28/03/2021
What’s the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?
Dry skin is caused by lack of oils or lipids. Dry skin lacks oil because it produces less sebum than normal skin. Less sebum means that the skin is missing the lipids it needs to retain moisture and to protect against environmental factors, like wind or pollution.
With dehydrated skin, there’s a lack of water in the stratum corneum, the top layer of the skin. You don’t need to have dry skin to have dehydrated skin. Oily, normal, and combination skin can be dehydrated as well.
Dehydration is generally caused by external factors - specifically weather, environment, diet, and caffeine. All of these can decrease the water content within your skin. While dehydration doesn’t directly cause acne, it can cause your skin to produce more oil in a misguided attempt to hydrate your skin. So does drinking water help acne? Not necessarily - but keeping your skin healthy and hydrated is definitely a step in the right direction when dealing with blemishes.
A good test to determine whether or not you’re dealing with dehydrated skin is to pinch your cheek. If it wrinkles instead of holding its shape or it doesn’t snap back quickly, your skin is likely dehydrated.
How to treat dry vs. dehydrated skin?
The “treatment” of dry skin should really be considered part of a lifelong routine and understanding of your skin type. If you have dry skin, your skin needs lipid-rich products, such as Ceramides and oils.
Dehydrated skin can happen to anyone and should be treated as needed. If your skin is dehydrated, it needs water-rich products, such as: Hyaluronic acid and Glycerin: Glycerin, also known as glycerine and glycerol, is a natural component of healthy skin. It’s a humectant, which means it absorbs moisture from the air and helps keep this moisture in your skin.
Remember you can have dry skin and dehydrated skin at the same time! If this is the case, you should mix and match lipid-rich and water-rich products and make sure to address any potential environmental factors.