Dry or Dehydrated Skin... how can we tell?
We can get confused between dry and dehydrated skin and quite justifiably so because they share many of the same signs and symptoms! However, they're far from being the same.
Dry skin is a permanent skin condition that we're born with. It's usually inherited through our genetics. Dry skin type is one in which the skin doesn't produce enough its own natural oils to keep it moist and supple, leading to dry, flaky skin, dull complexion and lackluster in appearance.
While our dry skin type can’t be changed, we can improve its condition and appearance by using richer more hydrating and moisturizing products in our routines to replenish its moisture levels.
Dehydrated skin on the other hand is not a skin type but rather a temporary skin condition. It’s often caused by lack of water contents in the skin due to external factors such as harsh weather conditions, harsh skincare products, not enough water intake, unhealthy diet and alcohol or caffeine consumption. When this happens, our skin's probably produces even more oil to compensate for the lack of hydration and moisture. Because of this, we sometimes mistake dehydrated skin condition for oily skin.
Dehydration can happen to any skin type. When our skin feels itchy with dark circles under the eyes, dull complexion, fine lines and wrinkles appearing around the mouth and noise areas with some areas being sensitive, it's most likely that our skin is dehydrated.
Luckily, dehydrated skin can be treated by cutting out our bad lifestyle habits, topping up on our water intake to hydrate bodies internally, as well as treating your skin topically from the outside. It's always helpful to use gentle cleansers to avoid further sensitizing the skin, apply hydrating toners and serums to help hydrate it, use nourishing moisturizers to put the moisture back to our skin and restore your skin's barrier function