Late Signs of Dehydration

When we drink water, it goes to the most vital organs first: the brain, kidneys, liver, lungs, etc. These are the organs that literally keep us alive, so they get first dibs at the drinking fountain. Unfortunately, the skin is the last place that receives water, which is so vital for collagen production, maintaining adequate cell turnover, keeping inflammation down, and improving the overall texture and tone of the skin.

When you’re properly hydrated, blood circulation improves, lymphatic fluids start working their magic, and inflammation starts to decline within the skin. This helps collagen production synthesis more likely to occur because all cells need water and oxygen to function properly. Drinking water can also greatly improve digestion which helps support a clear complexion.

In general I recommend getting at least 2-3 L of water a day.

For reference, 1 L is one of those tall and skinny Smart Waters. If you have a hard time consuming that much, I recommend adding lemon, electrolytes, ionic minerals or cucumber to your water to give it some flavor. Check out some of my recommendations below.

If you feel your body and skin are dehydrated,

I would recommend skipping that second cup of coffee, cutting out caffeinated teas, sparkling water, energy drinks, soda, juice, and alcohol. All of these things dehydrate and acidify your cells making it harder for them to hold onto water.

Here are the top products I recommend for internal and external hydration:

External Skin

Nori Gel Serum - water based vitamin C and seaweed gel for daily use

Red Algae Propolis Mask - combines propolis with seawater based gel for extra hydration

Mermaid Face - pure infusion of seawater molecules into the skin

Triple Acid Seaweed Serum - unlocks sticky skin cells so water based products can be more effective

Internal Skin

Aim to consume 2-3L of water a day, more if you are physically active

 Filtered water, squeeze of lemon, splash of lime juice, ice, and a pinch of sea salt - I use this recipe when I feel parched and want to down a glass of something refreshing and cooling on the throat. If you're looking for an electrolyte powder, my favorite is the BT Fountain from Pique Tea, it has electrolytes, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. 

Smoothie recipe:

By now we’ve all heard how essential it is to drink water for overall health, but how does hydration impact the way our skin looks? How much water should you be drinking each day? Can other fluids count toward your water intake?

Let's first recognize why water is so important, and signs of skin dehydration 

Skin Dehydration Signs 

The human body is about 70% water. 

This internal water becomes the fluids which move along digestion, eliminate waste, facilitate brain function, deliver oxygen throughout the skin, lubricate joints, moisten your mouth, and so much more. The bottom line is, our bodies NEED water in adequate amounts in order to function properly.

Skin function is of course influenced by what we apply to it on a daily basis, but even the most expensive luxury topical products on Earth won't help skin that is persistently parched and damaged from the inside. I've had many clients come to me with complaints of wrinkles, dryness, and skin sagging. They tell me about all the high quality products they are using and at first I'm a little perplexed because I'm often a big fan of what they are using on their skin. As we dig deeper into their daily habits, I usually discover that they drink almost no water during the day. I typically stop right there and tell them that there's no point in continuing on until we adjust their water intake. We can’t identify any other problems without first correcting the huge underlying one.

When the body is dehydrated, everything slows down, and our skin reflects this process of degradation. Digestion becomes sluggish, which can lead to a backup of toxins and cause breakouts on the face. Our liver enzymes become less effective at breaking down toxins in the body, and this contributes to pigmentation, skin dryness, and skin brightness. The kidneys start to reserve as much water as they can, which then has an effect on blood pressure and overall inflammation in the body. Collagen synthesis slows dramatically, and what’s worse, insufficient water levels will eventually deplete our collagen altogether because persistent inflammation breaks down our skin tissue.

The surface skin then becomes dry and flaky as cell metabolism slows from lack of oxygen, and even your body's ability to absorb nutrients from food (and therefore turn it into skin proteins) decreases because of the lack of enzymes for breaking down the food.

Are you starting to see how everything comes back to keeping ourselves hydrated? 

The bottom line is...DRINK WATER! In most cases, increasing your daily water intake will solve almost all of your skin and health issues. 

Something I used to tell my clients as they would leave my treatment room was to "be sure to keep your insides hydrated and our skin well oiled; water on the inside, nourishment on the outside, and you'll never go wrong."