It’s true what they say: Skincare is the new makeup. Rather than layering on expensive products that hide skin’s true beauty, more and more people are turning to skincare routines to help embrace a natural look. While you might already have a lengthy routine in place, there’s an important step many forget about: hydration. Learning how to hydrate skin is the key to unlocking the natural beauty of your everyday look.

Skin hydration can come in many forms. Some people opt for expensive moisturizers and slather on hydro boosting serums. While these kinds of products can be helpful, even the most effective skincare routine can’t beat out a good, old-fashioned glass of water. Staying consistently hydrated is indeed one of the best ways to hydrate skin. 

Does Staying Hydrated Help You Get Healthy, Clear Skin?

The skin is the body’s largest organ, with a total area of around 20 square feet. It’s made up of three layers: the outer layer, or epidermis, the underlying skin, or dermis, and the subcutaneous tissue. If we’re not adequately hydrated, we may start to lose skin elasticity and surfaces can start to feel rough. That’s what we’re feeling when we notice our skin is dry.

So does staying hydrated help your skin? Absolutely! By drinking enough water each day, we can boost our skin’s appearance and feel by hydrating from the inside out. While topical products can help bolster our efforts, they won’t do much if we’re dehydrated. Sipping from a favorite water bottle is a great way to stay consistently hydrated. If you’re really serious about getting clear, healthy skin, it’s also important to avoid hot water on the face. Wear gloves when you go out in the winter, and use a humidifier to aid in the moisturizing process.

How Much Water is Too Much?

In your quest for healthy skin, you may find yourself wondering: is there such a thing as drinking too much water? While it’s true that you can over hydrate, you’d have to really try hard! When you drink too much water, your kidneys may struggle to get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood may become diluted. To reach this level, though, you’d have to drink more than four liters of water a day. That's a tall order for even the biggest hydration enthusiasts.

That begs the question, how much water should I drink in a day? An easy way to determine the appropriate amount of water for your body is to divide your body weight by two. If you weigh 200 pounds, for instance, you should drink approximately 100 ounces of water per day. This is just a rule of thumb, of course – if you’re running a marathon or hiking in the desert, you may need more. Drinking cold water can help with fitness in a number of important ways, so it’s a good idea to always keep a bottle of H20 on you when exercising.

Testing Your Skin’s Hydration 

We could probably all come up with a long list of drinking water benefits. But, if you’re unsure of whether your skin is actually in need of additional hydration, there’s a test you can do right now. Using your thumb and index finger, try pinching the skin between your cheek and under eye area. Your skin should appear tented for a moment. Your hydration levels are directly linked to how fast the skin snaps back into place, so the quicker it returns to normal, the more hydrated your skin is. If your skin is slow to return to normal, you may be dehydrated.

If you're dehydrated, reach for a bottle of water and some moisturizing cream. This combination is the best way to combat dehydrated skin right away. In the long term, you may need to take additional steps to boost your overall hydration levels. Getting plenty of fluids, sleep, and fruits and veggies can go a long way to bolster the appearance of your skin.

Hydration’s Impact on Aging Skin

Many people turn to skincare routines as they start aging. After noticing the appearance of fine lines, crow’s feet, and wrinkles, people are often eager for fast solutions. Knowing how to hydrate skin is one of the best ways to age gracefully. Healthy skin contains about 10 to 20 percent water; anything lower than this can be considered dehydration. When dehydration occurs, you may experience symptoms like irritation, cracking, flakiness, and roughness, all of which contribute to the look of prematurely aging skin. 

Sun exposure can also cause skin to look prematurely aged. The more time we spend in the sun, the more dehydrated our skin looks and feels. Dehydrated skin symptoms can be avoided by drinking plenty of water, wearing sunscreen, and avoiding moisture loss whenever possible. Diet can also play a role; try incorporating leafy greens, citrus fruits, and fish to maximize the effectiveness of your hydration. These are all hydrating foods for skin, so be sure to add them to your grocery list each week.

Maintaining Hydrated Skin

Hydrating skin from the inside out requires a bit more effort than most people realize. While drinking plenty of water can indeed help with skin hydration, it’s just the first step in maintaining that healthy glow. In addition to increasing your daily water intake, try upping the amount of time you spend sleeping. Eight to nine hours can do wonders to make your skin look and feel smooth and clear. 

If you’re a fan of hot showers, try limiting them to five to 10 minutes. Avoid washing your face with hot shower water, too – it can be incredibly drying. Instead, wash in the sink with cold water and a gentle cleanser. Limit coffee and alcohol, both of which are diuretics and sap moisture. 

It’s also important to protect your skin when you’re outside. Sunscreen is a must, but a sun hat can go a long way in protecting your hydrated, clear skin, too. 

Drink More Water with Iron Flask

Few people ever intend to become dehydrated – it just happens! We get busy, life gets in the way, and we forget about hydrating our bodies. Even when we have clear goals for our skin or our performance in the gym, it’s easy to slack on water consumption. Much of learning how to get clear skin naturally boils down to drinking your water each day. If you find yourself consistently struggling to meet your hydration goals, investing in a quality stainless steel water bottle like Iron Flask is a simple decision that can go a long way. 

An attractive water bottle that holds plenty of H20 can be a real boon to your hydration efforts. Pick one in your favorite color and you’ll be more inclined to carry it around with you throughout the day. The larger the bottle, the fewer times you’ll need to refill it. Straws can also help you stay hydrated, as they offer a simple way to mindlessly sip as you work, relax, or spend time with friends. By putting your hydration efforts on autopilot, you’ll be more likely to meet your goals. You’ll have hydrated skin in no time!

By consistently supplying your skin with plenty of water, your body will maintain your hydration levels and clear skin will become inevitable. Get proactive about your hydration efforts and reap the benefits of healthy, strong, and more youthful looking skin.