Dry or Dehydrated?

Dry or Dehydrated?

Contrary to popular belief, dehydrated and dry skin are not one in the same. I know - I'll give you a moment to take that in. Wild right?! Let me break it down for you. Dry skin is characterised as a type of skin whereas dehydrated skin is a state of skin. 

Still confused? Don't worry - we're about to walk you through the intricacies and explain exactly what you need to alleviate each concern. 

However, before we get into it, let me level with you for a second. If you're reading this, I'm assuming that you're dealing with skin concerns that are symptomatic of dry or dehydrated skin - tightness of the skin, rough or flaky texture or red patches, to name a few. Although the two situations are different, they do present the same. So, we need to determine what cards you've been dealt with. Dry or dehydrated? 

To test for dry skin, you'll want to engage in what's known as the "bare faced" method. It's easy - just cleanse your face and leave it. Do not apply other products. After thirty minutes, examine your pores in a mirror. If you have:

  • A visible shine and enlarged pores then you probably have oily skin
  • Flaky patches and invisible pores then your skin is likely dry

Identifying dehydrated skin is done by way of the pinch test. Just gently pinch the skin on your face and release. If your skin bounces back then well done - you're all hydrated! However, if it takes time to return to normal, then we're dealing with a classic case of dehydration.

The first step is always acceptance. But, how do we address dry or dehydrated skin? Let's go deeper!

Dry Skin

To put it simply, dry skin is something that you're born with - it occurs at a genetic level. Naturally, our skin produces an oil called sebum. If your skin is dry then unfortunately, it just isn't producing enough. In this sense, it's not exactly something that you fix, rather something that you can soothe and improve the appearance of. 

The root of the problem is a lack of oils. So, we need to replace these oils that your skin can't make on its own. First things first - forget about foaming cleansers. These are too harsh and are just going to strip your skin. What we want is an oil based cleanser, which will cleanse and hydrate your skin. Look no further our Kawakawa Goats Milk Soap, a cleansing bar matched in heaven with with dry skin. Not only is it oil-based it contains Kawakawa - a prodigy child when it comes to relieving dry skin and restoring moisture. 

It's also time to put a focus on ingredients such as botanicals oils and coconut oil. These are particularly gifted at gently exfoliating those dry patches, leaving you with soft and supple skin. Our Lavender & Eucalyptus Bar is perfect, containing both coconut, lavender and eucalyptus oils. 

Dehydrated Skin

So, if you failed the pinch test, then you have dehydrated skin. But not to worry - this is only a state of skin, meaning that it is temporary. Any and all skin types can fall victim to dehydration, even those of you that identify as having oily or combination skin. 

Where dry skin lacks oil, dehydrated skin lacks water - a vital element in having a glowing, healthy complexion. Changing up your skincare routine isn’t a one-stop-shop to rehydrating your skin in this case. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key. This includes drinking enough water (obviously!), using sun protection, eating a balanced diet and avoiding alcohol and nicotine as much as possible. 

It’s super important that you supplement these lifestyle changes with the correct skincare. You need to be using products that specifically help your skin retain water. Our Life is Peachy and Natural bars both contain Sodium Lactate (among many other hydrating ingredients!). Sodium Lactate locks that H2O in your skin, making sure that any and all molecules are retained. Applying this to your skin daily will make sure that your skin is hydrated and supple in no time!

So there you have it! A complete Frabella guide on how to cure those flaky, itchy, red, dry patches - no matter the cause.

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