Hydration is essential to healthy skin; it helps prevent dryness, flakiness, dullness and improve elasticity.
Hydrate your complexion by drinking enough water, but other strategies include using products tailored specifically to your skin type such as gels, tonics, serums, milky textures or lotions that provide moisture without leaving an oily feel on the complexion.
Gentle Cleansers
Cleansers are essential to healthy skin, yet some can be too harsh. Your aim should be to gently yet effectively remove makeup, dirt and oil without over-cleansing which strips your complexion of its essential natural oils and can leave it feeling tight.
Gel cleansers can be particularly effective at hydrating the complexion since they typically contain soothing and clarifying ingredients like plant extracts. One such gel cleanser from Garnier SkinActive features a gentle formula designed to lift away excess oil and impurities without upsetting your protective barrier and leaving skin looking healthier than ever!
This mild cleanser is made with pure lanolin, making it suitable for sensitive skin. Plus, it’s free from potentially irritating sulfates and fragrances! Plus it features hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides which lock in moisture and support your protective barrier layer for added care and support.
Water-Based Moisturizers
Even those with oily skin should strive to keep their complexion hydrated; dehydrated skin can actually worsen problems related to excess oil because when moisture leaves your pores and evaporates, your pores produce more oil in response.
Look for a moisturizer or hydrator with both occlusive and humectant ingredients; this will allow your skin to absorb and retain water more easily. Inkey List’s Omega Water Cream can help alleviate oily skin while still hydrating the complexion effectively.
L’Oreal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care for Normal/Dry Skin provides your complexion with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to promote its natural glow, without clogging your pores or becoming comedogenic. This non-comedogenic moisturizer also won’t leave any residue behind!
Gels
Gels are soft and flexible substances designed to both hydrate and moisturize. Most gels contain both occlusive and humectant ingredients to trap in moisture while warding off harmful substances from entering.
An effective way to determine whether your skin is properly hydrated is to pinch it; healthy and hydrated skin feels plump and silky while dehydrated skin can appear tight, flaky and dull.
Emollients such as ceramides, squalane or jojoba oil) and humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid or honey can help strengthen and moisturize your skin barrier while keeping it supple and youthful. Look for products with light textures such as gels, tonics, serums or milky lotions for the most non-greasy finish.
Tonics
Tonics provide extra hydration that cleanses skin while increasing its glow. You can tailor them for any skin type with the addition of active ingredients like orange flower water or hyaluronic acid.
For those with oily skin, tonics containing alpha or beta hydroxy acids may help exfoliate and clear out pores for a fresh and clear complexion. On the other hand, an astringent tonic may help control sebum production with ingredients like witch hazel and salicylic acid.
People with combination skin can benefit from using a tonic that includes green tea for antioxidants, witch hazel for excess oil control and rosewater for hydration to create a harmonious combination. This approach may bring relief for their variable skin type.
Serums
Hydrating serums have smaller molecules than moisturizers, which allows them to penetrate skin more deeply. Furthermore, their concentration and targeting capabilities allow them to address specific skin concerns such as anti-aging, acne or pigmentation more effectively.
Consider using a serum with hyaluronic acid and peptides, for more mature skin, or copper peptides for brightening. Both ingredients help the cells retain moisture more effectively, creating an appearance of more suppleness while diminishing fine lines with time.
Apply a serum as the initial step, followed by your favorite moisturizer to maximize its benefits and prolong their effect on skin health.
Milks
Milk is a versatile ingredient in your kitchen that can help keep skin radiant, smooth, and soft. Lactic acid helps shed dead skin cells to prevent clogged pores and blackheads, while proteins reduce inflammation to promote healthier looking skin.
Milk products provide moisture without leaving behind an oily film on your skin, so try choosing a cleanser, serum, or mask containing milk as part of your skincare regimen or applying one before bedtime.
Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water and thus serve as an ideal humectant.
Lotions
Lotions tend to be low-viscosity formulas that are easily spread and absorbed into skin layers, while our testers preferred creamy yet non-greasy versions that left their skin soft and smooth without the need to remoisturize later in the day.
Look for lotions made with humectant ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin; these molecules help draw water into skin cells, making them especially helpful when the skin becomes dehydrated.
These ingredients may also help diminish fine lines and wrinkles by keeping moisture locked in for longer, providing relief from dry skin conditions.
