When we think of moisturized skin, we think of a good moisturizer and drinking water.
Right?
However, there is so much more needed to keep your skin hydrated.
If certain nutrients important for the health of your skin are missing, the skin cannot effectively hold the moisture.
That means it will not look as supple and hydrated as it could. And we don't want that!
Also, if you have oily acne-prone skin, you really want to keep your skin hydrated. Otherwise, your skin might produce even more oil to compensate for the dehydration.
Here I have compiled a list of powerful ways to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized naturally.
1. AVOID (HOT) WATER ON YOUR FACE
Water on your skin, as opposed to inside your body, is very drying. Especially heavily chlorinated, hot water.
When you are showering, don't let the water stream pour directly on your face. This is too harsh on your skin, causing micro tears and dryness.
Avoid getting your face wet in the bath or a shower and using too much water on your face in general. I love to use rose water toner on a cotton pad whenever I can instead of splashing water on my face.
If you have the possibility of filtering your water by installing a shower filter, that's beneficial, too.
2. DON'T WASH YOUR FACE IN THE MORNING
Your skin's natural sebum is excellent at slowing down the loss of water from your skin.
Cleansers contain detergent-like molecules called surfactants that strip the sebum off your skin, after which the water molecules escape easier.
Cleansed skin becomes temporarily alkaline, whereas the healthy skin is slightly acidic (pH ~5.5), making it more prone to dryness and dehydration.
Even if you apply a moisturizer afterwards, it is not a better replacement for your skin's natural oils in moisturizing your skin.
Instead, try to think of the moisturizer as something you use in addition to your skin's natural protective oils, not their replacement.
If you have very acne-prone skin and you are afraid of more breakouts due to not washing your skin in the morning, try either of the following (or both):
- Use a soft microfiber cloth previously soaked in lukewarm water (squeeze out the excess) to pat your face gently to remove the excess sebum.
- Apply a gentle toner on a cotton pad and swipe over your face. I love rose water, which is so soothing to the skin, and the whole routine will not irritate your skin like many other cleansers and toners, but rather soothe it and reduce any redness over time.
Related: 5 Reasons Why I Don't Wash My Face In The Morning
3. USE HUMECTANTS AND OCCLUSIVES IN YOUR SKIN CARE
Humectants are molecules that bind water to themselves, acting like little sponges on your skin that hold onto water.
Some of the best natural humectants are aloe vera, glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water (which is also why it reduces the appearance of wrinkles – it plumps them up, but only temporarily).
Occlusives, on the other hand, form a barrier-like layer on the surface of your skin, preventing the water from escaping. They include plant oils, shea butter, mango butter and others.
A little caution is needed when using humectants, though. They cannot differentiate between the water in the air and in your skin, so if the air humidity is low, humectants will begin to pull the water from the deeper layers of your skin (especially synthetic ones), which can actually dehydrate your skin!
In summary, they are very helpful, but make sure to use an occlusive on top to keep the moisture in. Many moisturizers contain both humectants and occlusives.
One study showed that application of sunflower oil improved the skin barrier and hydration level after 4 weeks of daily application in 19 adult volunteers.
4. PRODUCT LAYERING BASICS FOR LOCKING IN THE MOISTURE
What I find works well to keep your skin hydrated is the combination of a humectant (fresh aloe vera, hyaluronic acid serum, or rose water) and an oil (or other occlusive).
The right way to layer the products is to apply the water-based ones first, as they easily penetrate the skin, and then seal that moisture in with an oil.
The other way around won't work as well because water and oil don't mix, so the water-based product will not penetrate the oil layer if you apply it first!
Related: The Best Moisturizing Practice For Acne-Prone Skin
If you are using rose water or a similar hydrating toner, spray it onto your face, let it air dry (you can repeat this a few times). When your skin is just slightly damp, apply a thin layer of oil by patting it onto your skin.
This works wonders!
5. USE A HUMIDIFIER
Cold water humidifier keeps the optimal moisture in the air and can make such a difference in your skin, especially if you live in a dry climate. I often put it on for one hour before bedtime, with lavender essential oil. If the air is really dry, you can even set it to 6 hours, and wake up with beautiful dewy skin!
If you can't get the humidifier, here are a few alternatives:
- Place a bowl of water in the room next to a source of heat.
