A smiling girl touching her face and looking in the mirror.

Dehydrated Skin: Signs & Fixes

Every day our skin loses water. It's normal! But, lose too much and hello dehydrated skin, which can lead to irritation and sensitivity. Suss out the signs of dehydrated skin, and keep your skin feeling great with our simple guide to dehydrated skin.

What can cause dehydrated skin?

Air conditioning, the weather, lack of sleep, not drinking enough water, too hot showers, harsh skincare products, and bypassing a gentle skincare routine can all be contributors to dehydrated skin. And, all skin types can become dehydrated - yes, even oily skin - because it's caused by a lack of water within the skin. If the air around is dry (or windy!), moisture evaporates from your skin. Restore the balance and hydrate skin with our products and tips, created with your dehydrated skin in mind.

“Once you realise your skin’s sensitivity is caused by lack of water, it can be easy to get it sorted!”

Dehydrated skin signs

What dehydrated skin feels like:

Itchy
Sensitive
Inflamed
Tight
Dry
Rough

What dehydrated skin looks like:

Dull
Rough
Flaky
Scaly

Try out these tips to help with the signs of dehydrated skin.

1. Drink lots of water

We know it! Bet we could all drink a bit more though, right? Don’t like the taste? Add a sprig of mint and a slice of lemon to spruce it up. Too cold? Fill up a flask with hot water, ginger, and lemon for a tasty way to get your fix.

A glass of water with ice and lemon on a white wooden table

2. Keep humid

Air conditioning and central heating are the worst for sapping water from our skin. As a general FYI, the more moisture in the air, the less water will evaporate from your skin. Try a humidifier during winter months and pick products that boost water levels in your skin like Simple® Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream, which is light, fresh, and hydrates all day.

3. Cleanse post-workout

Exercise is great for boosting circulation and giving skin a glowing appearance, but sweat, mixed with make-up and daily grime, can cause skin irritation. When you sweat, you’re naturally losing water and minerals from your skin. We say, cleanse before and after you exercise to rid your skin of dirt, make-up, and sweat. Follow this up by applying a hydrating moisturiser to keep water levels topped up, and don’t forget to drink up. Stash some facial cleansing wipes in your gym bag for a super-quick cleanse.

Flat lay of Simple Micellar Cleansing Wipes with gym gear on a white background

4. Moisturise damp skin

Smooth on your moisturiser within a few minutes of getting out of (a not too hot!) shower, to help make the most of that surface moisture on the skin before it has a chance to evaporate. Good moisturisers can act like magnets within the skin, drawing in moisture from the air and holding it there.

5. Travel savvy

Dry air, low humidity levels and air conditioning from airports and aeroplane cabins, can really disrupt your skin’s moisture balance. Layer up on moisture-rich products before you fly, and try Simple Water Boost Hydrating Booster before you moisturise for an added boost of instant hydration. It’s also great for targeting dehydration spots on thirsty skin, aka a great top-up mid-flight.

Simple Hydrating Booster with diary in background

So, even though we can all experience dehydrated skin at times, a balanced skincare routine and following a few tips consistently, means skin will feel hydrated, and happy, in no time.