Dehydrated skin

[Beccastormgirl]

Hello I have very dehydrated skin I’ve tried all most everything and nothing is helping do you have any suggestions ?

[macsteph]

I had a very similar situation and actually didn't even know my skin type until i described it as "oily" to an aesthetician while getting a facial. She explained that i actually have "Dehydrated Skin," and that the oiliness i was experiencing was actually my skin trying to overcompensate for dryness by producing more oil. I was using oil-blotting wipes at least 3 times a day at the time & after washing & exfoliating every night my skin felt so dry it could crack open if i moved my face at all. 

She recommended ditching and avoiding any products with oil in them, and opting for oil-free products, and switching from oil serums to more of a cream consistency. Also using chemical exfoliants and avoiding scrubs altogether. This has been the biggest game changer and finally balanced out my skin.

My go-to's are The Ordinary's Hylauronic Acid serum to start, followed by Ole Henriksen Glow-Cycle serum (day), and Clinique's Moisture Surge 72-Hour Hydrator. I like to add a few drops of vitamin C serum into the hydrator as well for added benefits, but still searching for the perfect one (have tried and would recommend Mario Badescu's, but just ordered Volition Beauty's Strawberry-C). This routine has gotten my skin to a point of balance where it feels completely hydrated and healthy throughout the day, and never gets oily -- i have thrown the blotting pads away!

At night i still start with The Ordinary's Hylauronic acid, and the nighttime version of Ole Henriksen's Glow-Cycle cream. Once per week, i layer this up with Kheil's overnight hydrating mask.

[simabe]

Glam glow all products work.😊

[itsfi]

@Beccastormgirl, dehydrated skin needs water - ingredients like hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate (a derivative of hyaluronic acid), glycerin are good for hydrating the skin. Additionally something to consider in choosing products will be your skin type. Dehydration is a condition and can be found in folks with all skin types, be it dry, oily, combination and there are products that will work well for your skin type too - i.e., dry skin needs more moisturizing products, oily skin will likely do better with less heavy products; combo skin needs products to help balance it out, etc.. As others have mentioned, exfoliating regularly will also help to slough away dead skin and allow the hydrating products to absorb and penetrate more effectively into the skin. Products I've found helpful to address the dehydration are:

FIRST AID BEAUTY - Facial Radiance Pads for exfoliation; followed by a hydrating toner or essence, like INNISFREE - Fermented Soybean Firming Energy Essence or belif Hungarian Water Essence 2.53 oz/ 75 mL  or INNISFREE - Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Toner or fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner 8.4 oz/ 250 mL.

Applying a hydrating serum like Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mL or The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Hydrating Face Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL immediately before your moisturizer has been good for retaining moisture and hydration. Choosing a moisturizer will depend on your skin type. I'm dehydrated-dry in the winter time and moisturizers that I've found to work wonders for my skin are BELIF - The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb, FRESH - Rose Deep Hydration Moisturizer, DR. JART+ - Ceramidin™ Cream or Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL. My skin is dehydrated-combo (oily T-zone and dry elsewhere) for the other months and I find my skin does well then with a lighter moisturizer like DR. JART+ - Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer. If your skin is oily and you need hydration, BELIF - The True Cream Aqua Bomb is a nice light gel moisturizer (different consistency from the moisturizing bomb from the same line, which is more geared for dry skin). 

[shwelch]

I have an auto immune disease that makes me have severely dry skin because all of the moisture producing glands in my body have stopped working. I have tried so many products over the years to try to get some moisture back but the ONLY thing that has ever worked is exfoliating(I’m not picky about brands for this) and Drunk Elephant LaLa Retro Whipped moisturizer. I have been out of it for about a week and have been using some that came in boxycharm and my face is so THIRSTY and dull now!!

[WinglessOne]

@Beccastormgirl  What’s your current skincare routine and what products do you use? You might need to switch to a more hydrating cleanser. Or you might need to incorporate a hydrating/moisturizing toner/essence/mist between your wash and serum steps. Or, you might need to add a humectant serum that can draw moisture from your environment to your skin. And of course, maybe your current moisturizer’s just not enough for your skin. 

I can recommend products but want to make sure I don’t suggest something you’ve already tried. Plus, knowing your current routine might give us a better idea of any hydration gaps you’ve got. 