- Use a spray bottle – mix water with 5-6 drops of an essential oil of choice (I love lavender) and spray around the room to instantly boost the moisture in the air. Plus, it will smell amazing!
6. DRINK ENOUGH WATER (HERBAL TEAS COUNT, TOO)
This one you have surely heard countless times, but how many of us actually get enough water?
Make it easy for yourself. Get a nice glass or stainless steel bottle you can always carry with you. If you don't like the taste of plain water, drink infused water or herbal teas.
The key is to sip on it the entire day, which makes it much easier for the body to retain that liquid. If you drink several glasses of water within 10 minutes, it will just pass through your body.
Here are some of my favorite teas that promote clear skin:
Spearmint tea (helps fight hormonal acne by acting as an anti-androgen)
Tulsi tea (full of beneficial antioxidants)
Dandelion root tea (helps acne by promoting liver detox)
7. EAT YOUR WATER
Eating water-rich fruits and vegetables will keep your skin hydrated even better, as well as deliver the beneficial nutrients!
The water in them is perfectly filtered natural water that steadily hydrates your body and skin.
Some of the water-rich fruits and vegetables include watermelon, cucumber, apple, pear, celery, carrot, melon…Really, any you like will be a good choice!
The best is to eat them on an empty stomach as snacks (as opposed to right after the main meals) for best digestion and absorption of water and nutrients.
8. CONSUME PLENTY OF OMEGA-3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
This is a huge one, but often overlooked.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the body, so we need to obtain them through diet. They play a major role in keeping the moisture in your skin.
Omega-3s are particularly important for the skin. The main three types of omega-3 fatty acids are α-Linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Having enough of omega-3 essential fatty acid in your body keeps your skin hydrated and prevents it from drying and flaking.
The majority of omega-3 health benefits we know about today are due to EPA and DHA, found in animal sources like salmon and sardines.
ALA, which is found in plant sources (flaxseed, hemp seeds, walnuts) can be converted to the other omega-3s inside the body, making ALA the only essential one within the omega-3 group.
However, the conversion rate to EPA and DHA is often very low (source), especially if a person has other nutritional deficiencies.
Your skin certainly needs all three, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is vital for a healthy and glowing complexion.
So how do omega-3s affect the skin appearance?
Omega-3s are a crucial part of your skin’s lipid content, which make up your skin barrier, together with the dead skin cells (corneocytes).
This is like a seal on the top of your skin, which, when working properly, keeps the moisture in and irritants out. Increasing your omega-3 intake helps strengthen that seal and reduce the loss of water.
Furthermore, omega-3s get inserted into the membranes of your skin cells, affecting their properties.
This is immensely important because healthy, soft membranes allow for a good flow of nutrients and elimination of waste, both of which result in a soft skin with a smooth and supple appearance.
For healthy and glowing skin, include foods rich in the omega-3s daily, like salmon or other fatty fish (preferably wild and sustainably caught), sardines, etc.
A high-quality omega-3 supplement I recommend both for acne-prone skin and improving the overall skin health and hydration level is cod liver oil. I ONLY recommend Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil.
9. GET ENOUGH HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN FROM YOUR DIET
There are small molecules that hold the water in the upper layers of your skin. They are produced by your skin and are called Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs). These include amino acids, lactic acid, various sugars and peptides.
Interestingly, they are produced by breaking down a protein in your skin called filaggrin.
Filaggrin is one of the largest proteins in your body and it requires a lot of building material (amino acids), many of which are essential amino acids.
This means that you have to consume enough high-quality protein to first build the filaggrin, which will then be broken down into small molecules that naturally moisturize your skin.
I like to regularly consume collagen-rich bone broth, which really helps to keep my skin in top shape (get the recipe here).
Related: How your skin maintains itself
10. STAY AWAY FROM COFFEE AND ALCOHOL
Diuretics such as caffeine or alcohol draw the water out of your body, and that includes your skin.
I will not go into other detrimental effects of both alcohol and coffee on your skin, but they are real, so try to limit your consumption.
I have personally tried to quit coffee 6 times (I counted!), just because I like the taste so much. But unfortunately, the difference in my skin is so obvious after a couple of weeks of drinking it daily (acne included) that I just had to choose between good skin and coffee.
