Dry skin or dehydrated skin, both terms may sound the same to you – but did you know that there are distinct differences between the two? Each skin type requires different ways to care for them, and if you are ready to take your skincare game up a notch, here is what you should pay close attention to.
Dehydrated skin vs dry skin
Before we delve into why it is vital to tell dry skin apart from dehydrated skin, we first need to ask ourselves if we know the meaning behind each term. Dry skin is characterised by a lack of natural oils produced by the skin, whereas dehydrated skin indicates a lack of moisture.
Another glaring difference between the two would be that dehydrated skin is a condition, while dry skin is one of the three common skin types: Dry, Oily and Combination. We are all born with a particular skin type, but it may change as we age. Another misconception is that if your skin is dehydrated, you have a dry skin type. On the contrary, people with oily or combination skin can also experience dehydrated skin.
Signs of dry and dehydrated skin
You could classify your skin as dry if you experience redness, irritation, flaking or scaly skin. If you know yourself to have another skin type, you can also experience dry skin being associated with certain skin diseases such as eczema.
In contrast, people with dehydrated skin might experience itchiness, sunken eyes, dullness and the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles on their face. To quickly test if your skin is dry or dehydrated, try the pinch test. Pinch a small portion of your skin around your cheeks. If you find wrinkling or your skin does not recover to its normal state after you let go, you could have dehydrated skin.
Differences in treatment
As dry skin is a skin type rather than a condition, treatment would probably mean regular maintenance and moisturising. There are several ways to help you combat dry skin, like an antioxidant-rich diet and refraining from using acid-based skincare products. Using a moisturiser for dry skin rather than an oil-based moisturiser can also help prevent breakouts.
In contrast, dehydrated skin is manageable via hydration through diet and lifestyle changes. If you have dehydrated skin, your first big step would be to stick to the guidelines of drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day. Some other diet changes would include decreasing your alcohol and caffeine intake and eating more plant-based foods.
As for skincare, you could opt to add a serum to your routine and use a heavy moisturiser at night. Including an exfoliant into your cleansing routines, such as the Auras Peel can also help with flakiness and brighten your skin. If you are dealing with whiteheads due to dehydrated skin, you should consider going for a whitehead facial treatment in Singapore.
Final thoughts
Dry skin and dehydrated skin may sound synonymous but carry different complications. Regardless of which one you have, knowing the differences between the two skin types can help you craft an effective facial routine that will give you the complexion you love.
Still not sure which skin type you have? Contact us and let our friendly beauticians take over! Adonis Beauty caters to all different skin types with our treatments and products – offering a wide range of affordable facial treatments including oxygen facials in Singapore, we are sure you can find something suitable to achieve the healthy glowing skin you have always dreamed of!