Hydration vs Moisture - What's the difference and which do you need?

Hydration and moisture are words I often hear being used interchangeably. However, they are two completely separate terms used for completely different skin types! If your skincare regime isn't perfected then anything else you do after this step i.e applying makeup won't look its best and most likely won't last very long! So, it's super important that you get to know your skin so you can focus on feeding your skin exactly what it needs. Read on to learn the difference between hydration and moisture and some products I recommend for each!

Hydration

In the same way you drink water when your internal organs become dehydrated, your skin, which is an external organ, can quickly become dehydrated if you do not give it any attention. The difference is that your skin needs to be hydrated internally and externally. Dehydrated skin will feel tight after your morning cleanse and may become oily throughout the day. Your body naturally overproduces oil when you are dehydrated to compensate for the lack of hydration. This is why it's important to hydrate your skin - not doing so can cause your skin becoming oily throughout the day and preventing your make-up from lasting as long as it deserves to!

Product recommendations

Hyaluronic Acid is the best for hydrating your skin. Hyaluronic Acid is naturally produced in our bodies so I see this to be more of a supplement. As we age, the amount of HA our bodies produce decline, so this is a must-have for most skin types, especially if you're beginning to look into anti-ageing skincare. One molecule of HA has the ability to hold 1000x it's weight in water, and adding into your daily routine will leave you with hydrated, plump and youthful skin! HA is something that is quickly absorbed into your skin and not something that sits on your skin's surface. Therefore, using this consistently will treat your dehydrated skin. Use HA as a serum before you apply moisturiser.

My two favourite Hyaluronic Acid Serums:

The Ordinary - Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 shop here

Vichy Minéral 89 Skin Booster shop here 

Of course, don't forget to drink lots of water throughout the day! This is beneficial for your whole body as well as your skin. However, water will reach all of your internal organs before it reaches your skin which is why it's important to hydrate your skin directly instead of only drinking water.

Moisture

Moisture is needed at the surface level of your skin to retain the hydration that your skin has just absorbed. A good moisturiser is key for a makeup base and there are so many out there for different skin-types but there are few things in particular that you should be looking out for. Firstly, Glycerin should be near the top of the ingredients list. It's one of the most popular ingredients for moisturisers and Glycerin basically helps draw moisture into your skin. It is always best to apply your skincare straight out the shower when your pores are still open and your skin is damp, but this especially goes for Glycerin! If you have a dry skin that tends to flake, then opt for more intensive moisturisers to combat this.Another skincare tip to keep your skin well-moisturised is to use facial oils. Oils are great for trapping in the water content into your skin and smoothing your skin's surface. If you don't have dry skin then I don't think applying oils to your skin is necessary for the AM but using oils as a part of your nighttime routine will allow you to wake up with such smooth skin!

Product recommendations

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate shop here

The Ordinary also do a range of good facial oils at a more affordable price. Click here to shop!

Hope this post helped differentiate hydration from moisture! If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me by either leaving a comment or messaging me via my contact page here.

Photo Credits @weilstyle

Kavita K xo

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