Hello Hydration!

Dehydration of the skin is, by far, the most common skin condition I see in my line of work. It affects a majority of people to some degree. You can suffer from dehydration no matter what skin type you have. A condition of the skin is different to skin type. A condition being dehydration/sensitivity/ageing. A skin type could be oily/ dry/normal. Whenever I have a client come to me concerned with dryness of the skin I generally find the real problem is dehydration. 

Dehydration makes your skin feel dry. It may also feel tight and appear dull with fine line, especially around the eyes. If you wear make up or foundation you may find that after a few hours it disappears, looks dry or flaky or just doesn't "sit right". This is caused as your skin is yearning for hydration and so is taking the moisture from your foundation and leaving the dry ingredients sitting on your skin. This is essentially why most women will think they have dry skin. Another indication that your skin is dehydrated is after showering if it feels extremely tight. Hydrated skin is smooth, glowing and make up lasts all day.

The main factors that will dehydrate your skin are 

• Over-exposure to the sun
• Incorrect skin care
• Smoking/Alcohol/Caffeine
• Diet
• Prolonged exposure to Air-conditioning
• Exercising: Sweating and not replacing lost water. Chlorine from swimming is also extremely dehydrating.

If this sounds like you then there are a number of ways to counteract or prevent dehydrating your skin.

1. If your skin is excessively dehydrated I would recommend to start with a hydrating facial from a professional therapist, who can help to point you in the right direction.

2. Start a good quality skincare routine and stick to it! I will be posting my top recommendations later!

3. Drink water! (might sound boring but it works)

4. Avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, instead drink herbal or fruit teas or water. Coconut water is an extremely hydrating  and refreshing alternative to water! 

5. Use an SPF in your daily skincare and try limit your exposure to air conditioning. (If you work in an office where you can't avoid air con, fill up a small spritz bottle with water and a few drops of water to replace lost moisture throughout the day)

When it comes to make up a flawless foundation starts with great skin. No matter how good or expensive your foundation is if your skin is dehydrated you wont get the most out of it!