Is Your Skin Dry or Just Dehydrated? Here’s How to Tell the Difference.

You might be surprised to hear that dry skin and dehydrated skin are two different skincare concerns. Here’s how they differ, how to tell if your skin is dehydrated, and how to make it glow.

Dry and dehydrated skin may sound interchangeable, but they’re two very different concerns. Dry skin is a skin type, meaning skin that has fewer oil-producing glands. Dehydrated skin is a temporary condition, meaning skin that is lacking water. In fact, it’s possible to have dehydrated skin that is still oily. It’s confusing, but true!

While we can’t change our oil glands, we do have the power to change how much water is in our skin. Dehydrated skin is mostly caused by environmental factors, like cold weather, dry climates, food choices, and caffeine and alcohol consumption. That means we can keep our skin hydrated through better choices and better skincare.

Is your skin dry or dehydrated?

How can you tell? Here’s a quick test. Take a look in the mirror and gently pinch the skin on your forehead. Is the skin shiny and crinkling into tiny lines? That means it’s probably dehydrated.

Skin is particularly prone to dehydration in the colder months. Cold weather brings dry air, which can pull moisture from the skin. This can cause a host of skin concerns, including dullness, itchiness, dark circles under the eyes, and more visible wrinkles. That means if you wake up to wrinkles you don’t recognize, chances are good your skin is just dehydrated. Here’s how to fix it.

Read more about protecting your skin in cool weather here: 5 Ingredients Your Skin Needs This Fall.

Here’s how to combat dehydrated skin.

Step one: Hydrate

If your skin is showing signs of dehydration, the first thing to do is drink a glass of water. Have you been drinking caffeine or alcohol? Make it two glasses of water. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but both caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the skin.

Step two: Exfoliate

Wash away dull, dry skin with a gentle exfoliator. For gentle daily exfoliation, try washing your face with a muslin cloth. (We particularly like these muslins by Karlling.) Once a week, use an exfoliating scrub for a more vigorous buff. Here’s a DIY solution good enough to eat: Try mixing some white sugar with coconut oil.

Step three: Replenish with Serum

Then, it’s time to put your skincare to work. Our Firm + Replenish Serum was designed to replenish your skin’s Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) after cleansing and exfoliating. Your NMF is a cocktail of Amino Acids, PCA, Hyaluronic Acid, and more that the skin naturally creates to keep the skin barrier hydrated. Our Serum delivers a potent dose of NMF so your skin doesn’t need to work so hard to replenish these ingredients on its own.

Step four: Lock in the Moisture

Finally, double down on the moisturizer. The most effective way to combat dehydrated skin topically is to use a moisturizer that is rich in humectants. Humectants are molecules that act like a magnet, drawing moisture to the skin. One of the most powerful humectants is Hyaluronic Acid (HA), found in our Revitalizing Hydrogel Moisturizer and Hydrate + Restore Rich Cream (and our Firm + Replenish Serum, at that). As an at-home hack, especially in the cooler months, you can supercharge your HA by sleeping with a humidifier.

Read how to get the most out of your moisturizer here: There’s a Right Way to Apply Moisturizer.

When the weather is cool, many dermatologists recommend using a richer moisturizer before bed. As New York-based dermatologist Dr. Ross C. Radusky told Allure, “Even though we’re shielded from the harsh outdoor climate, heated dry air causes us to naturally lose moisture while we sleep.” Our deeply nourishing Hydrate + Restore Rich Cream is the perfect moisturizer for the job, packed with hydrating Ceramides, Squalane, and Gentianaceae Leaf Extract.

Whether you’re moisturizing with Hydrate + Restore Rich Cream or Revitalizing Hydrogel Moisturizer, our proprietary b-silk™ protein forms a lightweight barrier that locks hydrating ingredients close to the skin. After four weeks, b-silk™ protein is clinically shown to make skin more hydrated. We’ll toast to that (with a tall glass of water, of course).

Do you have questions? Comments? Topics you want us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at thelab@eighteenb.com.