…but aren’t they the same?! We get it, the world of skincare can be an absolute rabbit hole, so let’s give you the run down on hydration vs moisture and what you may need for you skin, without all of the confusion!
To keep things easy before we get started, an uncomplicated way of remembering what’s what, is this:
Hydration = water
Moisture = oil
Hydrating instils water into your cells which helps your skin absorb moisture, while moisturising helps to impede (block) water loss by trapping and locking moisture into your skin. Basically, if you skin is dehydrated, it’s lacking water... and if your skin is dry, you need to add in more moisture and therefore, oil.
So, do I need a hydrator or a moisturiser?
Well... that depends on whether your skin is dehydrated or dry... because, yep, these are different too! And to add even more into the mix – your skin can also be a mixture of both dehydrated and dry. Ooof. Ok but stay with us...
Signs of dehydrated skin:
- Tight-feeling skin, even after moisturising
- Redness
- Congestion
- Oily, shiny complexion (oil production is working overtime to compensate for the lack of hydration)
- Fine lines and wrinkles are more pronounced than usual
Signs of dry skin:
- Rough, flaky, or itchy skin
- Redness and irritation
- Skin feels tight
- Small, fine lines
- Thin, fragile skin
Dehydrated skin: What to do
If your skin is dehydrated, try a fast-absorbing serum that contains hyaluronic acid (HA) like our Eternal: Plumping Deep Sea & Malachite Collagen Serum. HA attracts and binds to water molecules and increases the water content of the skin. Almost unbelievably, it can absorb more than 1,000 times its weight in water! Be sure to apply your serum to a dampened face first.
Dry skin: What to do
For adding moisture back into dry skin, try a thick moisturising cream that is rich in butters and oils to deeply hydrate and nourish skin, like our Luna Vitality: Restoring Moisture Cream.
Dehydrated and dry skin: What to do
And if your skin is both dry and dehydrated, fortunately, hydrators and moisturisers are best friends and work fabulously together (yay!). You can absolutely use both in your routine to add hydration and moisture back into your skin and leave it feeling plump and smooth.
Spritz a toner like Harmony: Radiance Boosting Toner between skincare layers to dampen your skin and provide it with a dose of HA. Apply your serum containing HA (like aforementioned Eternal) and allow your skin to dry. Then, spritz Harmony again, and apply Luna Vitality while your skin is still damp. This process will provide hydration directly to your skin while assisting your serum and moisturiser to absorb into your skin easier – therefore working better! You may even like to add a facial oil in as the final step in your evening routine to really lock everything into place.
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