At first glance, ’dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ seem like two words describing the same thing. But this is not the case for skincare, as they are two different concerns with different underlying issues.
Dry skin is a skin type, whereas dehydrated skin is a condition that can happen to anyone. The difference is that dry skin experience a lack of oil, while for dehydrated skin, it’s a lack of water in the epidermis (outermost) layer of the skin.
Normal Skin
If your skin is generally well-balanced, it’s easier to tell when you’re experiencing dehydration. You will notice that your skin feels tight, irritated, or witness visible fine lines. For some people, their eyes may appear sunken with dark eye circles.
Dry Skin
If it is still a hassle for you to comprehend the tell-tale signs of dryness and dehydration, that’s alright. You will see some of their signs overlap, like a dull appearance. For people who experience dryness, their skin tends to be thinner, hence, fine lines appear more easily and much visible than oilier skin type.
Oily Skin
If your skin tends to be on the oily side, signs of dehydration can lead to an even oily look and feel. This is because your skin is producing more oil/sebum to compensate for the lack of moisture. So if you skin starts to feel tight and flaky, or you see more fines lines or excess oil on the surface of your skin, it’s likely that your skin is dehydrated.
Sensitive Skin
If your skin gets red easily and feels sensitive than normal, or occasionally having breakouts, this could be signs of dehydration. Since the skin barrier is compromised, making the skin less protected, causing it to be hypersensitive, redder and more itchy and irritated than usual.
What else can you do?
Maintain a healthy lifestyle on top of following your skincare routine is one way to help prevent issues like dehydration. Here are five lifestyle tips recommended for dehydrated skin:
Avoid smoking/alcohol
Sufficient rest
Protect yourself from the sun
Drink plenty of water
Eat a balanced meal
