When I was a kid, my grandmother had a one-step skincare regimen: moisturizer. There were no serums, pre-serums (yes, they’re a thing), exfoliants, toners, lotions. For sure, most of those things didn’t exist back then. And she could definitely have upgraded things—a cleanser and some sunscreen might not have gone amiss. But she had the idea right, because hydration is absolutely the cornerstone of beautiful skin.
Why is hydration so important? For starters, it makes skin look plumper, healthier and more radiant, and can fill out fine lines. But it goes deeper than that. “It helps keep skin supple, it supports the skin barrier and supports skin against external stressors,” says Vancouver dermatologist Dr. Katie Beleznay. “When skin is well hydrated, it can help it in tolerating other actives, too.”
“There’s almost a Maslow’s hierarchy of needs when it comes to the skin, where hydration and barrier function would be the most important,” says Alex Apostolopoulos, co-founder of Canadian skincare brand Regimen Lab. “They really do go hand in hand.” The skin’s barrier is a layer of skin cells stuck together with lipids including ceramides. This essentially keeps the bad stuff (pathogens, toxins) out of skin, and the good stuff like water, in.
What are the best ways to get water to your skin? It’s not chugging gallons of water. “There’s a limit to what drinking water can do,” Dr. Beleznay explains. “Of course, just for general lifestyle measures you want to be hydrated and if you’re significantly dehydrated, your skin might not look so great. But there’s definitely been some overblown commentary on how much water you need in order to affect skin. Be hydrated, but 2l vs. 3l won’t move the needle much.”
Ingredients called humectants are one way to increase hydration. These occur naturally in skin in the form of substances like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and urea that absorb water, mainly from inside the body. Our production decreases as we grow older, so many hydrating products are based on replenishing the skin’s levels.
You used to be limited to doing this with topical skincare, which is effective, but not as effective as adding humectants by injecting them. “It’s like going to the dentist every six months versus toothbrushing at home—you get longer lasting and more elevated results,” explains Dr. Beleznay.
This procedure is offered under a few different names, one of which is Restylane Skinboosters. At an appointment, numbing cream is applied and the doctor injects microdroplets of hyaluronic acid all over the face, into the deep dermal layer of skin. There’s typically very little pain and minimal side effects (slight swelling and occasionally, bruising). “You might see an immediate improvement, particularly in fine lines like crow’s feet and sleep lines where you can see softening immediately,” says Dr. Beleznay.
Over the subsequent couple of months, Dr. Beleznay says you really start to see the effects of increased hydration: Glowier skin that perhaps needs less moisturizer and feels smoother and more supple. Dr. Beleznay says there are even a few studies that show it can prompt your skin to make more of its own hyaluronic acid and collagen. Effects typically last six months or so, but that depends on the person, and you can combine the injection with other treatments such as neuromodulators like Botox.
Of course, as well as the six-monthly “dentist visits,” you need the daily “brushing” in the form of skincare. Dr. Beleznay says that hyaluronic acid is a good humectant for topical use — safe, well-tolerated and effective — but it’s not the only one.
The team at Regimen Lab have done a great deal of research into different types of humectant and say hyaluronic acid is actually far from the best. “We initially had multimolecular hyaluronic acid in the first version of our Wave hydration serum and we wanted to update it to add more humectants to it,” says Webster Magcalas, the brand’s cofounder and a cosmetic chemist.
His team bought an instrument called a corneometer that measured the hydration levels of skin after more than 30 different humectants were applied. To his surprise, hyaluronic acid performed significantly worse than other humectants including glycerin — an old-school staple in many skincare products — and acetamidoethoxyethanol, a newer ingredient that he says is now the gold standard for hydration. His research indicated the hyaluronic acid could even dehydrate the skin, though that’s not to say it should be avoided since it’s believed to have longer-term benefits. Still, the latest version of Wave Serum has no hyaluronic acid at all.
Everyone should use some kind of hydrating product and probably a barrier-strengthening one to ensure that the hydration stays put, but what type is best? Dr. Beleznay says it depends on your skin type, condition and environment (for example, the weather conditions and time of year). “Dry skin can benefit from layering: You can start with a hydrating serum containing humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and then follow with a moisturizing cream,” she says, “For very dry skin, consider occlusives like petrolatum (Vaseline) to seal it in. For oily or acne-prone skin I often recommend lighter textures, like gel-cream moisturizers that hydrate without feeling heavy.
Magcales says you should also avoid excessive layering of products too, since every time you apply a water-based product, the barrier opens up. The more times you apply a product and then allow it to dry, the more times the barrier is compromised, which can allow moisture to leave skin. “It’s a balancing act,” he says.
And how can you tell if your regimen is working? “For most people, when skin is well hydrated it feels soft and smooth, not tight, itchy, or flaky,” says Dr. Beleznay. “Other signs to look for to indicate hydrated skin are when fine lines that appear with dehydration are less noticeable and makeup applies smoothly without clinging to dry patches.” —Aileen Lalor
Ready to get your skin hydrated to the max? Here are six products to try
La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Cleanser
Some cleansers can strip moisture. This one has glycerin and ceramides to ensure the skin stays hydrated, while still removing dirt and impurities.
Eminence Organics Shiitake & Ashwagandha Bi-Phase Mist
A refreshing mist that also promises blue-light protection, this is has vitamin D-rich shiitake, ashwagandha and birch water, and is used after makeup for a final spritz of moisture, or to refresh skin during the day.
A light serum, this contains humectants acetamidoethoxyethanol and glycerin, plus barrier repair ingredients and an ingredient designed to kickstart the skin’s own production of aquaporins (channels that facilitate the transport of water in skin).
Eucerin Hyaluron Filler Epigenetic Serum
This creamy serum works on hyaluronic acid three ways: by adding it to skin, boosting skin’s own production of it, and reducing production of an enzyme that degrades it. There’s also Epicelline, which is designed to target age-related DNA damage to improve skin’s structure, elasticity and overall appearance.
Bioderma Hydrabio Light Water Cream
Oily skin needs moisture too. This contains ingredients to strengthen the moisture barrier as well as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and an apple seed extract said to increase circulation of water in the skin.
CURÉL Intensive Moisture Facial Cream
Humectant glycerin helps skin’s hydration levels while ceramides repair the skin barrier to lock it all in. This is ideal for very dry skin that’s sensitive, since it has no fragrances, colourants or alcohol.
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