“Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty,” declared Derek Zoolander while dressed as a Merman in the cult comedy, Zoolander. Like most of the pearls of wisdom the “model idiot” shares in the film, it’s a little bewildering. But, there is indeed a valid point he’s trying to make – in this case it’s about the importance of hydration for healthy, beautiful skin.
Dehydrated skin occurs when the skin’s protective ‘lipid’ barrier (the layer that keeps moisture in and germs and irritants and other nasties out) is damaged. A damaged lipid layer will make it more difficult for your skin to retain moisture, resulting in skin that’s flaky, dull, irritated, dry, and even red and itchy. So hydrated skin is the key to beautiful skin. Yet you don’t have to be a mermaid or *cough* “Merman… MerMAN!!!” to achieve it.
So here are 7 easy ways to protect your skin’s lipid barrier, combat those moisture depleting elements, and potentially also get you a date with a male model.
Bathe in lukewarm water
Long, hot showers strip the moisture from our skin. Instead, limit showers or baths to less than 10 minutes and keep the water lukewarm instead of steaming hot.
Use a non-soap cleanser
Soaps strip away the hydrating oils on our skin, leaving it feeling dry, tight, and itchy. A mild cleanser like Dove Beauty Cream Bar is soap-free and will replenish the skin’s lipids with its ¼ moisturising cream formula.
Watch what you drink
Your skin is your body’s largest organ. And as it’s mostly made up of H2O, losing even two percent of your body’s water in a day can leave you feeling dehydrated. So keep up the 8 glasses of water a day to try to keep this in check. If you struggle with plain water try adding a squeeze of lemon, lime or even fresh mint.
Avoid too many dehydrating caffeinated drinks too and try herbal teas instead, and limit your alcohol intake. Yes, seriously!
Sleep with a humidifier
Air conditioning dries out a room – and it has the same effect on your skin. Placing a humidifier or even bowls of fresh water around the room will restore moisture to the air in there.
Choose foods that hydrate
Foods rich in omega fatty acids such as salmon, walnuts, flaxseed, almonds and mackerel can help skin cells stay hydrated. Try cooking with extra virgin organic coconut oil that is high in Lauric Acid, which’ll help re-balance the skin and restore elasticity.
Many fruits and veggies contain loads of water too, so are a great way to stay hydrated. Think watermelon, oranges, zucchini, cucumbers, grapes and lettuce.
Avoid foods high in sodium like chips, fast foods, and packaged and processed foods – they’ll draw water from your body, contributing to dehydration.
Protect against the elements
Humidity, harsh winds, dry heat, high altitudes and of course over-exposure to the sun all deplete your skin’s moisture levels. Be sure to use a sunscreen every day that protects against UVA and UVB rays.
Get topical
What you put on top of your skin can make a huge difference to the hydration of your skin. A good moisturiser will instantly hydrate, but it’s the active ingredients in it that will make all the difference. Look out for a moisturiser containing Hyaluronic acid – it’ll hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, making it super-hydrating.
Also, go for cleansers and body creams containing Stearic acid or Lauric acid (types of fatty acids) as they can help in healing the after-effects of dehydration. Dove’s Beauty Cream Bar contains both of these, making it a great option for cleansing and hydrating, all in the one product.
What strategies do you use for keeping your skin hydrated?
And do you have any other tips for getting a date with a male supermodel (besides having ridiculously good-looking skin?)
The best tips – for either of these important questions – will be in the running to WIN 1 of 10 Dove Care Packs each containing:
o Dove Beauty Cream Bar x 2
o Dove Triple Moisturising Body Wash
o Dove Body Silk Body Lotion
o Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
o Dove Original Roll-‐On Deodorant
Entry conditions:
- There are 10 DOVE care packages valued at $32.83 to be given away.
- This give away is open to residents of Australia only (but I’d still LOVE to hear from the other Foxes from around the world!)
- The give away runs from 19th of March, 2015, till the 1st of April, 2015.
- The winners will be chosen 2nd of April and contacted that day by email.
- To enter answer in the comments section below: What strategies do you use for keeping your skin hydrated? And optionally: Do you have any other tips for getting a date with a male supermodel (besides having ridiculously good-looking skin?)
- I’ll be judging the winners on skill and creativity – because that’s how we roll, right?!
- Entrants must abide by the contest entry conditions listed above.
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