If your skin swings from shiny and oily to tight and wrinkled throughout the course of your day, you may be experiencing dehydrated skin. The good news is that this uncomfortable condition is not a permanent sentence. Using clinically-proven skincare in a consistent routine can hydrate skin fast, instantly soothing and restoring plumpness while reducing oiliness and inflammation over time.In this blog post, we’ll explore the science behind dehydrated skin, focusing on practical solutions and proven-effective skincare products that can help you achieve fast hydration and revitalized, radiant skin.What is Dehydrated Skin?
Dehydrated skin is skin that lacks water. This often temporary condition can occur in all skin types, including oily and combination. In fact, dehydrated skin can actually cause your skin to become more oily as your body produces more sebum to help lock in moisture and fix the problem.Dehydrated skin occurs when water evaporates from inside the skin into the surrounding environment. While this process (known as trans epidermal water loss or TEWL) is happening all the time, a disruption in the skin’s protective moisture barrier can cause it to go into overdrive, resulting in dehydration.It’s important to note that dehydrated skin is different from dry skin. Dehydrated skin is a temporary condition, while dry skin is a skin type.Learn more about dehydrated skin vs. dry skin.What Causes Dehydrated Skin?
Anything that disrupts the skin’s natural moisture balance can cause dehydrated skin. Some of these causes include:- Environmental factors. Exposure to dry air and harsh weather conditions can speed TEWL, causing the skin to become dehydrated.
- Over-cleansing. Using harsh cleansers or over-washing the face can strip the skin of its natural oils, disrupting the moisture barrier and contributing to dehydration.
- Steamy showers. Prolonged exposure to hot water can also strip the skin and cause dehydration.
- Sun exposure. Damaging UV rays can not only cause skin cancer, they can disrupt the skin’s moisture barrier, accelerating TEWL.
- Age. The skin produces less of its protective oils as we age, making it harder to retain moisture and more prone to dehydration.
- Alcohol and caffeine. Overdoing it on a night out or drinking too much coffee can dehydrate your entire body, including your skin.
- Medications. Certain medications can cause dehydration as a side effect.
- Incorrect skincare products. Using skincare products that are mismatched to your skin type or contain harsh ingredients can lead to dehydration.
- Lifestyle factors. Smoking and not drinking enough water can contribute to skin dehydration.
Signs of Dehydrated Skin
Characteristics of dehydrated skin include:- Redness
- Congestion
- Shiny, Oily Skin
- Inflammation
- Wrinkled skin with a rough, uneven texture
If you’re experiencing any of these skin concerns and suspect your skin is dehydrated, gently pinch one of your cheeks. If it wrinkles with gentle pressure instead of holding its shape, your skin is indeed dehydrated.Hydrate Skin with this Science-Backed Routine
The best skincare products for revitalizing and restoring dehydrated skin include a combination of humectants — water binding ingredients such as ectoin, hyaluronic acid, and polyglutamic acid — and barrier-restoring ingredients such as squalane.
The following routine is packed with clinically-proven, science-backed ingredients to hydrate your skin fast, restoring radiance and improving overall skin health.Harsh cleansers can strip skin of its natural ois, causing it to become dehydrated. Our Antioxidant Cleansing Oil gently dissolves all traces of dirt and makeup —- including waterproof mascara —- while delivering a burst of soothing moisture and rinsing completely clean and making skin feel soothed and cushiony-soft.
Quench dehydrated skin while preparing it to receive the rest of your skincare products with our Hyaluronic Acid Facial Mist. Our soothing formula contains two types of hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate while plumping fine lines.
We recommend spritzing it onto still-damp skin after cleansing to maximize the efficacy of our innovative hyaluronic acid blend. You can also use it during the day to freshen your makeup or soothe your skin when it’s feeling particularly dry.With humectants including ectoin, polyglutamic acid, and hyaluronic acid, our Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum is dehydrated skin’s best friend. Hyaluronic acid pulls water from the environment into the skin while ectoin soothes and hydrates, plumping skin and providing lasting hydration while paracress extract tightens and copper peptides boost elasticity.
Step 4: Moisturize
The delicate under-eye area often shows visible signs of dehydration most dramatically because the skin there is the thinnest. Our multi-award-winning Marine Algae Eye Cream instantly lifts and firms while providing deep, all-day moisture to visibly reduce fine lines and crepiness. Use it before makeup to create the perfect, smooth canvas or mix it with your concealer to customize your coverage.
Quench the rest of the skin on your face with the right moisturizer for your skin type. While some people with oily skin might think they don’t need moisturizer, skipping this crucial skincare step can lead to dehydration, causing the skin to produce more oil and exacerbating the very skin concern they’re trying to improve.
If you’re on the oilier side, we recommend our advanced reformulated Probiotic Gel Moisturizer. Made with revolutionary encapsulated probiotics, this first-of-its-kind formula increases microbiome diversity, supporting a healthy skin barrier while squalane weightlessly hydrates and nourishes.
If you’re looking to brighten while you’re locking in moisture, look no further than our Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer. Vitamin C and fermented lemon peel work together to fight free radicals and visibly improve uneven skin tone as well while sugarcane-based squalane deeply moisturizes and plumps fine lines and wrinkles.
Need a more intensive moisture boost? Our ultra-nourishing Omega Repair Cream will help restore your skin’s natural protective layer to balance hydration. Plumping, hydrating omega fatty acids similar to what’s in your skin’s moisture barrier work to hydrate and restore your skin’s protective layer while hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates and plumps.
If dehydration is causing your skin to appear dull, turn to our cult-favorite Vitamin C Rose Oil for instant radiance and brightening as you lock in moisture. Our science-backed formula features an innovative form of oil-soluble Vitamin C that’s uniquely stable and incredibly gentle. Use it as the final step in your skincare to brighten and moisturize while sealing in active ingredients, or add a few drops to makeup for a fresh, dewy look.
If you’re using a retinol product —- such as our Retinol Night Serum — in the evenings, you’ll need to pass on Vitamin C during your PM routine. Our innovative and gentle 100% Squalane Oil mimics the moisture found in human skin to lock in moisture while replenishing the moisture barrier and driving active skincare ingredients 40x deeper into your skin.
While both products are safe for sensitive skin, our 100% Squalane Oil has been honored with the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance™, which recognizes product innovations that provide benefits, and improve the quality of life for people with eczema and sensitive skin.
Learn more about Squalane and eczema 
