How To Hydrate Skin Properly In Any Season

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Dry skin is the most common concern during the cold winter season. Even in warmer seasons, skin can get dehydrated and compensate by producing too much oil. Finding the right balance of products for all seasons is the key to keeping skin hydrated, whatever the external temperatures may be. Aside from drinking lots of water, get ahead of premature aging and keep wrinkles and sagging at bay by following these steps on how to hydrate skin properly.

Use a gentle facial cleanser.

All lot of facial cleansers can be stripping. It turns out that the squeaky-clean feeling that we enjoy after washing is a sign that our moisture barrier has been compromised. Skin shouldn't feel tight and dry after cleansing. To start your skin care routine right, switch to a gentle and pH-balanced facial cleanser. Total Beauty recommends Glossier Milly Jelly Cleanser, Acwell Bubble Free pH Balancing Cleanser, CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser and COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser.

Add a hydrating toner or essence.

K-beauty introduced hydrating toners and essences as an extra step in hydration and to prep skin for moisturizing products. Unlike the old alcohol-based toners from the '90s, these K-beauty staples have a gel-like texture that instantly provides a blanket of moisture to skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe, glycerin, and ceramides. Bustle suggests K-beauty cult favorites Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner, Dear, Klairs Supple Preparation Toner, Etude House Moistfull Collagen Facial Toner, Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Skin Toner and Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin Toner.

Also read: Snail Slime is A K-Beauty Secret That Targets Dry Skin and Acne Scars

Look for humectant serums.

Mind Body Green says that layering is key to address very dry skin. Next to a hydrating toner, a humectant serum is the next layer to keep skin hydrated. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular humectants. Humectants attract water to the skin and holds it there to keep skin moist. While your face is still damp from the toner, apply your serum to lock that moisture in. Some of Allure's top hyaluronic acid serum suggestions are La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum, Glossier Super Bounce Serum, Vichy Minéral 89 Face Serum with Hyaluronic Acid, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

Use an emollient cream.

Emollients restore the skin's moisture barrier function by filling tiny cracks in the skin with lipids. A compromised moisture barrier will result in dry and easily inflamed skin. Look for ingredients like ceramides, colloidal oats, and squalene. Layer your cream over your serum for best results. Byrdie suggests CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, Biossance Squalene + Omega Repair Cream and No7 Hydraluminous Water Surge Gel Cream.

Top it all off with an occlusive oil.

Occlusives form a protective layer over the skin, and all the products on it, to seal everything in. Jojoba and argan oil are popular options as they are lightweight and non-comedogenic (does not clog pores). Harper's Bazaar's top picks include Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil, Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil and Augustinus Bader The Face Oil.