The skin can feel dry, itchy, or flaky. These may be signs of dry or dehydrated skin! Understanding these two will help you know what products to look for. For dry skin, you can check out this article’s best moisturizers for women over 50 for an idea of available products.

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the Difference?

Knowing the root cause of a problem is the best way to effectively manage a condition. And this is true in dealing with skin issues!

Having dry or dehydrated skin is quite common. And do not be intimidated when dealing with these two conditions! All you need are the best moisturizers or skin hydrators. But first, what are the differences between the two?

Dry Skin

Primarily, the difference between dry and dehydrated skin is the cause of the skin issue. For people with dry skin, their skin type lacks sufficient oils and lipids. Hence, they get that dry appearance over the skin.

Dry skin can also have a white scaly appearance, with some redness or irritation. The skin can feel tight, and fine lines appear more visible.

Moreover, dry skin is also a manifestation of other skin conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis, or eczema. As oils and lipids are lesser on dry skin, you can experience discomfort, especially from severe dryness.

As the skin ages, it produces less sebum and eventually leads to skin dryness. Dry skin is, therefore, more common when we reach around 40 or 50 years old.

Dehydrated Skin

If dry skin is all about lack of enough sebum on the skin, dehydrated skin is concerned with the amount of water. Healthy skin must have around 30% water to help it retain its elasticity and plumpness. Unfortunately, several factors can diminish this amount, causing the skin to be temporarily dehydrated.

Dehydrated skin makes one look less youthful due to earlier manifestations of premature aging. The skin loses its elasticity when it lacks the appropriate amount of water, leading to surface wrinkles and dullness. Furthermore, dehydrated skin makes the under-eyes darker and tired-looking.

A simple way to tell if you have dehydrated skin is by trying the pinch test. Pinch a small portion of your skin on the cheek, hold it for a few seconds and release. If you observe that the skin goes back to how it was, then it may not be dehydrated. On the other hand, if it takes a bit before bouncing back, it may be dehydrated.

You can repeat the pinch test on other areas like the abdomen or back of the hand. But a more precise way of telling your skin condition is by seeking the help of a medical professional!

Best Moisturizers for Women Over 50

Dry and dehydrated skin may have similar appearances, and one can experience a combination of its symptoms. But, these conditions are not inherently a medical problem. Sometimes, the issue stems from the discomfort from itchy skin or infection and inflammation from severe cracking and peeling of the surfaces.

Fortunately, there are many topically applied solutions for these problems! The best moisturizers for women over 50 are geared towards combating symptoms of dry and dehydrated skin. There are numerous products available, and the differences lie in the ingredients and formulation of each product.

If you have dehydrated skin, try looking for ingredients like glycerin, aloe, honey, or snail mucin. Look for seed oil, shea butter, mineral oil, and lanolin if you have dry skin. Sometimes, dryness and dehydration happen at the same time! So look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides to deal with them.

Aside from the ingredients, you need to know that moisturizers also come in various forms, such as:

  • Creams. Cream moisturizers have a high water content that can stay on the skin’s surface and prevent moisture loss.

  • Ointment. These contain the most oil content in these forms of moisturizer. Most topical medicines like antibiotics are delivered in ointment form.

  • Lotion. Lotions contain water and a bit of oil. With this, it has a thinner consistency that can work for any skin type.

  • Gel. In contrast to lotion, gels’ consistency is better used for oily and normal skin. These are oil-free and can hydrate the skin without the greasy and sticky feel.

Here is a quick list of products that you can check out:

Humeda

Humeda is a cream moisturizer perfect for sensitive, acne-prone, and oily skin. The ingredients responsible for this product’s extensive hydrating effects are Pentavitin and Hydranov PA. These ingredients are plant derivatives that can imitate the skin’s Natural Moisturizing Factor and boost water retention.

Night Nourishing Oil

Attain better skin hydration by applying Night Nourishing Oil. These come in soft gelatin capsules, and you need one or two per application. You may use this product if your skin needs extra moisture, skin rejuvenation, and prevention of further water loss.

The formulation of Night Nourishing Oil looks like the natural oils found in the skin. As this hydrates the skin, it slows aging, maintains skin integrity, and lightens dark under-eye areas.

Celeteque Hydration Face Moisturizer

Celeteque Hydration Face Moisturizer is an oil-free and fragrance-free option. This product is one of the best moisturizers because it is formulated to prevent skin irritation and is proven to hydrate even sensitive skin types.

The primary ingredients of this moisturizer are aloe vera, glycerin, and pro-vitamins B5. So, it is both soothing and hydrating making it perfect for dry and inflamed skin!

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Face Moisturizer

Another gel-type product to look for is the Hydro Boost Water Gel. Neutrogena has great formulations for their moisturizers that aim for long-lasting hydration. Hydrating the skin with this product can give you a fresh and youthful glow!

Hydro Boost Water Gel contains amino acids and hyaluronic acid. Plus, it has a light texture that does not leave a sticky feeling.

Skin Lab’s Coco Shea Hydrating Gel Cream

Coconut water, vitamin E, and shea butter combined in a skin care product can give you an extra hydration boost. And you can get this all with Skin Lab’s Coco Shea Hydrating Gel Cream. A relatively new component here is coconut water. This ingredient can revitalize dull skin to give it a plumper appearance.

For radiant and youthful glowing skin, you can try using Coco Shea Hydrating Gel Cream. It can also help with minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, perfect for addressing premature skin aging and dry skin.

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-in-One Cream

Snail mucin is another powerful skin-hydrating ingredient. It may sound unusual, but this ingredient is popular in Korean skincare, one of which is the COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-in-One Cream.

With snail mucin, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid, this moisturizer will lock skin moisture, improve its elasticity, and prevent further drying of the skin.

Simple Tips for Keeping Your Skin Healthy

An effective moisturizer can go a long way. But you can also add several lifestyle modifications to ensure that your skin remains healthy in the long run!

Keep yourself extra hydrated when you have dehydrated skin. Drink more water and eat more water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, keep moisturizing if you have dry skin. You can use a humidifier to boost the moisture in your room, especially during colder months.

Conclusion

The primary difference between dry and dehydrated skin is the cause of the condition. Dry skin is due to inadequate sebum production, while dehydrated skin is due to lack of water. Once you know your skin’s needs, you can check out different moisturizers to alleviate itchiness, flaking, inflammation, and premature aging.

Make sure to understand the differences in types of moisturizers and their ingredients, and these are the keys to being the best moisturizer for women over 50, where skin issues are very common. The correct use of the appropriate product would be a massive help for dry and dehydrated skin!

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