The best natural coffee substitute that helps me stay away from coffee, completely naturally gluten-free and caffeine-free is Dandy Blend.
If you are drinking coffee, make sure to not do so on an empty stomach!
ALSO…AVOID PROCESSED SUGAR
When we think of a moisturized skin, we think of a plump and youthful skin. Keeping the skin moisturized is just a part of the picture.
Collagen and elastin are the main proteins in your skin that make it plump and young looking.
Consuming too much sugar causes glycation of the proteins in your skin, which means that the sugar molecules attach themselves to the proteins, and this negatively affects their structure.
Collagen and elastin are especially prone to glycation, and this destroys them over time.
Avoiding processed sugar is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Replace it with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and protein. Your skin will love you for it!
In radiant skin health,
Sara
Questions! Do you have any tips yourself? I'd love to hear! Leave me a comment below!
Are you in your 20s or 30s, and tired of still struggling with acne and breakouts? There is so much misinformation about the right skincare for getting clear skin, and caring for sensitive acne-prone skin. This is why I made a FREE online course where you will find little-known skin healing secrets you won't usually hear from the skincare industry or dermatologists. And yet, they WORK.
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REFERENCES
Burdge GC, Jones AE, Wootton SA. Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of α-linolenic acid metabolism in young men*. Br J Nutr. 2002;88(4):355-364. (PubMed) Burdge GC, Wootton SA. Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women. Br J Nutr. 2002;88(4):411-420. (PubMed) Burdge G. α-linolenic acid metabolism in men and women: nutritional and biological implications. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004;7(2):137-144. Coderch L, et al. “Efficacy of stratum corneum lipid supplementation on human skin.” Contact Dermatitis. 3(2002):139-46. Danby SG, Alenezi T, Sultan A, et al. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013;30(1):42-50. Elias PM, Brown BE, Ziboh VA. The permeability barrier in essential fatty acid deficiency: evidence for a direct role for linoleic acid in barrier function. J Invest Dermatol. 1980;74:230-233. Feingold KR. The outer frontier: the importance of lipid metabolism in the skin. J Lipid Res. 2009;50 Suppl:S417-422. Johnson, Anthony. “Overview: fundamental skin care – protecting the barrier.” Dermatologic Therapy. 17(2004):1-5. McCusker MM, Grant-Kels JM. Healing fats of the skin: the structural and immunologic roles of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Clin Dermatol. 2010;28:440-451. For those of you interested in further reading about FCLO, here is a nice article: https://wellnessmama.com/13154/fermented-cod-liver-oil-vs-fish-oil/
Thank u for this info. I appreciate the insight as well as accuracy. No pseudo-facts needed!
Thank you so much!! I totally stand behind all these tips, they work – especially when applied all together!:)))
Hello Sara. According to tips 3 & 4, would it be ok to mix sunflower oil with aloe gel, or is it just better to follow tip 4 and just do one at a time? Also, is pure aloe vera juice just as good as the gel?
Yes, you can mix them!:) As for aloe, yes, but check the ingredients, you don’t want many extra ingredients (although it will always need some preservatives).
Hi. When I use aloe vera gel from the plant, it irritates my skin. So is the pure juice just as well?
Don’t use it! You are sensitive to some ingredient in it! Yes, any form of aloe would then irritate your skin.:/
I love your post. Very informative!
Is there an affordable hyaluronic acid that you recommend? Thanks Sara!
Check Passport Organics and The Ordinary!:)
Thank you very informative
Please how or where can I get natural hyaluronic acid.
You can try Passport Organics or The Ordinary!:) They have a nice formulation of hyaluronic acid.
Thank you so much for sharing!I am using every day before bed aloe vera gel and i put on top avocado oil to moisturize my dry skin. Should i make my face wet before applying the aloe gel? Does it help to trap more water under the skin?
No, your way is totally sufficient because aloe vera is very water rich:)
Hey Sara
My skin is very acne prone. I also had pcod some time back and my doctor recommended not to use any oil or oil based cream on my skin to slow the acne outburst. Now I have no acne. But I’ve still not used any oil or cream on my face since 6-7 months. Do we have any alternative for oil on aloe vera in this case? Cuz I’ve used aloe vera and yes you’re right it dries my skin sometimes.
Can u please suggest aa moisture that can keep a good and hydrate skin