[Beccastormgirl]

Right now I’m using fab face cleanser in the morning and At night after I use fab radiance facial pads then evening and morning then I use water essence by belief and then fab water cream in the morning and fresh hydration cream then put my tarte oil on top and it’s not working

[WinglessOne]

@Beccastormgirl  Does your face feel or look uncomfortably dry (feels too tight and/or has some flaky/scaly dry patches) after you use the FAB cleanser, before you do anything else to your skin? Assuming the one you use is First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 5 oz/ 150 mL, that one was a bit too drying for me. I use Paula’s Choice Hydralight Cleanser. It’s low lather and very moisturizing for my mostly-dry combo skin. I’m sure other folks can recommend a few more good non-drying cleansers. 🙂 

I’ve heard good and bad things about belif Hungarian Water Essence 2.53 oz/ 75 mL: one friend with mostly-dry skin loves it, but two others with similar skin say it’s not hydrating enough. If your skin’s not very sensitive to fragrance: the essence/toner I use is e.l.f. Hydrating Water Essence. It’s full of moisturizing ingredients and helps keep my skin feeling hydrated all day. Bonus points for being very inexpensive. Fragrance is the last item on its ingredients list, and it contains no alcohol. 

Have you ever tried First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Hydrating Serum? I can’t personally vouch for it (haven’t tried it) but if you can get a sample from your local Sephora, it might work well for you. There are several other hydrating serums out there... Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mL is a popular one. My daytime hydrating serum is also my vitamin C serum: Farmacy Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum with Acerola Cherry 1.0 oz/ 30 mL, which is loaded with hyaluronic acid, my skin’s favorite humectant. 

If the FRESH - Rose Deep Hydration Moisturizer + facial oil isn’t moisturizing enough: a really good cream moisturizer is Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL. It’s not my usual moisturizer (I use Youth To The People Superfood Air-Whip Lightweight Face Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid 2 oz / 59 mL which might not be enough for you), but it’s the only Drunk Elephant product my skin has liked so far (your mileage may vary) and it works very well without making my whole face feel like an oil slick. There’s another YTTP moisturizer I don’t like much but you might: Youth To The People Adaptogen Deep Moisturizing Cream with Ashwagandha + Reishi 2 oz/ 60 mL. On me, it’s too greasy—but again, your mileage may vary. 

My favorite moisturizing daytime facial oil is Herbivore Emerald CBD + Adaptogens Deep Moisture Glow Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL. I layer it beneath my YTTP Superfood moisturizer. It does have a mild CBD smell but it’s stinky for about 10 seconds during application, and then it’s fine. Another favorite daytime oil is Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil with Squalane and Antioxidants 1 oz / 30 ml. Many people love The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL as a daytime moisturizing oil. 

Normally I’d caution against using an AHA exfoliant each night. But since you use FIRST AID BEAUTY - Facial Radiance Pads which are very gentle (they were my entry-level AHA 🙂 and sometimes I still use them when I want to exfoliate my skin while it’s in temper tantrum mode), I doubt they’re contributing to your dryness issues. Still, you could experiment with reducing your frequency of use there and see if that makes any difference. 

I hope some of this was helpful! 

[ather]

@Beccastormgirl  Have you tried Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL I have severely dehydrated skin from a super dry cold winter and it’s helped my skin out so much!!

[AshGarcia]

@ather You almost have me convinced to break out my sample of Lala and start rotating it in slowly. But I also have a sample of Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Deep Hydration Moisturizer 1.69 oz / 50 mLand can’t decide which to try first! Have you tried the Biossance?

[ather]

@AshGarcia  I haven’t tried that specific cream. But I have the vitamin c the lip balm and the face mask in that brand and I enjoy them. I started using Lala 2 years ago and I haven’t switched it up because I know it works. Here’s a snap shot of the weather where I live right now so you get an idea what my skin deals with 😝Sooo cold

[AshGarcia]

I’m convinced! Wow, that is harsh. I got the 750pt biossance reward so it also came with the mask. I just use so many DE products right now b/c realized I’m very sensitive to silicone and they are one of the brands that doesn’t use it.

[averylayne]

@Beccastormgirl  SUMMER FRIDAYS - Jet Lag Mask is my holy grail.  It's a mask but I use it as a PM moisturizer. 

[GG84]

Have you tried the new Drunk Elephant F-Balm™ Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask 1.69 oz/ 50 mL? @Beccastormgirl