Hydrating vs Moisturizing
Although the two concepts seem similar, hydrating your skin and moisturizing your skin are two very different things. When you hydrate your skin, you are infusing yourself with moisture. When you moisturize, you lock in vitamins and minerals. It still may still seem pretty similar, let me explain.
Hydrating:
Hydrating skincare products often contain humectant ingredients. Humectant components attract water from the air and place them into your skin. Natural products with humectants are aloe vera, honey, and glycerin. It is the key to healthy glowing skin. Skin that is hydrated looks plump and more smooth. When you hydrate you replenish the skin with lost water. Like when you workout, you guzzle water to replace the water you have sweat out. Hydrating allows fine lines and wrinkles fill out giving you a smooth more youthful look.
If you want to try a tremendous hydrating serum I’ve featured one in my Ten Skincare Products Under $10.00 blog post. The brand is called The Ordinary, and the serum is only $6.80! This serum will make a world of difference to your nightly routine.
Moisturizing:
Moisturizing is strictly placed on top of the skin. When you moisturize your skin, it creates a layering barrier for hydration to stay in place. Our skin currently has a protective layer, but this layer is extremely thin. Too much sun exposure, heavy winds, and extreme exfoliating can easily strip this layer away. When you adequately moisturize, you are locking in all of the goodness you have just applied. Moisturizing ingredients are usually oils. Olive, jojoba, mineral oil, and shea butter all specialize in locking in your hydrating products. Good moisturizers could be found just about anywhere oils are sold. Organic coconut oil is a fantastic moisturizer for your face + body. (Actually, there’s nothing coconut oil cannot solve!) Any of the previously mentioned oils will work as well. A tiny bit goes a long way with moisturizing oils so that they will last a very long time.
Your face + body need both hydrating and moisturizing creams. First and foremost, water, water, water! If you are not consuming 6-8 glasses of water a day, you are already cheating yourself out of a healthy, moisturized life. True hydration begins within. I’m not a fan if 20-step nightly face routines. So whatever you do in the evening to prepare for the next day; make sure you are hydrating your beautiful face. Lock in the moisturizer with a small amount of oil before bed. When you wake up, your skin will have absorbed all of the proper vitamins + minerals leaving you with a soft, supple morning glow.
