Skin Hydration vs Skin Moisturization – Which One Do You Need?

By Helen Huynh B Pharm. MPS

Often, a good moisturizer will have both hydrating and moisturizing ingredients to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized over an extended period.

Whilst both hydrators and moisturizers fight skin dehydration, increase skin elasticity and skin firmness, their mechanism of action is quite different. To make things even more confusing, these two terms are often used interchangeably.

When it comes to addressing specific skin concerns such as dry skin, it pays to know which ingredients you should focus on more – hydrators or moisturizers.

Definitions of Hydrators vs Moisturizers

Hydration refers to the water content within cells, causing it to swell and become bouncy. When water flows out of the cell, it shrinks and becomes dehydrated. When you are using a skin hydrator, you are infusing the skin cells with water, making them more supple and volumized.

Examples of hydrators include humectants such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and glycols.

Dehydrated skin responds best to hydrators to add water back into the skin. Look for a hydrating serum or cream containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or aloe. Moisturizers seal in moisture and help to keep the skin soft and smooth. The function of moisturizers is to prevent water loss from the skin, also referred to as trans-epidermal water loss.

Dry skin responds best to moisturizers or products which contain lots of moisturizing ingredients. Moisturizers are usually oil-based ingredients. Examples of moisturizers include shea butter, plant oils, mineral oil jojoba oil, and petrolatum.

Is Your Skin Dehydrated or Dry?

If your skin is naturally dry all year round and tends to be flaky, you’re likely to have dry skin. Individuals with dry skin naturally produce less lipids in their skin cells and therefore benefit from moisturizing ingredients.

Characteristics of dry skin include:

Dry, itchy and scaly, redness, Fine lines and cracks which can become deep and bleed, A feeling of skin tightness, especially after bathing or shower.

Dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water content inside the cells. They lack luster and usually do not bounce back to normal quickly with a pinch test. Dehydrated skin can also benefit from increasing water intake and reducing alcohol and caffeine intake.

Other characteristics of dehydrated skin include:

Dry, itching, and dullness in the skin Skin lacks elasticity Sunken eyes Dark urine color Increased appearance of fine line and wrinkles

References:

1. “Dry Skin: Diagnosis and Treatment”. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Available URL: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/dry-skin-treatment 2. G S Kelly. “Squalane and its potential clinical uses ” . Alternate Medical Review. 1999 Feb”4(1): 29-36 3. Penzer R, Ersser S. “Principles of Skincare ” . 1st United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing. 2010

Helen Huynh is the founder of Ellé Derm, and is a pharmacist and cosmetic formulator, and enjoys sharing skincare tips based on peer-reviewed medical journals. She's been in the pharmacy and beauty space for over 14 years where she shares evidence-based information with customers on a daily basis. She has a passion for skin science and is always testing new formulations. Visit https://elledermaustralia.com/