Drinking water is important for overall health and even though many people have reported more radiant or clear skin after increasing water intake, there's a lack of research proving that water consumption impacts skin hydration or overall appearance in people who are healthy. The issue is the actual physics behind how water flows throughout our bodies. When you drink water, it doesn't automatically go to the skin, it hydrates cells absorbed into the bloodstream and filtered by the kidney’s so drinking water is great as it flushes toxins from the body and hydrates our bodies overall. Drinking water is necessary for our bodies to run optimally and help nutrients reach the skin through proper blood flow, but not necessarily the exact solution we need for dewy skin.
So how do we fix the dry skin on our faces then? Hydration is best fed to the skin on the surface so topical moisturizers and serums can be much more effective than drinking water to help lock in that moisture. While moisturizer alone can certainly help, serums can help amp up the hydrating qualities, especially when applied to damp skin.
An overall skincare routine should have 3 types of ingredients to help lock in the moisture.
- Occlusives which are a protective seal over the skin. Eg) shea butter, argan oil, beeswax or petrolatum.
- Humectants which act as a sponge to pull in hydration to the outer skin layers. Eg) glycerin, aloe vera, honey.
- Emollients such as natural oils smooth the rough edges between cells in the outer layer. Eg) Rosehip seed oil, castor oil, jojoba oil