Hydrating and moisturizing seem to mean the same thing but they aren’t the same for your skin. Looks like even brands tend to use hydrating and moisturizing interchangeably but in fact they don’t. As you can see later the actual ingredients of hydrating and moisturizing skin care products are different from each other.

But what causes the confusion if they are so different ?

Both of hydrating and moisturizing are skincare essential beauty products that were created to combat skin dryness and dehydration and both provide important nourishments for your skin. There are many products on the market differentiated by these terms but they all refer to a way of replenishing the moist that your skin needs.

Generally speaking your skin needs moist from both water and oil to stay healthy and hydrated. Understanding what is the difference and what is needed and when it is needed is fairly simple. However we still recommend as always to contact your dermatologist when you have skin related questions. The science behind what your skin needs to be both well hydrated and moisturized isn’t that complicated as it seems at first, but the best recommendations for your skin specifically will come from a professional. Here are some fast facts

FAST FACTS

Water is the main component of cells and tissues. Our body is 70% water and our skin is our largest organ that needs plenty of water to maintain its good barrier function. Skin cells are like mini water balloons that look like nice, ripe grapes when they are hydrated. When water evaporates from the cells they become drier and drier and you can imagine them to end up looking like a dry raisin. Skin needs continuous replenishment of hydration (water).

The main barrier of the skin is located in the outermost layer of the skin and plays two important roles: 1. the role of retaining moisture and 2. protecting the deeper layers from irritants, pollutants and UV rays. A well hydrated skin will feel bouncy, firm and reflects light.

When the skin barrier function is compromised it is allowing water to evaporate too fast. When the balance is broken the skin looses not just the water but also some of its nutrients. The skin that has difficulty retaining and regulating water needs help and this is where hydrating and moisturizing products come into the picture.

There are statistics saying, that having dry skin is the most widespread type of skin problem, but what is mistaken many times for dryness is in fact is dehydration of the skin. Dehydration is the real problem behind many of the skin problems not dryness only by itself.

Dehydration means that the skin either isn’t getting enough water or it is loosing it too fast. So the first and foremost step for obtaining a healthy and good looking skin is taking care of its hydration. The skin cells need water to function properly.

Dry skin, on the other hand, can appear due to several factors : environment, age, hormones, diet or genetic skin type. When the reason behind dry skin is that you have a dry skin type, that basically means that your skin isn’t producing enough oil. It doesn’t mean it has problems with generating the necessary water but the problem is in keeping it in the cells. Your skin can be dry hydrated, meaning that it is rich in water and poor in oil. In this case the outer barrier isn’t well formed and if we take the balloon example from above, you can imagine the cells shaped as well formed little water balloons but there is a leak in the protective layer of the balloon. This protective outer layer on the skin is formed using oil. So the skin looks dry and dull because the skin lipid barrier isn’t optimally formed and water evaporates out of the skin layers leaving it dry.

Both oily and dry skin can be looked upon as a form of dehydration from oil and/or water of the skin the difference is the genetic response you give to this issue. The skin will therefore compensate dehydration with oil when it is prone to do so genetically and become dry and dull when it cannot naturally produce enough oil.

Best Ways to Hydrate Your Skin

Stay hydrated from the inside out.

Hydration is key for the healthy skin. Hydrating means maintaining sufficient water in your body. Drinking a minimum of 1.5 -2 liters (= 50-57 ounces) of fluids daily is essential for maintaining healthy skin.

Being well-hydrated starts in the morning with drinking a glass of water. It is not about heavy water consumption, rather a small glass of water right after you wake up. Drinking lots of water on empty stomach doesn’t improve hydration and it can even have adverse effects. To stay optimally hydrated during the day the best approach is to have a slow and steady water consumption sipping water and other sugar free beverages a little bit at a time. Studies show that water is picked up by the body best when it is coupled with a little food so you can improve water intake if you drink before or during meals. Drink one small glass of water before going to bed to assure the hydration your body needs during the night.

Add water rich foods to your diet.

Cucumber is one great food that is well known for its benefit to the skin. It is the ingredient of many cosmetic products but it isn’t efficient only when applied on your skin. Cucumber benefits the health of your gut and has toning, anti aging effects for your skin when consumed regularly as part of your diet. Other good sources are strawberries, watermelon and oats. Oats can have beneficial hydrating properties when applied as home-made face mask or consumed as part of your regular diet.

 “Everything you eat becomes a part of not only your inner being, but the outer fabric of your body as well. The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look.” Samantha Heller, MS, RD

Samantha Heller, MS, RD

Increase the water in the air around you

Another good solution that is overlooked many times is to increase the water in the air around you. Dry air environment can cause skin dryness so it is a good idea to add a humidifier to your work environment and the room in your home where you sleep. You can also use hydrosol mist to mist your skin throughout the day. Hydrating the skin from the outside can give a boost to efficiency when coupled with the above mentioned solutions.

Use proper hydrating skin-care products

There are various products on the market that provide proper hydration. You want to use these hydrating products when your skin starts to feel thin, sagging and wrinkles appear more visible than usual.

All these steps are important to support the skin by providing it with the water it needs. Hydrating however in and of itself will not always result in optimal skin health. When all these steps are taken care of and your skin still looks dull, flaky and feels rough rather than thin, than you might be needing what is called a moisturizer.

Moisturizing the skin

Hydration gives the skin a nice elasticity, it feels soft and comfortable but it won’t stay long if water can easily evaporate from the skin. Moisture is the second important half of the formula. As water and oil do not mix so oil can form a barrier on top of your skin and keep it from drying out.

Apply moisturizer to support the skin barrier function and to aid your skin regenerate it’s natural soft and hydrated appearance.

The difference between Moisturizing ingredients and hydrating ingredients

Conclusion

So does your skin need moisturization, hydration or both?

1. Check if your skin is dehydrated or not. If your skin looks very thin and dull it is probably dehydrated so it is good to use a hydrating product to regenerate skin health.
2. Check if your skin needs moisture. When your skin is flaky, dry and feels rough when touching it, you are likely in need of a good moisturizer.
3. Now if you have answered yes yes above and both symptoms are recognizable than your skin is dehydrated and dry so you need to use a combination product or two different products to deal with each issue.

Remember to apply hydrating products first and a moisturizer second. The hydrating product will deliver the moisture to the cells and than the moisturizing ingredients will lock them in.

Credits and further readings:

P1. valuavitaly,P2. mrsiraphol–stockking