Collection: Skincare For Dehydrated Skin

To combat dehydrated skin, restore hydration and maintain a healthy, glowing complexion, follow these expert-approved steps:

Use Hydrating Ingredients: Choose products with humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera, and vegetable collagen to attract and lock in moisture. Ingredients like chamomile, pro-vitamin B5, and zinc PCA soothe and strengthen the skin barrier. Apply hydrating serums and moisturisers to damp skin for maximum absorption.

Stay Hydrated from Within: Drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, and leafy greens. Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, and seeds help maintain skin moisture.

Exfoliate Frequently: Dead skin cells can block moisture absorption, making skin look dull. Use enzyme peels or AHAs 1-2 times weekly to encourage cell turnover without stripping the skin. This allows hydrating products to penetrate more effectively.

Strengthen the Skin Barrier: Dehydrated skin struggles to retain moisture, so use barrier-supporting ingredients like niacinamide and botanical beta-glucans. These help lock in hydration and protect against environmental stressors.

Protect with SPF: UV exposure can weaken the skin barrier, leading to moisture loss. Daily SPF 30 or higher is essential to prevent dehydration and maintain skin health.

Dry skin is a skin type, meaning it naturally lacks oils (sebum) needed to keep it soft and supple. It often feels rough, flaky, or irritated and requires oil-rich moisturisers to replenish its protective barrier.

Dehydrated skin, however, is a temporary condition caused by a lack of water, not oil. It can affect any skin type, even oily skin, and often appears dull, tight, and more prone to fine lines. External factors like diet, weather, and drying skincare can all contribute to dehydration.

Not sure which one you have?  Dry skin feels flaky and rough, while dehydrated skin looks dull and tight, with fine lines more noticeable when pinched.

For more information on dry vs. dehydrated skin and how to tell the difference, visit here.

Dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water in the skin, often due to external factors rather than genetics. Common causes include:

Environmental stressors such as extreme weather conditions, wind, central heating, water too warm, and air conditioning can strip moisture from the skin.

Lifestyle factors: Inadequate water intake, excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption, and a poor diet can lead to dehydration.

Harsh skincare: Using drying ingredients like alcohol or sulfates, or skipping hydrating products can disrupt the skin’s moisture balance.

Hormonal changes & ageing: Natural changes in the body can reduce the skin’s ability to retain moisture over time.

Dermatologists address dehydrated skin through a combination of lifestyle modifications and targeted skincare treatments:

Gentle Cleansing: Utilise mild, fragrance-free cleansers to prevent stripping essential moisture from the skin.

Regular Moisturisation: Apply moisturisers containing humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to attract and retain moisture. Ingredients such as niacinamide help reinforce the skin barrier.

Hydrating Serums: Incorporate serums rich in hyaluronic acid to boost skin hydration levels effectively.

Lifestyle Adjustments: Maintain adequate water intake, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air, and avoid prolonged hot showers to support skin hydration.

Reversing dehydrated skin depends on the severity of dehydration and how consistently you follow a targeted skincare and hydration routine.

Immediate Improvement: You can see noticeable hydration within hours by using humectant-rich products like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe vera, which draw moisture into the skin. Applying these to damp skin and sealing with a moisturiser helps maximise their effects. Drinking water and consuming hydrating foods like cucumber and watermelon can also provide a quick boost.

Long-Term Recovery: Fully restoring the skin’s moisture balance can take a few days to a couple of weeks with consistent hydration and barrier-strengthening ingredients like pro-vitamin B5 and fatty acids. Regular gentle exfoliation  with Enzyme AHA cleansers or enzyme peels enhances absorption, helping long-term hydration.

Protecting the skin from environmental stressors, maintaining a hydrating skincare routine, and making lifestyle adjustments will help prevent dehydration from returning.

To effectively hydrate dehydrated skin, focus on products that attract, retain, and seal in moisture while supporting the skin’s natural barrier. Look for lightweight formulas with humectants, emollients and occlusives. The Hyaluronic Elixir, enriched with multi-molecular hyaluronic acid, provides instant and deep hydration. Moisturise with the Revitalising Day Moisturiser with shea butter and SPF 30 or the Time Delay Cream with hyaluronic acid, beta-glucans, and SPF 30 for long-lasting hydration and protection. For cleansing, use the hydrating Revitalising Cleanser or Cleansing Balm. Add an exfoliator, like the Pro Radiance Enzyme Cleanser, 2 times a week to remove dead skin cells and enhance moisture absorption. Weekly, the Revitalising Repair Mask soothes, hydrates, and supports the skin barrier.