Dehydration & Self Exfoliation

Feb 07, 2023Jade Edge

The one thing you really need within your skin to tackle dehydration is a balance of oil & water. Getting this balance right allows our skin to function optimally and give us the healthy complexion we long for.

Let’s take a deep dive on the specifics and how we can obtain healthy, hydrated skin by following a few simple steps.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration is a skin condition, not a skin type.

There are multiple different ways in which dehydration can present within your skin:

Your skin doesn’t always have to feel dry. Even when the skin is sufficiently hydrated, if it lacks sufficient oil or has a compromised barrier, it is common to see all of the goodness you are feeding your skin be lost through a process called trans epidermal water loss (where water evaporates from within the skin).
Whilst it is true of skins that naturally produce higher amounts of oil are less likely to experience dehydration, the misuse of cosmetic treatments/ingredients and some medications can interrupt the skins 'normal' production of oil. An overproduction of oil is likely a compensation for the lack of water within the skin. Your body recognises a water deficiency and therefore signals to oil glands to produce more oil. It can be difficult to identify dehydration within skin that feels ‘oily’ however usually you’ll see symptoms such as: shine, a tight feeling to the skin, inflammation and/or experience conditions such as dermatitis.
Dehydration lines can also look like fine lines, kind of like you’d see in tissue paper. This is a visual sign indicating to you that your skin has an improper balance of oil and/or water.

Balanced skin should be free of any tight feeling after cleansing and have a sense of comfort throughout the day. Cell turnover should be within optimal range and there are no symptoms of irritation or inflammation. Skin should ultimately look and feel ‘plump’ and quenched!

Some common causes of Dehydration are:

Environmental factors (UV, air pollution, weather changes etc)
Poor diet (excessive alcohol, refined foods)
Stress & fatigue
Hormonal changes
Some medical conditions
Overuse of certain skincare ingredients/products (harsh stripping ingredients, acids, peels etc)

The good news? Dehydration is reversible.

Here are our top tips to restore your skin’s water levels and wave goodbye to Dehydration:

Stop over-exfoliating. Our skin has the natural ability to self exfoliate (desquamation). Think of a skin cell like a little bubble at the bottom of the lava lamp. It starts off small, but as it works its way to the top it’s shape morphs and changes until it reaches the surface and disperses, making way for other lava bubbles to resurface and the process repeats & repeats. Skin cells regenerate roughly every 25-28 days, with a variation of this process to get longer as we get older. An unfortunate piece of misinformation we are fed by ‘skinfluencers’ is to try and mimic this process and encourage our skin to speed up its own process by using stripping ingredients (acids, peels, tonics etc) that are harsh on our skin. Not only is this not necessary, but it can also be harmful to our skin barrier health. At Bare Roots, we encourage healthy exfoliation, if necessary to your skin type/condition, by using organic, skin-barrier focused products:
Bamboo Enzyme Peel - a 3-in-1 exfoliant (physical exfoliant, enzyme peel & clay mask) designed to gently work away rough textured surface skin cells whilst rejuvenating sluggish complexions. Naturally brightening, Bamboo Enzyme Peel will help stabilise oil production and heal the skin.
Plant Peel - the newest certified organic product in our professional range offers a unique experience as not only does it give a deeper exfoliation to purify the skin, but it will also simultaneously enhance hydration and restore moisture within the skin barrier.
Increase your internal hydration intake. Whilst water has to be processed throughout out body before it makes it to our skin, it doesn’t hurt to ensure that we are adequately nourishing our body with supple skin foods. A helpful tip is to remember if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Drinking 2-3 litres of water is a great start, even when you aren’t yet thirsty. Along with incorporating water-rich foods such as; cucumber, leafy greens, avocado, watermelon and broccoli.
Swap to skincare that cares about your natural moisturising factors. A change in the skins natural moisturising factors can interrupt its desquamation process. Without adequate self exfoliation, skin can feel flaky, dry & dehydrated. To replenish our natural moisturising factors, we need ingredients that mimic the skins natural fats. At Bare Roots, we do this by incorporating Biocompatible Lipids & Ceramides throughout our range.
Gentle Foaming Cleanser - with biocompatible lipids to support skin barrier health & barrier mimicking fats, our Gentle Foaming Cleanser cleans deeply without stripping the hydration away from the skin.
Gentle Cleansing Milk - full of skin loving ceramides, gently restores skin back to balance.
Herbal Mist - helps to prevent transepidermal water loss by drawing water back in to the skin, creating a more hydrated and smooth surface of the skin.
Curative Serum - biocompatible lipids help carry the additional water based actives down in to the skin layers.
Vital Cream - contains the highest % of ceramides out of all products in our range.
Humectants are your friend. They help draw water back in to the skin to create and retain moisture within the skin barrier, keeping it soft & supple. Without supporting our skin barrier to receive adequate hydration, our skin lacks the smooth, firm & bouncy feeling we often seek. They also allow our skin the desired levels of hydration to fend off external stressors (bacteria & environmental damage).
Herbal Mist - Containing Polyglutamic Acid (PGA), Herbal Mist is a superior hydrating delivery system for further actives and holds 10 times more hydration than Hyaluronic Acid. Sodium PCA & Saccharide Isomerate work to draw in water to the skin and prevent water loss.
Build a healthy bedtime routine. Sleep helps our cells do their self-exfoliation dance up to the surface of our skin. Try to catch at least 7-9 hours per night.

To make it easy for you, here is our prescription recommendation as a starting base if you are experiencing dehydration. Remember, it’s important to always seek professional advice before turning to what’s trending!

Products (AM & PM):

Step 1: Gentle Cleansing Milk. Suitable for a double cleanse. For extra nourishment, leave on as an overnight vitamin mask.
Step 2: Herbal Mist. Distribute 2-3 sprays over face either directly or by placing product in hands first.
Step 3: Curative Serum. Apply 1 pump to fingers and distribute over face & neck.
Step 4: Vital Cream OR Flora Cream. Apply a small sized amount over face & neck.