When you take a sip of water it takes a journey throughout the body. It starts at the brain where it is used to produce hormones and works as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord. It allows body cells to grow and reproduce. Water then helps to form saliva which aids in digestion. It delivers oxygen throughout the body and then flushes body waste through urine. As you can see the water you drink is pulled in several directions the last of which is hydrating the surface of the skin. Staying hydrated internally helps all of your body’s major functions operate smoothly, but in order to keep your skin glowing on the outside, you are going to need some topical help from your daily skincare regimen.
It is important to note the difference between dry skin versus dehydrated skin. Dry skin is determined by our genetics (small pores, minimal oil production) where dehydrated skin is from internal and external factors (consuming high amounts of sugar, caffeine, exposure to the elements). Both will benefit greatly from topical products but will have slightly different approaches. For example, if you have dry skin you will look for heavier products preferably layered over a hydrating serum and this will be a daily routine, to support the lack of natural oil production. With dehydrated skin, you will need to adjust the factor causing the dehydration such as drinking more water and repairing your skin’s barrier with a hydrating and healing treatment. Something to note, an overproduction of oil can also indicate underlying dehydration and will still require the same support to balance out!
We naturally lose moisture from our skin through a process called transepidermal water loss (we have a blog from a few weeks ago where you can read all about it). We touched on the importance of including humectants, emollients, and occlusives in your everyday routine in order to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. These are all applied topically and are truly the trifecta for achieving a healthy glow. Humectants attract or preserve water, think glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Emollients work to soften and smooth the skin by filling in the gaps between cells and flakey skin in addition to increasing your skin’s ability to repair damage to the skin’s barrier. Examples of emollients are oils such as jojoba, crambe seed oil and shea butter. Occlusives form a protective layer to create a barrier on your skin sealing in humectants and emollients. The Balm, which is our heaviest weight moisturizer contains Beeswax, which is an example of an occlusive.
Sorella focuses on keeping the skin’s barrier happy, healthy, and hydrated through the use of topical products. Ready to give your skin a huge drink of water? A few drops of Main Squeeze Hydrating Serum locked in with Blueberry Milk Moisturizer or The Balm will have you hydrated on the outside while the water you’re drinking keeps you healthy on the inside.
