“The best ingredient for dry or dehydrated skin is hyaluronic acid, due to its ability to hold up to 1000 times its weight in hydration,” she says. Lekus also suggests trying sheet masks as a quick, easy way to infuse a mega dose of moisture.
Once you start using the right ingredients and stop using the wrong ones, your skin will go back to normal. Keep in mind though, it takes about two weeks to heal your skin. Be patient and remember it's truly about keeping it simple!
If you moisturize your skin regularly but still notice lingering dryness, you may want to check your moisturizer for potentially dehydrating ingredients, such as isopropyl alcohol or sulfates. You may get better results with products containing ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or ceramides.
Is Vaseline a good moisturizer? According to researchers , petroleum jelly is one of the most effective moisturizers on the market. It works by sitting on top of the skin, where it forms a barrier and prevents water from leaving your skin. Vaseline can be used as an everyday moisturizer for very dry skin.
Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.
Hyaluronic Acid works by helping the skin retain moisture, which immediately causes skin to visibly plump. This makes things like fine lines, wrinkles, and rough texture look less severe and contributes to an overall younger appearance to the skin.
Polyglutamic Acid (PGA), a hydration powerhouse and water-soluble peptide, is FIVE times more hydrating than hyaluronic acid. This cutting edge ingredient, derived from fermented soybean mucilage is a major game changer in the future of skincare.
Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.
It can take just 5 minutes to begin rehydrating your body. On the other hand, if you drink water while eating, your body will prioritize digesting food before water. This often takes up to 120 minutes to digest water and rehydrate your body.
When it comes to skincare, Cho says Korean women use “natural skin brighteners such as rice extracts, vitamin C, and licorice, as well as exfoliators. For stubborn brown spots, they will visit the dermatologist to lighten the brown spots using lasers.”
Problem: The lotion doesn't absorb quickly.
This common complaint is usually the result of using too much of a lotion that contains high levels of emollients — ingredients meant to stop water from evaporating from your skin.
Vitamin or mineral deficiency: Skin requires nutrients to keep it healthy. If you're not getting enough vitamin D, vitamin A, niacin, zinc, or iron, you can develop excessively dry skin.
Every day, make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of fluids, which include beverages such as tea, milk, and coffee. Your skin will also thank you if you eat a diet rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E.
Health conditions and genetics: You could be more at risk of getting dry skin if you're born with genes that make you more prone to it or you have a health condition that causes dry skin as a symptom. Some conditions that lead to dry skin include allergies, eczema, diabetes and kidney disease.
Dehydrated skin typically looks dull and can show premature signs of aging, like surface wrinkles and loss of elasticity.
As for hydrating products, look for ingredients that deliver water to the cells directly, like hyaluronic acid, propylene glycol, alpha hydroxy acids, urea, glycerin (also labeled as glycerol), and aloe, says Dr. Feely.