Remember all skin types can also be dehydrated.

The terms “dry skin” and “dehydrated skin” can sometimes be confusing, and yet it is not the same problem!

Dehydrated skin is a transient condition, when dry skin is a type of skin

Dehydrated skin is caused by an alteration of the skin barrier. The hydrolipidic film is damaged, and the skin is more reactive to external aggressions.

 The Result: lack of flexibility, tightness in certain conditions (temperature and humidity of the place), and appearance of small fine lines or expression lines. In the case of dehydrated skin, these symptoms are not constant; they are temporary and appear periodically. For example, it is not uncommon to have dehydrated skin when winter arrives, because skin loses its natural hydration with the cold.

To know if you have dry skin, there are some typical clinical signs: You experience tightness, irritation, and even itching throughout the day.

It’s a persistent discomfort that has accompanied you since childhood; it’s your skin nature, not a passing state. In people with dry skin, it is not uncommon to see fine cracks on the skin, and sometimes even cracks.

 Although dry and dehydrated skins are two different things, certain “risk factors” are common: extreme temperatures, skin aging, genetic inheritance, taking drugs or contact with aggressive products. If the skin can be soothed with appropriate care, identifying the cause of dryness or dehydration is essential.

Dry or dehydrated skin: the difference between hydration and nutrition

To better understand the difference between dry and dehydrated skin, we must first understand the difference between hydration and nutrition of the skin. Our skin is naturally made up of an aqueous part, which is a mixture of water and sweat. This aqueous part is supplemented by a lipophilic part, that is to say lipids, essentially sebum. On normal skin, these two phases are perfectly balanced, which allows the skin to be supple and comfortable, with an adequate dose of water and lipids.

Water is the crucial element of our skin tissue; it travels from the dermis to the surface of the skin, hydrating all the intermediate layers in its path. This phenomenon is called Insensible Water Loss. When skin is dehydrated, the hydro lipid film, which protects the skin and regulates its loss of water, suffers from deterioration. It no longer stops the loss of water, creating a lack of hydration.

 

In dry skin, there is a natural lack of lipids in the skin. You can have dry skin without having dehydrated skin. In this case, the skin does not need moisturizing care, but a nourishing care, which will nourish the skin with lipids to restore comfort.

In order to have less skin, that is not so dry it is essential to nourish your skin, by providing it with lipids. This lipid intake will create a barrier, which will protect your skin from external aggressions. Thus, the skin cells remain well bonded to each other, maintaining the balance of the skin.

 

To soothe your dry skin, opt for a nourishing cream rich in lipids, or an oily serum adapted to your skin.

At Morganna’s Alchemy, we work a lot with Cold press Mango butter, an excellent hydrator with the many skin healing properties