I don’t know about you, but I was always confused by the terms moisturising vs hydrating. I didn’t know there was a difference, and I always wondered why they use two different words for the same thing.
While we need both to keep our skin looking healthy and youthful, they are not the same. And if you are as confused as I once was, keep reading to see the difference between moisturising vs hydrating products.
Hydrating products
We know that around 60% of our body is made up of water. And about 70% of each cell is water. And that includes skin cells. So we want to keep them at that percentage to maintain healthy, plump-looking skin.
Everyday life, smoking, diet, improper skin care and other factors can contribute to depleting water levels from our skin cells which can end up in dehydrated skin.
Dehydrated skin will have more visible fine lines and wrinkles and look dull and lacklustre.
If your skin looks like that, it means your skin cells are parched and starving for water. And they need hydrating products that will bring that hydration back into them. That is usually achieved with products like hydrating toners, serums or fluids. In general, hydrating products will be very liquid and light in texture.
They are best applied morning and night after cleansing and before moisturising.
Another thing to note is that you can help your dehydrated skin from the inside as well. Just make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Once you feel thirsty, means you are already dehydrated, so make sure you drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Some of my favourite hydrating products are:
Moisturising products
Moisturising products are products that help lock moisture into the skin. And what does that mean?
Our skin has a naturally occurring lipid barrier whose primary function is lubricating and protecting from damage and water loss. Sometimes the skin doesn’t produce enough lipids and then ends up in dry, flaky skin. And that’s where moisturisers come in handy.
They form a protective layer that prevents transepidermal water loss. Essentially, moisturising is all about trapping and sealing the water in our skin cells so they can stay plump and hydrated.
And that is why we put our moisturiser on last in our skincare routine. To lock all the goodness we put on before and to help keep that moisture in.
Moisturisers are particularly needed for skins that are dry and peeling or flaking. Especially after some treatments like chemical peels or during dry winter months.
Some of my favourite moisturisers are:
Do I need moisturising vs hydrating products?
The easiest way to answer this question is to know if your skin is dry or dehydrated. But that’s easier said than done because you can have oily, dehydrated skin and think you need a moisturiser. But using a moisturiser on that kind of skin won’t rehydrate it. It will just put an extra ‘oil’ on already oily skin. And that will then result in blocked pores and comedones.
That is why it’s essential to know your skin and what your skin needs. And also to understand the difference between moisturising vs hydrating products.
As mentioned above, the main signs of dehydrated skin are dull-looking skin, lacklustre, and more accentuated fine lines and wrinkles. And dry skin will have some peeling or flaking going on and will usually feel quite tight.
If you are still unsure about the difference between dry and dehydrated skin, check out my post on that topic here: Dry skin vs. dehydrated – how to tell the difference
How to pick a product I need?
First and foremost, you need to know your skin type and its needs. And after that should be somewhat easy to pick a product.
Picking a hydrating product is usually easier because they are light products that suit all skin types. They are usually very gentle, and they don’t contain alcohol. So they don’t irritate nor cause dehydration, and they don’t clog pores.
Usually doesn’t mean always, so make sure you check the ingredient list because there is no room for drying ingredients such as alcohol in hydrating products. That would defeat the whole purpose of a hydrator.
Ingredients you should look out for in hydrating products are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe, urea, and AHAs such as lactic acid and propylene glycol.
Moisturisers are a bit trickier. It can be hard to find one that would suit the skin and won’t clog pores. When choosing a moisturiser, again, take into consideration your skin type and the time of the year. In the warmer months of spring and summer, you will need a lighter moisturiser like a gel or a lotion. And colder months in fall and winter will be better off with thicker, heavier creams and balms.
As far as the ingredients go, look out for ceramides, oils (like coconut oil or almond), butter (shea or cocoa butter) or dimethicone.
‘Those with acne-prone skin (like myself) should choose lighter, oil-free products such as fluids and gel moisturisers and dry skin can enjoy the benefits of oils and butter.
I feel that finding a good moisturiser is a game of trial and error. Just keep track of what you are trying out and check the ingredient lists. That’s how I found out that shea butter breaks me out, so now I know to avoid products with it.
TL;DR
The main difference between moisturising vs hydrating products is their purpose. Moisturising products prevent water loss from our skin, and they are usually thicker in consistency (creams, balms). They don’t bring in moisture, only seal it in. Moisturisers are best used for dry skin.
Hydrating products are there to rehydrate our skin. They bring water back into our skin cells. Hydrators are usually lighter in texture (fluids, lotions, gels). Dehydrated skin will benefit the most from hydrating products.
Now that you know the difference between moisturising vs hydrating products, do you think you are on a good track or way off base?
Which is your favourite moisturiser or hydrator?
