How to Tell If Your Skin is Dry or Just Dehydrated?

Dry skin and dehydrated skin are two terms that are often both confused and conflated in the world of skincare. And indeed it is entirely possible for a skin to be both dry and dehydrated at the same time. However, there are some profound differences.

Dry skin, for one, refers to a lack of oil (sebum) being produced and held inside the skin cells, This dearth of oil ultimately can lead to less lipids or fats within the skin in turn leading to thinner skin by comparison and therefore skin that is prone to irritation, redness, and to showing other signs of stress, imbalance, or sensitivity. On the other hand, dehydrated skin refers to a lack of water or, more specifically, a lack of ability to attract and retain water within the skin. Dehydrated skin can occur across skin types, and importantly, is, therefore, not a specific skin type in and of itself. It is more like a skin condition or a skin status so to speak. In fact, many dermatologists and other skin experts feel that most people in the modern world have dehydrated skin to some degree, and many of them argue that those with both oily and acne-prone skin are the most collectively dehydrated due in large part to using stronger cleansers and spot treatments (both as topicals and potentially internal medications) that dry up not only excess oil but also take out a lot of the skin's water reserves.

Puzzlingly, however, both dry and dehydrated skins often exhibit similar characteristics. A lack of glow or a general red or ashy appearance (usually depending on ones skintone) can be signs of either, as can also be a feeling of tightness and discomfort and even heat within the skin. Flaking and peeling can also occur in both instances

So what are good ways to try and test if your skin is dry, dehydrated, and both? A quick way to get an indication is to stand in a steamy shower (or sit in a steamy bath) for about 20 minutes and then exit and look in the mirror. If your skin looks noticeably calmer or more even-toned and refreshed looking, this is a sign that your skin was likely dehydrated. If, however, your skin looks markedly more flush and feels just as tight or even tighter than it did before you got in the water, you likely have a dry skin type. The reason why being in hot water irritates dry skin people is largely due to the thinner skin barrier dry skinned people are prone to having. The water leaches into the skin and attracts whatever water and sebum is present within the skin and draws it out, leaving that person drier than before.

If this test leaves you unsure, then you can try this experiment. Put on a thick layer of cream and leave it on to soak for about 15 minutes. If your skin is still feeling parched after that cream has had a chance to absorb, you likely have dehydrated skin. Then, rinse that off and put on a layer of hydrating serum or aloe vera gel, if your skin feels soft but you feel like you need more moisture after that has sunk in, your skin is likely both dry and dehydrated and needs an occlusive layer of cream to seal in thinner, more water-based items and also control your skin's rate of absorption while giving it the added moisture from the oils of the cream to keep it comfortable all day long.

The worlds of dry and dehydrated skin can be difficult to sort through, and certainly a lot of the symptoms and side effects can overlap. Using these little tests, though, can help arm you with more information to figure out just what exactly your skin might be craving.