes a toll on your appearance. Dry skin tends to look dry and dull, which in turn makes lines and wrinkles more noticeable. Dry skin is also more problematic for makeup application,  as the skin's dryness can cause makeup to crease and emphasize what you were trying to conceal.

However, there is a difference between "dry skin" and "dehydrated skin" despite the fact that the two terms are often used interchangeably. 

Dry skin is actually a condition where your skin is lacking essential oils and moisture. This can be caused by the absence or malfunction of sweat or oil-producing glands.

Dehydrated skin is skin that has been stripped of too much moisture, which can occur from improper diet, sun, wind, heat, certain medications, and misused skin products-- in addition to not drinking enough water.

Although they are innately different from each other, both dry skin and dehydrated skin can be remedied in similar ways:

Drink plenty of water: Make sure you get at least 8 glasses a day, and by avoiding diuretics such as alcohol and caffeine, you can prevent additional dehydration from occurring within.

Exfoliating often : No matter how much extra moisture you put onto your skin, your moisturizer cannot penetrate through dead skin cells. Exfoliating regularly unblocks your pores, which allows your skin products to penetrate deeper, and work better. 

Protection: As should always be the finishing touch with any good skin care routine, make sure to always protect the skin with a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. (Kill two birds with one stone by using a moisture-rich, oil free sunscreen, such as SkinCeuticals Ultimate Defense SPF 30)

With due diligence, you can easily make sure your face suffers from neither dryness nor dehydration, regardless of the season.

* In the case of skin, the only sun exposure should be protected exposure!
** Pimples, black-heads, white-heads, etc...