We know that water is important for our life and health – drinking an adequate amount of water daily aids our organs in digestion, circulation, absorption and even excretion. But we often forget that our skin is also an organ. In fact, our skin is the largest living and breathing organ on our bodies!

Our skin is made up of cells, and like any cell in the body, our skin cells are made up of water. Similar to the other organs in our body, our skin cannot function properly without sufficient water. 

How does water help our skin? 

Water helps cells, including skin cells, retain moisture levels and enables vital organs such as the skin to function at optimal levels. In general, having hydrated skin cells boost skin health and appearance. Specifically, here's how water really helps our skin stay healthy and supple: 

• Water is needed to deliver essential nutrients to skin cells
• Drinking enough water increases our metabolic rate, improves skin digestion and flushes out toxins from the body, which in turn boosts healthier skin and reduces breakouts and acne
• Water replenishes the skin's cells and gives skin a smooth and fresh appearance
• Water plumps up skin cells and makes skin look less tired and wrinkled
• Properly hydrated skin cells have better elasticity, which helps delay signs of ageing such as wrinkles and fine lines
• Staying hydrated aids in combating skin issues such as psoriasis, eczema and dark under eye circles

We lose water in large quantities every day through perspiration, urination, and even breathing, but we often forget to replenish our water intake. This very easily leads to dehydration of our bodies and our skin. Lack of hydration on our skin can turn skin dry, tight, and flaky. Dry skin is also less resilient and more prone to wrinkling.

However, drinking water alone is not enough to keep skin hydrated. The water we drink gets circulated to the other organs first before it reaches the skin, and most times, there isn’t enough water to hydrate the skin to an optimum level. That’s why it’s so important to care for our skin externally and keep skin hydrated. 

How to keep skin hydrated

So if drinking water isn’t the way to keep skin hydrated, then what is? 

Well, here’s 4 tips on how to keep skin hydrated and promote beautiful, soft, and supple skin. 

1. Have cooler showers

We all enjoy a hot shower or soak in the bathtub once in awhile, but hot water can actually be detrimental to your skin's hydration. This is because hot water strips oil from the skin, leaving your skin more prone to dryness.

Keep skin hydrated by having cooler showers instead. Cold showers and baths help to calm your nerves and rejuvenate skin. If you must have a hot shower, keep it short to reduce your skin’s exposure to hot water and minimise the loss of your skin’s natural oils.

2. Apply a hydrating moisturizer after a shower

After a shower, our skin is still porous and absorbs skin care products better. To rehydrate your skin, apply a hydrating moisturizer or body oil within 2 minutes of leaving the bath or shower. Don't forget your face! Use Nourishing Face Creams and alcohol free Toners to keep skin hydrated. They also help plump up the skin cells on your face and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. 

3. Use organic essential oils

Oils are actually great dry skin remedies because they're more readily absorbed by the skin, not greasy, and have a lower potential to clog pores. Plant-based natural oils such as lavender, patchouli, ylang ylang, and rose essential oils are known to promote skin cell regeneration, rejuvenate skin, and balance the production and reabsorption of sebum (skin oils). 

Look for organic essential oils that are 100% natural and pure. Soak in a cool bath with a few drops of essential oils to soothe the skin and allow your body to absorb the essential oils easily. Or, mix in 1-2 drops of essential oil into your skin care products to add an extra kick to your skin hydration routine. Alternatively, look for organic chemical free skin care products that already contain some hydrating essential oils. Because the face is usually the first to show obvious signs of dry skin, it’s a good idea to invest in facial oil cleansers that help cleanse your skin while keeping skin hydrated.

4. Exfoliate regularly

Even if you're using tons of amazing skin care products to hydrate your skin, it won't do any help if your skin isn't absorbing them properly from underneath layers of dead skin cells! This is where exfoliating comes in. Exfoliation is important to remove the dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin, which can prevent skin care ingredients from doing their job.

Use organic facial exfoliators and body exfoliators regularly and then apply a hydrating moisturizer afterward to boost your skin's water content. If you're going out into the sun, be sure to put on some sunscreen, as your skin will be more vulnerable after exfoliation.