Dry skin and dehydrated skin are actually two very different things. Dry skin results from external factors such as sun exposure, pollution or wind chaffing. Dehydrated skin is a result of an internal factor, and that is dehydration. It is so important to make sure you are consuming enough fluids throughout the day, not only to keep your body functioning well, but also to make sure your skin stays soft, supple and youthful looking. No amount of cream will be able to remedy skin that is actually being dehydrated from the outside, it will simply improve the surface appearance of your skin for a while as it is unable to give your skin cells the water they so desperately need on the inside.

Dry skin however, can really benefit from a lovely rich moisturiser, preferably one that will soothe your skin as it moisturises. Depending on just how dry your skin is there are varying levels of cream that will be able to help bring your skin back to it’s full glory. If you are experiencing dry skin as a result in the change of seasons, when summer ends and central heating comes on, leaving your skin feeling dry and sore, then you want to start using a slightly richer moisturiser on a daily basis in order to restore your skins moisture and protect it from the elements. It is best not to switch straight from a summer moisturiser to a winter one as it may well be too heavy for your skin and block pore, resulting in spots which isn’t the idea! Instead opt for a mid-level moisturiser, if in doubt opt for something that states it is suitable for normal to dry skin, so you can give your skin an extra boost without overloading it.

Another great skin care cream to help you get dry skin re-moisturised is night cream. Night creams are traditionally much heavier than day creams as they are designed to be applied after cleansing and left on overnight, when no make-up need to be applied over them. Night creams are very rich, but can work wonders on dry skin, giving you noticeably softer skin the first morning after use.

If you feel your skin needs more than just a moisturiser, then there are some wonderful blended skin oils designed for facial skincare. Many people believe that oils are far too rich to be used on their faces, but in fact there are many oils that are perfect to rehydrate and condition tired, dry facial skin without causing oily looking skin or blocked pores. You may have to use a little bit of trial and error when finding the right skin care cream for your winter skin care regime, but remember that it can take around 4-6 weeks for your skin to adjust to a new product so don’t be too quick to dismiss something you feel isn’t working.

There are other factors that can add to us having a less than rosy complexion, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, dehydration and lack of sleep.  All these things attack our skin not just from the outside but the inside too. Dehydrated skin is going to look thin and dull, and this can’t be cured with any kind of miracle cream, drinking water is essential to the health of our skin.

If you are making sure you have a good diet and are drinking plenty of water then your skin is going to be in good condition on the inside, you can then focus on helping your skin look it’s best by giving it some extra care on the outside. Many creams contain vitamins and anti-oxidants that can help smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can boost the appearance of your complexion, or if you feel your skin needs a little more help there are some brilliant skin oils that can give dry skin a much needed boost.

It is important to understand there is a difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin. Dehydrated skin cannot be made better with any kind of cream or oil as it needs moisture from the inside, it it the actual cells that form the structure of your skin that are in need of moisture which can only come from inside i.e. drink water. Dry skin is skin that has suffered at the hands of the elements and pollution and can be helped with skin care creams as it is the outside of the skin that needs help.
Using a good skin care cream that matches your skins needs is a great step towards helping slow the aging process, making sure you look and feel great about your skin and how it is representing you – after all your face is one of the first things people see when they interact with you.

Our skin is subjected to a daily torrent of pollution, sun, wind, rain and chemicals all of which contribute to the aging process. Add to that alcohol and smoking and our skin is beginning to fight a losing battle. Now prevention is of course better than cure, so establishing a good skincare regime in your late teens early twenties is much more important than most of us appreciate. Of course by the time you realise that you should be taking more care of your skin it is too late, as it will no doubt be the appearance of fine lines or perhaps a dull complexion that alerts you to the fact your skin needs help!

Most anti-aging creams will contain “active ingredients” such as retinol, Q-10 or anti-oxidants and it is not uncommon to find creams containing all of these and more. There are mixed opinions on whether these creams actually live up to their claims, and while most of them do produce some improvement in fine lines and wrinkles when used consistently over a period of time this effect is not always long lasting and can wear off when use of the skin care cream is discontinued. The only way to have a really noticeable effect on skin condition is to undergo a slightly more radical procedures such as a chemical peel which can be done using Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHA’s for short. AHA’s can be found in many skin care creams and while they can provide a boost to your complexion when used in a cream they produce their best results in their concentrated form as a face peel as they literally take a layer of skin off leaving the new, fresh skin underneath exposed while stimulating the skins circulation and regeneration at the same time.

An important thing to look out for in all skin care creams, not just anti-aging creams is the sun protection factor. Ideally you should aim for a cream with a factor 15 or higher in order to get the full benefits of it, especially if you are using an anti-aging or anti-wrinkle cream as there is no point using a cream to help fight the effects of aging, of which the sun is a big cause, if you are not going to start taking preventative action at the same time.  There is only so much a face cream can do for you, the rest is up to you to take care of. Make sure you are eating enough fresh fruit and vegetable and most importantly of all drinking lots of water – dehydration is your skins worst enemy leaving it looking dull and tired, properly hydrated skin will feel plump and healthy whereas dehydrated skin will feel thin and papery. No amount of skin care cream can make you look good if you are dehydrated as skin moisture has to start from the inside.