What does skin really need? Hydration & moisture.

(Yes! Both.)

Broadly speaking, I don’t love rules. But if I had to define a “first rule of skincare,” it would be this: moisturize.

More specifically: hydrate and moisturize, because your skin needs both.

I remembered how important this was yesterday when I looked down at my dry, neglected hands, quickly slathered on a cream with an uncomfortable mix of horror and bewilderment (“Wait, those are my hands?!”), then saw, with surprise, how much better they looked — immediately.

Moisturizing: sounds simple, makes a huge difference. And knowing how to moisturize can give you a whole new sense of mastery over your skincare routine.

Here’s the quick summary of today’s post:

· Your skin needs both hydration (improved water content) and moisture (improved oil content) for a healthy barrier and a glow.

· You can get this by using a lotion or cream, or by layering a water-based serum underneath an oil, balm, or rich cream.

· While oils, balms, and rich creams can be great in many cases, hydration is the one thing that nearly everyone I’ve seen could use more of — so I suggest looking for mists, toners, or serums made with hydration in mind.

You’ll find the full story, which I think is always worth it, below the photo of kelp (one of my favorite hydrating ingredients).

While moisturizing might seem like a basic topic, I’d like to argue that it’s not. Here’s some evidence that it’s not entirely clear-cut: there’s no real consensus among experts even on the simple definition of the word “moisturizer,” since most have both hydrating and moisturizing properties (as they should; the skin needs both of these things). So, let’s dig in.

Hydration, and what dehydrated skin looks like

Hydration refers to the process of improving the water content of our skin. Typically, we do this with toners, essences, or serums containing ingredients called humectants (dig into more details in this guide from one of my favorite formulation experts, Dr. Pedro Catalá of TWELVE Beauty). Humectants draw water from the air and/or deeper levels of the epidermis and dermis to fill in where they’re needed most. And yes, drinking more water will help to some extent…but it can’t do it all.

Skin that is dehydrated, or lacking water-based hydration, typically shows more fine lines, feels tight, and lacks a glow. With more hydration, skin reflects more light, looks pleasantly plump, and — importantly — can more effectively absorb nutrients and active ingredients you apply to it. (Imagine a sponge: one that’s wet with an appropriate amount of water just works better.)

Moisturization, and what dry skin looks like

Moisturization refers to the process of sealing in hydration to prevent excessive water loss (which many refer to as trans-epidermal water loss, or TEWL) and improve the health of skin’s barrier. Typically, we do this with richer products like creams, oils, and balms that highlight lipids, oils, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and to a lesser extent, proteins.

Skin that is dry, or lacking oil, typically looks flaky, dry, and/or red. Moisturizing gives skin’s barrier the chance to rest and recover — and a healthy barrier is what will lead to lasting improvement in both hydration and moisture over time.

OK, here’s where it gets interesting

There is a fair amount of crossover between the two categories. Many hydrating products also moisturize, and vice versa, especially in the case of lotions, gel-creams, and creams. And this makes sense: skin really needs both. This is why I don’t suggest just applying plain water, or even a solo humectant like hyaluronic acid, to skin on its own — it needs the help of a moisturizing ingredient to seal it in. (You can think of it almost like creating a mini water cycle within the layers of your skin.)

Likewise, if you’re applying a plain oil to dry skin without ensuring that it’s adequately hydrated first, you’re effectively “sealing in” your dehydrated skin, and it may end up looking greasy yet feeling dry at the same time, which is always a bummer.

How to put all of this to work in your routine

1. As you’re putting your skincare routine together, think about getting a combination of hydrating and moisturizing ingredients involved.

2. Also remember that it’s hard for lighter, watery textures to pass through thicker, oily textures, so generally, apply those lighter ones first.

3. And as far as hydration and moisture are concerned, remember that you are truly your own best expert. It’s all about how your skin looks and feels, and no one understands that better than you do. (Also, the climate you’re in can make a big difference, to be prepared to adjust your routine accordingly if you experience dramatic seasonal weather changes or you’re traveling.)

But this is key: it all starts with hydration.

Sometimes it can still be hard to know exactly what you need (more water, more oil, or an even mix of both). So, important note:

One of the things I’ve noticed working with customers over the past 14 years at Ayla is that a common default for many of us, when experiencing either dryness or dehydration, is to reach for a rich cream or oil. But, while rich creams and oils might be helpful in some cases, hydration is the one thing that nearly everyone I’ve seen could use more of.

And FYI

This is why I designed the Sea Serum, my “you need this first” product, to be hydration-forward — but with moisturizing ingredients that help gently seal in that hydration, too.

On the ingredient list, you’ll see a multi-dimensional blend of humectants (hyaluronic acid, propanediol, glycerin, red seaweed) along with an amino acid (polyglutamic acid) to help skin hang onto hydration, and a non-clogging, skin-identical, moisturizing lipid (squalane) to further lock it all in. So you can use it under any cream or oil, or — if you’re in a very hot, humid place — it may be all you need sometimes. Under your sunscreen, of course.

This is also why the first thing almost everyone notices when they use it is that their skin’s hydration and moisture levels finally feel right, and skin feels softer and smoother as a result. It’s also why everyone then notices improvement in other ways — brightening, firming, clarifying — because, with well hydrated, well moisturized skin, all the other goodies in the formula can really get to work.

Here’s a fun video of how its cycle of benefits works:

For further investigation:

In my opinion, all that “hyaluronic acid is just going to end up drying out your skin” talk is a hot take cooked up for more views.

But if you’re still skeptical, take a look at this perspective from Dr. Pedro Catalá about hyaluronic acid specifically; you’ll also want to check out this one from Marie Veronique, a skincare cult heroine and genius I equally adore.

If you’re still skeptical after that…we can agree to disagree. I’m a fan.

Thanks for reading! See you next week.
Dara