Drink Up! Here’s How To Make Hydration A Good Habit Inside and Out
August 10, 2021
by Amanda Etkind
Whether we’re in the dog days of summer or the dead of winter, maximizing your hydration is essential for gorgeous, glowing, and healthy skin. But there’s more to hydration than just slapping on a face cream and calling it a day. Continuous hydration is where it’s at, meaning, ensuring you’re adequately staying hydrated throughout the day. Like with any habit, it can take some diligence and consistency—which spans from the products you use, to your water intake—to have it last for the long term. Using hydrating skincare products, drinking enough water, and even eating an H2O-rich diet all together are just a few ways in which you can make achieving that all-day glow more attainable. Since it’s not as easy as it seems, we’re here to help you stay hydrated from the inside out. Ready to up your hydration game? Scroll to learn more about our top tips for how to incorporate ample hydration into your daily routine to reap all the good-for-skin benefits.
Wear A Water-Rich Moisturizer
While your moisturizer isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to your skin, it’s certainly important. Regardless of your skin type, adding a moisture-packed cream or gel can do wonders for locking hydration into your skin. If it’s fall or winter, we suggest reaching for a heavy-hitting thick cream that’s packed with emollients and occlusives to really lock in that nourishment. Otherwise, stick to a lightweight formula that’s also packed with hydrating ingredients to keep your complexion moisturized without the grease. Look for hydrators like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides, which are known to up your skin’s moisture levels. Our best-selling Water Jelly Dew Cream ($55) is our personal pick year-round. It features a gel-cream texture that genuinely feels like a tall glass of water once it hits your skin, thanks to a mix of hyaluronic acid and a blend of 20% humectants that draw moisture to your skin and keep it in.
Apply Your Moisturizer To Damp Skin
Contrary to what you might think, never apply moisturizer to a fully dry complexion. Lathering your skin in a moisturizer while it’s still slightly damp actually allows your products to not only penetrate deeper, but also helps to seal that moisture into your skin, and keep hydration levels higher for longer. And of course this tip doesn’t just apply to your face. This rule also goes for when you slather lotion on from the neck down.
Have A Moisture-Packed Skincare Regimen
Incorporating a hydration-heavy skincare routine is another way to maintain your complexion’s dew point—especially if your skin leans on the drier side. A full-fledged moisturizing routine that’s packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, nourishing oils, and antioxidants can not only plump up your complexion instantly, but create more youthful-looking, bouncy skin as time goes on. We bundled up our entire Rescue Me collection ($249) to make it easy to stick to a hydration-packed routine, without you needing to put the routine together yourself. This six-piece kit stars soothing hydrators, from our refreshing micellar gel and retexturizing toner, to the nourishment-packed Glow Potion Oil Serum and Water Jelly Dew Cream. Our Bright Awake Eye Cream imparts a refreshed look in a single sweep, while our Rest + Reset Mask & Moisturizer gives skin a reboot overnight. Again, consistency is key, so be sure to do the routine morning and night to maintain your moisture levels. And don’t forget to add SPF during the day for sun protection.
Prioritize Your H2O Intake
Hydration isn’t just a surface-level thing. Drinking an appropriate amount of water each day actually promotes healthy skin tissue leaving it soft, supple and smooth. While it is important to do this all 365 days of the year, this is especially important in the summer, as excessive heat and humidity causes us to sweat, leading to dehydration. While the amount of water you should drink varies from person to person based on a plethora of factors, including activity level and diet, aim for 11-15 cups per day. To ensure your H2O is always within arms reach, invest in a cute water bottle that you enjoy carrying around with you. This way, you’ll always have H2O on deck wherever you are.
Invest In A Humidifier
Blasting the AC in the summer and having the heater on high in the winter can cause your skin to freak out. Since this is pretty much unavoidable in the winter, we suggest investing in a humidifier — especially if you live in a drier climate. Low moisture in the air causes skin to feel dry and flake off. A humidifier can help to add moisture back into the air, and help your skin retain hydration by simply turning it on.
Incorporate Water-Laden Fruits And Veggies Each Day
While we’re definitely not registered dieticians, eating fruits and veggies daily are important for overall health. Try adding those with a higher percentage of water like cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, melon, oranges, apples and lettuce. This all helps with dehydration, and of course, you’ll get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from these nutrient-rich foods.
Healthy, hydrated skin is headed your way. All you have to do is follow the above tips and tricks and stay consistent. Trust us, your skin will thank you. Share your hydration tips and tag us on Instagram @goodhabitskin.