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 Some are just blessed with beautiful glowing skin, while some need to work towards achieving it. Whatever may be the case, there is no denying that beautiful healthy skin is much sought after. It isn’t a wonder then that skin care is a multi-billion dollar business. Your skin may fall into different skin types, it could be dry, oily, neutral, sensitive and/or change according to the weather. It is important to keep your keep skin hydrated for it to look firm, healthy and smooth. Dry skin looks dull, lack luster and sometimes even flaky. Oily skin can bring about acne, pimples and make your skin look greasy. Aging naturally tends to rip off the natural oils and water from your skin, giving it a limp and dull look. It is vital to know your skin type before venturing out in the skincare world.

So What Causes Skin to Dehydrate? The answer is, there isn’t one single cause but several reasons or a combination of these, for skin to dehydrate or lose its natural moisture. Some of these causes are:

• Sun: Overexposure to the sun can rob your skin of water which is why severely tanned skin or a bad sunburn needs moisturizing to heal.

• Cold Climate and Low Humidity: Low temperatures often result in drying of skin. Warm or dry air acts like a sponge and absorbs moisture from its surroundings and that also means your skin. During winter or in cold temperatures, you might have to keep on moisturizing to avoid your skin getting dry for this reason.

• Over Cleansing: Harsh soaps, skincare products, too much showering and scrubbing can lead to your body losing its natural oils. Harsh soaps and detergents dissolve the protective oils in the layer of the sebum leading to dryness of the skin.

• Aging: The activity of the sebaceous glands tends to reduce with age, naturally reducing the skin’s hydrating glands. Aging also tends to decrease the amount of blood flow to the skin, causing a decline in sebum creation.

• Lifestyle and Diet: Smoking can cause dryness of the skin as it inhibits the body’s ability to provide nutrients and oxygen to the skin. Apart from this, your diet could also be the reason for your skin’s drying out.
  

Now that we know the most common causes for skin to lose hydration, let us look at some natural home remedies and prevention methods to keep your skin hydrated, healthy and taut, these are:

• Water and Food Therapy: Drink loads of water and with it eat the right kind of foods. Water that is bound to food molecules hydrates your body at a much faster pace as compared to simple glass of water. Choose foods that are high in water content like berries, cucumbers, peaches, apples, plums. Iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, melons, peas and celery. Oils that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids are also recommended to help hydrate the skin and work to replace the lost moisture in dry hair and skin.

• Protect your Skin: Wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.  Choose your sunscreen according to how long you will be in the sun. The longer you are in the sun, the higher SPF you need to use. Similarly use a good moisturizer in winter, to keep your skin from getting dehydrated.

• Herbal Therapy: It is always good to moisturize your skin after getting out of a bath or shower. Your pores are still open from the heat of the bath so gently dab your skin dry. Apply an aloe vera based moisturizer to lock in the moisture before your pores close up. Apart from aloe vera, you can also use chamomile or calendula based moisturizers or essential oils to keep your skin hydrated.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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