What’s the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?

Dry is a skin type and dehydrated is a skin condition.

Dry skin comes from lack of oil in the skin and is usually genetic or age related since oil production slows with age.

Dehydrated skin comes from lack of water in the skin and can depend on the environment, both inside and outside the body. Dehydrated skin is often a transient condition.

Skin can be any combination of dry or oily and dehydrated or hydrated.

Surface dehydration is very common due to lifestyle factors such as drinking too little water, drinking too much alcohol, extreme weather conditions, or over exfoliation.

What’s the best way to treat dry or dehydrated skin?

Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day. Stop drinking alcohol. Topical skincare products work to seal moisture in your skin so hydration from within is important.

A hydrating serum should be your first step after cleansing. Apply moisturizer on top of the serum to lock in hydration.

Always wear SPF. Skincare products with SPF form an invisible film on your skin to protect you from the sun, this does double duty to protect you other harsh elements as well.

If your skin is oily yet dehydrated, you will benefit from a lightweight hydrating serum and moisturizer. Keeping your skin properly hydrated will help balance excess oil production.

Hydrated skin is healthy skin!

After 6+ months of wearing a protective face mask and dealing with breakouts, your skin feels dry and dehydrated. What’s going on?

I’ve heard this complaint from numerous clients over the past week so I’ll share my thoughts.

The skin loses moisture as we transition to fall/winter so part of the change is normal seasonal fluctuations.

Here in the Bay Area, we are experiencing extremely windy weather conditions which saps moisture from the surface of the skin.

Face masks made from cotton will absorb moisture, including from the surface of your skin.

What can I do for my seasonal dry skin?

1. Switch to a silk face mask.
2. (If you can safely) remove your mask for 15 minutes every 4 hours to give your skin a break.
3. Check your water intake. When wearing a protective face mask, we are less inclined to sip water throughout the day. 
4. Wear your physical SPF! This can help prevent excessive moisture loss and protect the skin from wind and cold.
5. Add a serum under your moisturizer.
6. Make sure your diet includes enough healthy fats like nuts and avocados.
7. Use a gentle exfoliant once a week to remove dead, dry skin and allow moisture to absorb.

Do you have questions about your skincare routine? Have a Virtual Skin Care Consult with Hannah.

Your exfoliation routine depends on your skin type, your environment, and the product you are using.

Oily and acne prone skin requires more frequent and aggressive exfoliation but it’s not a step to be skipped if your skin is dry.

The skin cell cycle slows as we age and regular exfoliation is the best way to assistant sluggish cells. Exfoliation allows new skin skin cells to flourish and can encourage collagen production.

Oily and acne prone skin can benefit from daily exfoliation to keep pore buildup to a minimum. Dry skin needs a gentle exfolation 1-2 times a week, depending on external factors like the weather.

What Exfoliating Product Should I Use?

There are three main categories of exfoliating products: physical, chemical, and enzyme.

Physical exfoliants use rough particles and friction to remove dead skin. These products are wonderful to exfoliate skin on the body. They often come in the form of salt, sugar, or pumice scrubs.

Physical exfoliants are not appropriate for most skin types to use on the face. The rough pieces can cause micro tears in the skin and the amount of friction necessary to remove dead skin leaves many skin types unnecessarily red and irritated.

Chemical and enzyme exfoliating products are better suited for the face.

Enzyme exfoliants are appropriate for most skin types. Enzymes are made from fruits acids and work on the surface of the skin. They gently digest dead skin cells and promote glowing skin. Enzyme products require several minutes to do their magic and can be assisted by steam from the shower.

You can safely use an enzyme exfoliant several times a week. It will assist with clogged pores, dry skin, blackheads, and rough patches.

You can use an enzyme exfoliant weekly and a chemical exfoliant nightly, especially if your skin is oily and you are prone to clogged pore.

Chemical exfoliants work below the skins surface to promote new skin cell turnover and collagen production. These products include ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinol, and lactic acid.

Chemical exfoliation is very popular and effective. Start slow and build your tolerance to this type of product, it is possible to compromise your skin barrier with too much chemical exfoliation.

Add one chemical exfoliating product to your night time routine. You may need to begin with every other night to build tolerance. Commit to using the product for 90 days to asses the results. Make sure you are getting enough hydration and sun protection during the day.

Do you have questions about how often you should be exfoliating? Have a Virtual Skin Care Consult with Hannah.

I paused before applying SPF this morning, about to take my dog for her morning walk. When was the last time I washed my face?

Only three days into a weeks long “shelter in place” mandate for San Francisco county and my skin care routine is already suffering.

