Hydrating and Moisturizing - What's the Difference

The cold weather is rapidly approaching, although in some places it is already freezing and we are still in fall. With the cold air comes all these wonderful skincare commercials. Hydrating this, moisturizing that and if you don't know any better you would think both are the same. Well, they are not. There is a distinct difference between hydrating your skin and moisturizing it, but they are both equally important.

The Science:

Both moisturizers and hydrators work to ensure that your skin receives moisture. There is a natural barrier on your skin called the lipid barrier and the purpose of it is for your skin to protect itself from damage and loss of water, but if you're someone who suffers from dry, flaky skin, then you will need some extra help - enter moisturizers. Dry skin means your skin isn't producing enough lipid cells on its own, so moisturizers help lock in moisture. Hydrators, on the other hand, contains humectants, which work to catch moisture from the air and saturate it through the layers of your skin.

The main difference:

Dehydrated skin needs hydration and dry skin needs oil and moisturization. So, hydrators alleviate dehydrated skin, and moisturizers help alleviate dry skin. Dry skin is classified as a skin type, which means a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors has contributed to your skin's inadequate production of natural oils. Dry skin can flake, itchy, and cause an overall dull, rough, or lackluster appearance. Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, is caused by a lack of water. Not oil, like dry skin. So if you don't drink enough water or water products such as tea, and you don't suffer from the actual skin condition of dry skin, then you have dehydrated skin and need to immediately upgrade your water intake.

When you are dehydrated, the results become visible in your skin, leaving it less elastic and supple. According to the Medical Daily, nearly 75% of Americans are dehydrated and fall short of drinking water including the 8-10 cups of water recommended. Drinking plenty of water is truly the key to great skin.

Water and Body Facts:

60% of the human adult body is made up of water

Your brain and heart are composed of 73% water

Your lungs contain 83% water

Your skin contains 64% water

Drinking lots of water helps to keep your skin lively, plump, firm and youthful looking.

Products that help the skin:

When it comes to moisturizers, creams such as body butters work wonderful as they help your skin lock in and retain moisture. A natural humectant like aloe or honey are excellent ingredients that will help to hydrate your skin while moisturizing it. In addition to drinking lots of water, eating nutrient-rich, water-based fruits and vegetables can help hydrate your skin.

There is also the sunscreen lotion as sun-exposed skin can easily lose moisture and make your skin appear dry, flaky, and wrinkled. If you really want your skin to look youthful, plump, firm, etc. there is nothing wrong with using both a hydrator like honey or aloe as well as a moisturizer like body butter. Just remember to apply any hydrating products first, and a moisturizer second. This ensures that you're adding the necessary hydration and moisture to your skin while locking it in all day.

As the weather gets colder and the air drier due to the heaters we will have on all day, both a hydrator and a moisturizer are going to be a necessity. Invest in a good hydrator, a good moisturizer and drink plenty of water or water related products such as tea during these colder months. If you do, your skin will notice the difference come spring and your body will thank you for it.