Beauty• Skincare

Dehydrated Skin: What Products You Should Be Using

October 8, 2018

I try to stick to a routine for my skincare but along comes the latest product and here I am again trying it out. However with dehydrated skin I do know what products to look out for, what types of products work for my skin type and what products I should steer clear of.

A few years ago I wrote about products for dehydrated skin and this is more than overdue an update. I still use similar products to those in that post especially the sheet masks, in fact I still use Starskin sheet masks, but I do feel I understand my skin better now and I am very particular in what I look out for in a skincare product. After having tested out a plethora of products over the last couple of years I wanted to share my tips for dehydrated skin to help you get the most out of your products and achieve your best skin.

1. Avoid A Foam Cleanser

Even if it says hydrating on it, stay away from the foam cleansers. Personally I have never found a foam cleanser that isn’t stripping the moisture from the skin, so I tend to stay clear of these. They work much better for those that have normal or oily skin. Instead look for a cream or gel cleanser. I get on well with both, but recently have been reaching more for a cream cleanser. My favourites currently are Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser which smells of oranges and is a joy to use day and night and also Garnier Honey Cleansing Milk. For gel I’d recommend Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell or Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser which is very gentle.

2. Look Out For Hyaluronic Acid

Does your product include hyaluronic acid? If not, I highly recommend picking up one that does. Some products however can have very small quantities of hyaluronic acid and it’s not always easy to know how much is it in as it doesn’t always say. So try a product thats a pure hyaluronic acid such as Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum or if going for say a hydration booster look to see how far it comes down in the ingredients list. The higher it is up in the list the more likely the higher the percentage that’s in the product. My current favourite is Image Skincare Hyaluronic Filler as it has 18% hyaluronic acid, one of the highest quantities I have seen in a skincare product and also has apricot essential oil in it. My face always feels so hydrated using this. I also really like using Emma Hardie Midas Touch Serum.

3. Don’t Let Skin Get Dull

When skin is dehydrated it can get dull and tired looking, so don’t be afraid to give your skin a pick me up. Exfoliate regularly, although be also sure not to over do it. Use a gentle exfoliation to help get rid of dead skin cells which can build up and make the skin look dull as well as blocking your hydrating products getting through. Some days I prefer a physical scrub such as Sisley Buffing Cream or 001 Pure Active Peel on my face and other days more of an AHA peel.

I’ve recently been using Murad’s Resurfacing Peel, this is one wipe that couldn’t be simpler and leaves the skin looking brighter and soft to touch. I have also been using their new hydrating glow mask, it’s an exfoliation and hydrating mask in one. Start off with the exfoliation on a giant cotton swab, then cover with the hydrating mask. As well as exfoliation I also enjoy using an essence or lotion such as Erborian Yuzu Double Lotion which I use after cleansing and makes my skin feel hydrated and brighter, perfect for applying my serums and next step moisturisers.

4. Face Masks Are Your Friend

I love using a face mask, whether it’s on a plane to protect my dehydrated skin from the cabin air or just sitting back with one on whilst watching TV. It’s an instant pick me up and my skin always looks better, feels better and I find my make-up goes on nicer too. I do have a slight addiction to sheet masks, I’m the person that takes about fifty to the till in Sephora. Although I have now discovered Selfridges sell some of my favourites so I won’t have to look too crazy anymore on holiday. My favourites include Starskin, Dr Jart and also Sephora own brand, as well as their lip masks.

5. Remember The Eyes

When I recently went for a facial at ESPA at Corinthia it was highlighted to me under the lamp that my eyes were dehydrated and I’m not going to lie I often do forget my eye cream in the evenings. So since the facial I have been using the ESPA eye serum, eye moisturiser and also their amazing soothing eye lotion. I never thought of using an eye serum before but I like the light texture of it. With the Soothing Eye Lotion I soak a couple of cotton pads in it and lay over my eyelids, it really is relaxing and also cooling and hydrating for the eyes.

I also really like Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream which I’ve used now for quite a while, it is formulated with hyaluronic acid and is blended with aloe vera so it is hydrating and keeps the skin around the eyes soft. Sisley’s latest eye cream is a contour eye and lip cream, which is great for both areas and it also comes with an eye massage roller. The skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your face, so make sure to look after it.

6. Winter Is Coming

Winter is when your skin will take the worst hit for dehydration and dry patches. Get prepared and make sure you have a good moisturiser for during the day or don’t be afraid to layer your skincare. During summer I loved using La Mer Soft Cream but now for winter I feel I would opt for the original thicker La Mer cream. The only thing is I prefer the texture of the soft cream, so one thing you can do to your regular moisturiser if it’s feeling a bit thin is add a few drops of facial oil. You can also do this to your night moisturiser or treatment too. Not to mention La Mer comes with a pretty hefty price tag, so a great alternative I’ve found is Aveda Hydrating Rich Cream which has quite a few similar ingredients. When layering my products I like to use Ren Rose Facial Oil Serum and then follow with a moisturiser or mask like Sisley Black Rose face mask, it cocoons the skin like butter.