How should you care for your skin during this uncertain time?

Continue your normal daily routine whether you are working from home or providing an essential service out in the world. Your skin produces sebum, sheds dead cells, and collects dirt either way.

Are you spending more time in front of a computer, tablet, or phone screen? For most of us working from home, screen time has increased so adjust your topical antioxidants accordingly.

When you return home after being outside for any reason, wash your hands then wash your face. A clean face can help keep germs away from your nose and mouth.

Wash your hands before you apply any product to your face, even if you have been at home all day. If your facial skin becomes dry from extra cleansing, switch to a cream cleanser.

Extra washing will dehydrate the skin on your hands so add a rich hand cream to your routine both morning and night. Apply a protective ointment like Aquaphor to your cuticles.

Make sure your water intake is adequate. Changes to our normal routine make it easy to forget to stay hydrated.

Running low on skin care products? The online store is open for business.

Need a new skincare routine? Have an Online Skin Care Consult with Hannah.

ONE: Clean your face morning and night. Find a cleansing routine that works for your skin type and do it twice a day. Don’t sleep with a dirty face!

TWO: Wear SPF every day. This is no joke. Use a physical SPF year round, no matter the climate. All the fancy night creams won’t save your skin if you don’t use daily SPF.

THREE: Use an antioxidant during the day. Antioxidants reduce inflammation, boost the effectiveness of your SPF, and fight free radical damage. Use an antioxidant serum or lotion under your SPF every day.

FOUR: Use retinol at night. Retinol comes in many strengths and formulas, find one that works for you. It will keep acne and wrinkles at bay.

FIVE: Drink water. Drink half your body weight in ounces every day, more if you have caffeine or alcohol. No skin care product or makeup can help if your system is dehydrated.

The term “anti-aging” conjures thoughts of expensive creams and invasive procedures. The sum of your daily routine also has a profound affect on how you age. Commit to a consistent, daily routine for your best skin now and in the future.

Dolly Parton famously admits to sleeping with a full face of makeup just in case of a midnight emergency but it’s generally considered a bad idea.

Most dermatologists agree, sleeping in your makeup is one of the worst things you can do for your skin.

Why is it so bad to sleep with makeup on?

Foundation and concealer are occlusive so they can block pores and lead to acne. These products are designed to be worn for a limited amount of time then removed to give the skin a chance to recover.

Bacteria, dirt, and pollution can get trapped under makeup and do serious damage to skin, including cause a possible infection.

Sleeping in makeup (or with dirty skin in general) can also accelerate the aging process. Clean skin has the opportunity to renew itself while you sleep, dirt and bacteria get in the way of this process.

Take the time to wash your face before bed. It’s a simple way to get healthier skin, fewer breakouts, and more youthful skin in the long run.

There’s always a reason to celebrate with a festive cocktail or a glass of wine but how does drinking alcohol affect your skin?

First, drinking alcohol is a diuretic so it dehydrates your entire system. Your body pulls moisture from every available source, including your skin. The morning after drinking your pores look larger and your wrinkles are more prominent due to lack of moisture.

In addition to dehydration, drinking alcohol causes inflammation and a histamine reaction in the body. The most obvious sign of this reaction is feeling puffy the morning after drinking. A histamine reaction can also lead to an acne flareup, redness, or rash on various parts of the body depending on a persons sensitivity.

Drinking alcohol more than once or twice a week, doesn’t allow the body time to recover between assaults so the inflammation can lead to weakened skin structure and premature aging.

Can I have an alcoholic beverage and not affect my skin?

Think of alcoholic drinks in the same category as dessert; they are for indulging once in awhile, not on a daily basis.

When you decide to indulge, consider a low alcohol option and stay away from sugary mixers.

Drink an extra glass of water for each alcoholic drink. Not only will the extra water soften the blow to your system, alternating beverages slows your alcohol consumption when you are out with friends.

No matter how many alcoholic drinks you consume, do not skip your nighttime skincare routine! Do what you can to fake a full night of sleep the next day.

And why is the skin barrier important?

The skin barrier is the outermost layer of our skin and has two main functions.

First, it keeps out harmful substances and second, it keeps in necessary elements like water and electrolytes. This layer of skin also produces antimicrobial proteins, lipids, and peptides to create an invisible protective shield.

The skin barrier is largely responsible for the general health of our skin. When the skin barrier is compromised, you may experience inflammation, redness, breakouts, rashes, dryness, tightness, and generally sensitive skin.

How do you fix a compromised skin barrier?

