Am I dry? Am I dehydrated? Or am I both? It can be tricky to tell the difference between dryness and dehydration but there are some key factors that can tell these apart.

What is dry skin?

Dryness is a skin type that typically produces less natural oils than other types of skin which can cause the skin to appear dull, rough, flaky or even scaly. It often feels tight, looks noticeably dehydrated and may be prone to showing more visible fine lines. There can also be times where the skin becomes itchy, irritated or you may experience flaky areas of skin. 

Dry skin is typically determined by genetics, although it will also be affected by other factors and can change with time. Occasionally the skin can be temporarily dry as a result of medications like accutane and antihistamines, etc.

What is dehydrated skin?

Dehydration is a skin condition that occurs when there’s a lack of water in the skin. This can happen to anyone, regardless of skin type. For example, people with oily or combination skin can still experience dehydration. Dehydrated skin suffers from trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), because the skin is missing the oils needed to hold the water in.

Dehydration is often caused by external factors such as weather, environment, diet and diuretics such as alcohol and caffeine. It's typically recognised as dry, sometimes flaky with persistent tightness which can often leave the skin feeling dull and lacklustre. Itchiness and irritation, especially in cooler weather or temperature changes can be a sign your skin is dehydrated. Luckily, dehydration is temporary and there are ways to minimise this concern!

*Skin nerd alert!*

The skin is made up of 70 - 75% water and most of this is located deep in the dermis where it plays a crucial role in the skins defence. The outermost layer of the skin contains cells without nuclei and are cemented by intercorneocyte lipids. These lipids are crucial for the barrier function of the skin and if they are lacking or damaged it leads to increased water loss, known as Transepidermal water loss. 

How can I tell what my skin type is?

An easy method of determining your skin type is to thoroughly cleanse your skin and leave it free of any products for 30 minutes. After this time, take a look at your skin in the mirror and look for the following characteristics: 

• Dry skin: Dry, flaky areas and may feel tight
• Combination skin: Has a combination or both oily/shiny and flaky areas (usually the t-zone being oily and the other normal-dry)
• Oily skin: Looks shiny, may feel slick to the touch
• Sensitive skin: Redness and irritation present, may be painful to touch

How can I tell if my skin is dehydrated?

A pinch test can be completed at home to determine if your skin is dehydrated. On clean, dry skin, pinch a small area of your cheek and if you see any wrinkling or the skin doesn't bounce back quickly this will be a sign that your skin is dehydrated. 

Dry skin tips

If you are suffering with dry skin, the main goal is to help seal moisture into the skin and keep it nourished due to the lack of oils and lipids on the surface of the skin. 

• Using a gentle cleanser like The Uncomplicated Cleanser is key as this is a creamy, gentle formulation that doesn't strip natural oils from the skin! 
• Gentle exfoliation is important to remove any dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to allow your moisturiser or oil to absorb effectively.
• Layer oils over the top of your moisturiser. Our best-selling 24k Gold Nourishing Oil has the combination of Coconut, Jojoba, Avocado and Rosehip oil to lock in moisture.
• Taking internal supplements like Omega 3/Fish Oils to help barrier function and nourish the skin from the inside out. 

If you are suffering from dehydrated skin, the main goal is to reduce water loss from the skin and increase nourishment to protect the skin's barrier. Here are some tips to combat:

Just as there is a fine line between dryness and dehydration, the terms moisturising and hydrating can often be used interchangeably. Hydrators like Hyaluronic Acid boosts the skin's water content to help with water loss and dehydration on the skin. Whereas moisturisers help seal moisture into the skin to target dryness.