Clients come into the treatment room all the time saying their skin is dry and dehydrated and tell me they drink tons of water but they are still dry! Here is what I tell them: Water isn't the end all be all. The BEST sure- fire way to have hydrated skin from within is to:
Eat water rich foods.
This will help the water "stick" or absorb better into our bodies instead of just expelling it out every few hours through our urine. Our cells grab more hydration when we get our water through our foods. Foods such as pomegranate, tomatoes, radishes, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, peaches, bell pepper, celery, etc. Continue to drink water throughout the day but also eat it too. Oh and don't chug it all in one sitting, enjoy it throughout the day, ok?
My coffee drinkers:
When we wake up in the morning our bodies are parched for water because as we sleep we become dehydrated so when we wake up it is an amazing habit to drink a full glass of water before your cup of Joe because your coffee will further dehydrate you.
Eat/Drink a low inflammatory diet.
Including avoiding drinks that contain added sugar ie; energy drinks, soda, sweet teas, sweetened coffee drinks. Foods high in iodine such as shellfish and processed dairy products can cause dehydration and inflammation. Read ingredient labels to lookout for added iodized salts, cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame k which have been linked to other health concerns hazardous to our health and our skin. BYE!
Get yourself a reusable water bottle with an easy lid to drink from!
It will make having water near you much more convenient and you'll be more likely to drink it. If you don't love your water plain, it is always fun to add different fruits and herbs. I personally like to add a squeeze of lemon, mint, and cucumber to my water when I want a little change of flavor!
If you want to get real technical- NOT ALL WATER IS CREATED EQUAL.
Tap water goes through so many treatments which destroy its natural structure then filling it with chlorine, while heavy metals, and other pollutants before it reaches our homes and other buildings. This can be referenced on ewg.org to see what your cities' tap contains or you can get your water tested by a third party source for a more in depth analysis. Plastic Bottled Water contains BPA which is an endocrine hormone disruptor and sometimes water bottle companies will add in salt to their water which again in excess is a negative for acne prone skin as it exacerbates dehydration. Both tap and bottled water is purified so it is stripped of all the natural minerals found in water that nourish our bodies.
STRUCTURED water contains minerals and can be received in our bodies on a cellular level due to its proper shape. I would recommend for people who do not have access to structured water to buy reverse osmosis water to still ensure purity and then add in your own minerals for nourishment.
Thank you for reading!
This article of the Skinsider Scoop was graciously written by Licensed Esthetician, Kori Hayne, and edited by the Clean Skin Club team. If you're interested in more from Kori, please shoot us an email, and follow her Instagram - @glowingwithkori