Look at the exfoliating products in your skin care routine. Any product that contains a physical scrub, a chemical exfoliant (retinol, glycolic, AHA, BHA, salicylic acid) or an enzyme exfoliant can compromise your skin barrier.

How often are you exfoliating? Over exfoliation is the number one cause of a compromised skin barrier

Is your cleanser a cream or a gel? Gel cleansers can be more drying, especially if they contain exfoliating ingredients like glycolic acid or AHA’s. If your skin barrier is compromised, use a cream cleanser.

Are you nourishing your skin with antioxidants? Use a serum or cream with calming, nourishing ingredients twice a day to help your skin rebuild the lipid barrier.

A compromised skin barrier is often a temporary condition but you need to identify the cause and change your habits. The right skin care products and treatments will heal the skin barrier and eliminate sensitivity.

Your most sensitive skin, the lips and eyes, are often missed during the sunscreen application process.

When using a physical sunscreen (like you know you should!) the product can feel heavy on delicate areas of the face. If you are still using a chemical sunscreen, it can sting when too close to the eye area.

Sunscreen products made specifically to protect and treat the eyes and lips are worth the extra effort.

Look for high percentages of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, it can be one active ingredient or a combination of the two. Physical sunscreen ingredients don’t have the “sunscreen” odor and won’t sting if you get them in your eyes on accident.

For lips I love Suntegrity Lip CPR when I want some color and Tizo lip balm for every day use.

Colorscience Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy is a great eye product with physical SPF and a little color. Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense is also good. Both are designed to treat the delicate skin around the eye while protecting it from the sun.

Products that contain SPF generally aren’t as moisturizing as those without. If you find the SPF eye cream isn’t giving you enough moisture, consider layering an eye serum underneath.

Take advantage of your evening routine as a time to get some extra moisture and use an eye cream without SPF.

There are many tools on the market for face washing; brushes, cloths, even rubber devices that claim to be superior. Are any of these gadgets necessary to get clean skin?

The answer depends on your skin type and what you are trying to cleanse at the end of the day; makeup, excess oil, debris, layers of sunscreen.

If you have normal or combination skin and don’t wear a lot of makeup, your cleanser and your hands will get your skin clean on a daily basis. Add an enzyme mask once or twice a week for happy pores!

If you need an extra boost in your daily cleansing routine, consider your habits. Are you willing to keep a gadget charged (or replace the batteries on a regular basis)? Can you commit to changing brush heads when they wear out? All gadgets require maintenance to work properly so investigate before you invest!

The most basic way to get an extra hand cleansing your face is a simple washcloth. Have a few on hand so you can launder them regularly to keep bacteria from growing.

Be gentle when using any tool. Use soft brush heads and light pressure. Applying too much pressure can lead to broken capillaries and other long term damage.

Most importantly, wash your face twice a day!

Does your oily skin feel dry in winter? You are not alone. The seasons affect moisture levels in all skin types.

Seasonal changes are more noticeable in cold climates but warm, humid, climates also have fluctuations in moisture levels.

Trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) is the official name for loss of water through the skin to the surrounding atmosphere via the evaporation process. TEWL is a process which can take us by surprise, substantial dehydration sometimes occurs before a person realizes what is happening.

TEWL is affected by environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, the time of year and the moisture content of the skin. Your first line of defense is to stay properly hydrated internally.

Our skin is most dehydrated from December through March. Seasonal changes during April, May and June help the skin re-hydrate. The cycle of moisture loss begins again in July and continues until our skin is at its most dehydrated in December.

Knowing how the season will affect moisture levels in our skin allows us to plan our skin care accordingly. When the dry months begin, add a hydrating serum under your treatment cream at night.

When you don’t get a full 8 hours your skin suffers. During a busy holiday season, lack of sleep will start to show in your skin.

1. Plan in advance. Look at your schedule for the week to see when you have the dreaded combination of late night + early morning commitments. Stay extra hydrated and cut back on salty food the day your sleep will be short. Also, consider skipping the alcohol at your evening event!

2. Wash your face when you get home, no matter how late. Traces of eye makeup will add to puffiness and irritation the following morning.

3. When you wake up, fill a large bowl with cold water, add some ice cubes and submerge your face for a few seconds. This jolt you into reality, get the blood flowing to your face and color in your cheeks.

4. Have 16oz of water before your first cup of coffee. It’s amazing how much better you feel when well hydrated!

5. Chill your jade roller in your bowl of ice water for a few minutes and give yourself a quick facial massage focusing on any puffy areas.