Back to Skincare School with MIllies Experts Part 1: Dry V Dehydrated Skin

What is the difference between dehydrated v dry skin?

Dehydrated skin is when the skin is lacking in water content. Dry skin is when our skin is depleted of lipids/fats.

Common signs of dehydrated skin:

• Lack radiance, seems dull
• Darkening around the eye areas
• Skin can appear thin, crepey and make-up can tend to sit in deepened lines

Dry skin - When our skin is truly dry it lacks oil and therefore can be:

• Rough in texture
• Scaly
• Feel tight and even crack
• Without the protection function of lipids our barrier can then become compromised leading to sensitivity

Start from within, here are our Skin Expert Edele’s top supplement recommendations to help hydrate your skin.

Hydration from within is not a fad, our skin is a double-sided organ therefore it is vital that we treat it both topically and internally. Ingredients to look out for in supplements for hydration include, omegas and hyaluronic acid, vitamin A and ceramides. Electrolytes are also a fantastic way to replace vitamins, minerals and salts that are paramount to keep up hydrated. These are some of our most recommended skin specific supplements that we advise our clients to introduce into their routine when wanting to hydrate their skin.

Top Tip: Supplements are best taken with a meal to ensure optimal absorption. Be consistent with supplementation for best results. It can take anything from 4-6 weeks to see the benefits but stick with it! 

• Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ

• Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Omegas+

• Hush & Hush Skin Capsule Hydrate+

• AYA Omega 3 Fish Oil

• AYA Electrolytes - various flavours available

What is the best hydrating skincare routine?

The perfect hydrating routine can look different for everyone as all skin needs hydration but depending on your skin type, we can have very different looking hydrating products.  

Hydrating routine for Dry Skin:

• Environ Pre-cleanse Oil

• Elemis Cleansing Balm

• Environ Youth Essentia Vita-Peptide Toner

• Image Vital C Anti-Ageing Serum

• Image Daily Prevention Advanced Smart Blend Mineral Moisturiser SPF50

• Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 (nightly)

• Environ Hydrating Oil Capsules (twice a week at night in place of triple lipid restore)

Hydrating routine for Dehydrated Skin:

• Environ Pre-cleanse Oil

• Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash

• Image Biome+ Dew Bright Serum or SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic

• Alumier Sheer Hydration Untinted/Versatile Tint
• Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Night Cream

• HydroPeptide Hydro-Lock Sleep Mask (twice a week)

Exfoliation- When we are looking to exfoliate dehydrated and dry skin, we can use different methods such as chemical, enzymatic and physical. 

Exfoliating the skin has many benefits including, getting rid of a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, helping to even out skin texture and tone, speed up cell renewal and allow better penetration of actives when applied following exfoliation. 

It's worth getting a specific recommendation from your skin therapist for the best exfoliation method for your skin. 

Millies recommends the following for dry and dehydrated skin

• Image Ageless Total Anti-Aging Serum, this leave on liquid exfoliator is like silk going on to the skin, you sleep in it and it's that easy, the blend of acids exfoliates the skin as you sleep, renewing and refining the skin leaving it radiant and glowy. Use 2-3 times a week 

• SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser, an exfoliating wash that will refine the skin and allow your products to penetrate deeper and evenly through the skin, this cleanser helps brighten and exfoliate a dull skin.

• Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, a triple action exfoliator polishes asway dull skin without irritation, excellent for use before hair removal to ensure greater results.

• ASAP Liquid Platinum, this award-winning treatment brightens and refines skin by dissolving dead skin cells. It is a wonderous muti-purpose product as it stimulates collagen production while helping to improve the appearance of discoloration or pigmentation on the skin. 

Top Tip: With exfoliation, it's important to read and listen to your skin. Ideal exfoliation is 2-3 times per week, however if you feel this is a little much for your skin or experience tightness and irritation, pull back on your exfoliation to 1-2 times a week until comfort is restored.