Hydration by Heidi Gibbon, Aesthetician.

Water is known as the elixir of life, 70% of the earth is covered with water and we are literally made up mostly of water!  The average adult male is about 60% water, and the average adult female is about 55% water.  You can survive without food for weeks, but dehydration can kill you within days or even hours, depending on the temperature and your environment.

Most of your daily fluid intake should come from water.  It is suggested you should drink half your body weight in ounces daily, so if you are 140lbs you should drink 70 oz.  That’s about 8 cups.  Most of us are probably NOT getting enough water.  I chatted with Dr. Asante Le Blanc of Victoria Clinic in Woodbrook, and she is noticing more dehydration in patients due to the constraints of wearing a mask.  She suggests we make the effort to hydrate despite the hassle of the mask covering our mouths. Our cells need water to fight and recover from diseases.  I recommend sipping water throughout the day rather than guzzling it as you will maximize hydration this way.  The best way to check on your hydration status is in the morning. If your urine looks more like deep amber instead of a light yellow, then you’re dehydrated.

When I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s the only source of water I knew of was tap water or Spring water that appeared miraculously off the hills on the way to Maracas.  These days the water choices are endless and bottled water has given tap water a bad name in some homes.  Contaminated drinking water is an issue in some regions but as far as I know this is not an issue in Trinidad and Tobago.  Tap water is generally safe, convenient, environmentally friendly, and almost FREE!  I like the idea of saving our environment from excessive plastic waste, so I drink tap water that I filter with a store-bought jug.

Tips to make water a part of your life:

-Invest in a reusable water bottle that you love!

-Never leave home without it

-Add natural flavors like cucumber, mint, lemon or frozen fruit.  (Don’t overdo on the lime/lemon water)

SKIN AND HYDRATION

Ready for a shocking fact:  Drinking water is the least efficient way to hydrate your skin, even though every system in your body needs it to survive!!  Water regulates our body temperature, keeps our joints lubricated, helps prevent infections and delivers nutrients to our cells.  When we drink water, it is not possible for it to head straight to the cells in the outside layer of the skin it hydrates the cells inside of the body.  Applying topical hydration via skincare products is the most effective way to plump up thirsty skin cells and get dewy hydrated skin.

There is one noticeable skin benefit of drinking water – the reduction of under-eye puffiness.

Tips for hydrated skin:

1. A toner can give your skin a drink, offering instant hydration. Many people do not use toner but one of the benefits is an instant boost of hydration.  After cleansing, wipe an alcohol-free toner over the skin. The water and humectants (water-binding ingredients that attract and hold onto water) in the toner will saturate your skin cells with much-needed hydration.  Leave it damp (this is key), then immediately follow up with a serum and or moisturizer.  Some popular humectants are, Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate), Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Urea, amino acids, and Algae Extract.

Applying a Serum Underneath Your Moisturizer:

2. Serums are an investment but well worth the extra step in your routine if your skin is dehydrated. Serums are applied underneath your moisturizer.  Look for a serum with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and panthenol.  My skin dehydrates easily and sometimes I layer serums putting on up to three at a time at time this helps my skin feel hydrated all day long into the evening.

Using a gel-based mask:

3. All masks are great for giving your skin a boost. When it comes to delivering water-based hydration, though, a gel mask is what you want. You can use a gel mask as often as every night.   I would recommend using it twice a week if you can.  Apply it after cleansing and before proceeding with a toner, serum, and moisturizer.

We take the importance of water for granted but it can help you lose weight, sleep better, prevent headaches, improve short-term memory, and help with anxiety.

I would love to hear from you.  Email me at support@mysalontt.com for product suggestions.  You can also find me on Instagram at mysalontt.