10 Ways to Hydrate Your Skin Naturally

Okay gals - admittedly, I struggle in this area of properly hydrating my skin yet they say the best way to learn something is to research and share it, right?! That is my theory anyway! Ha! So today I’m sharing some of the things I am learning about why properly hydrating our skin is ESSENTIAL to it’s health. So here goes:

Our skin is the largest living breathing organ in your body so we must steward it well! It serves as a protector, an absorber, a extretor, secretor, regulator and sensor. When your skin is fully hydrated, it is able to function properly and fully fight against and flush out the toxins - keeping your skin and it’s function as pure as possible. Also - when skin is well hydrated, it is plump and resilient - helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles that can form as the skin ages (can I get an amen?!).

Today I’m sharing 10 ways you can help to hydrate your skin naturally from the inside out, while also using products to maximize your hydration efforts. Some of these are simple and basic, yet THIS GIRL needs to start with the basics.

1. Drink plenty of water - We said basic, right?! We know that drinking water is essential to our body function, yet we tend to forget the effect it can have on our skin and our skin’s appearance! This is the MOST important way you can hydrate your skin from the inside out. Other bevies such as coffee, tea, alcohol, soda, other caffeinated drinks are not your friend when it comes to hydration. All dehydrate and cause stress on the body Aim to consume 1/2 your body weight in water at a minimum to ensure your body gets the hydration it needs to operate optimally.

2 Eat your fruits & veggies - Again, basic and something we KNOW, yet often fail to do. Focusing specifically on water dense foods here such as cucumbers, berries, watermelon, plums, peaches, celery, bell peppers and lettuce will help a TON. Other foods packed with anti-oxidants, beta carotene and omega 3 fatty acids are great too such as walnuts, avocado, sweet potatoes and flaxseed.

3. Avoid soaps or skin care products with toxins, preservatives - I covered this in detail in my blog post ‘3 Toxins in Your Beauty Products that could be Making You Sick’ so you can check that out for additional details, yet essentially you want to avoid anything that will strip your skin from it's natural oils.

4. Turn down the temperature on your baths and showers - I know we all love a hot shower or bath on a cold day, yet hot water will also strip the oils from your skin. Hot water causes damage to the keratin cells that are in the outer layer of your skin - the epidermis - and can prevent cells from locking in moisture. (Healthline, March 2020). It can also worsen any skin conditions so it’s best to keep water warm to luke warm to protect your skin!

5. Use a humidifier - Putting a humidifier in your bedroom will also help to stop your skin from drying out. It will also help you sleep better and it’s good for your respiratory system too. Also, in addition to hot water, be sure not to put your home’s central heating or air conditioning on high. These two extremes can also dry out your skin.

6. Add oil to your moisturizer - You should be using a naturally based moisturizer already, YET by adding an essential oils based product to it, you are giving your skin an additional hydration boost. Basically, it’s like adding electrolytes to your water while running a marathon. You can’t survive on water alone. Your body needs replenishment and so does your skin! Using a naturally based oil such as Rejuveniqe by MONAT and adding it to your moisturizer (and a TON of other things such as your body lotion, mascara, foundation etc.) you are giving your face the EXTRA hydration kick it needs to replenish serious nutrients.

7. Add masks to your treatment routine on the reg - Similar to the one above, this is essential to your regular routine in order to replenish your skin. Masks can help to provide a deep clean by removing dead skin cells and opening up pores to pull out any impurities. A deep cleaning of the skin so to speak.

8. Increase your omega-3 fatty acids - We touch on this on remember to eat your fruits and veggies but it bears a call out all of it’s own. Omega-3 fatty acids provide the building blocks that your body uses to produce the oils on your skin. By adding more salmon and oily fish to your diet or by taking Omega-3 supplements, you are improving the hydration of your skin from the inside out!

9. Exfoliate frequently using AHAs and BHAs - Here are the deets on AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) - essentially they act together to both smooth the skin’s outer surface AND speed up cell turnover. Both serve a purpose: AHAs are water soluble so work on the skin’s surface, typically targeting normal to dry or sun damaged skin. BHAs work beneath the surface and deep inside the pore, targeting normal to oily skin. Either way - be sure your exfoliant has whatever your skin type needs.

10. Use a serum - Basically thing of a serum as a way to LOCK in moisture to the skin. Typically comprised of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeply into the skin, serums are a very effective tool for targeting skin care concerns that develop over time such as wrinkles AND be sure to put it on before your moisturizer to maximize it’s hydrating effects.

Friend - I hope you walk away from this blog with a few key things you will incorporate into your skin care routine! For me, having done a few of these for several months now (AHH - the joys of turning 50!) as my skin ages, I have seen a noticeable difference in the appears of fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes and mouth. I’d love to know which ones you have had great success with too!

Here’s to healthy, happy, and hydrated skin!