Total Hydration: Topical and Ingestible Hydrating Ingredients

We have all heard of hydration, but what exactly is it, and what is the best way of obtaining hydration for our body? According to the Oxford Dictionary, hydration is the process of causing something to absorb water.¹

The primary purpose of keeping our body hydrated is vital. Hydration allows the blood to carry glucose, oxygen and other nutrients to cells. It helps kidneys rid waste products and lubricates the eyes, joints, skin and GI tract to function healthily.

Hydration in the Spa

Our job as spa professionals is to care for the skin. We see dehydration every day in our clients. We can tell when we place our hands on their skin. Is their skin pliable? Does it bounce back, lack spring action and have many fine wrinkles?

We know the skin is the largest organ in our body, weighing around eight pounds. Without it, we would evaporate! This organ deserves the respect of consuming foods that fuel and heal, rather than wear down and destroy it, as well as skin care ingredients that aid in hydration.

With your dehydrated clients, you'll notice that they may have itchy skin, under eye circles, sunken eyes, dull skin and more noticeable fine lines. The skin tends to lose its elasticity, which makes it more prone to wrinkles and sagging. Other signs of dehydration are: dry mouth, extreme thirst, headache, sleepiness/fatigue, dizziness or lightheadedness, confusion and no tears when crying.

Hydrating From the Inside Out

It has been studied that sugar, alcohol, processed foods and smoking all contribute to the acceleration of the aging process, along with the dehydration of our skin. Knowing this, it’s essential to focus on limiting these depleting options and consuming foods and products proven to reverse this phenomenon. The fact is that it’s never too late to begin this lifestyle.

Drinking enough water each day is crucial for so many reasons, too. Water helps to regulate the body’s temperature, keep the joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to the cells and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition and mood.

The water you’re drinking must penetrate the cells to hydrate them fully. Many health practitioners say just drinking water does not achieve this and suggest adding a pinch of Celtic Salt or Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to push the water into our cells, hydrating them. This is why when someone goes to the ER, they are immediately put in a saline bag, so their cells are hydrated. Table salt will not do this and is not healthy for our bodies.

Our skin will always show us what is going on inside the body. When the skin is dehydrated, it loses more water than it absorbs. Not drinking enough or sweating too much can cause water loss, bringing dry skin.

Foods with a high concentration of water will hydrate us from the inside. Along with high water content, these foods are filled with vitamins, minerals and a ton of healing benefits for both our physical bodies and our cerebral emotions. What a win! There is something to be said about eating a healthy meal and feeling great instead of the uncomfortable sense we have after eating a meal filled with processed chemicals. Here are some foods that are amazing at increasing hydration inside the body.

Related: 7 Thirst Quenching Tips for Boosted Skin Hydration

1. Apples

Apples have 86% water content and have a profound hydrating effect on the cellular level. An apple provides electrolytes and mineral salts that rehydrate the body after exercise or stress of any kind. Instead of drinking a sugar-filled electrolyte sports drink, eat an apple! Eating an apple can heal and calm us by providing phytochemicals that feed the neurons and increase electrical activity in our brains.

Additionally, they help speed up our liver's regeneration process and cleanse our organs and lymphatic systems while repairing damaged skin. There is a reason why we hear “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

2. Radishes

Radishes are an immune builder and have a whopping 95.3% water content. The sulfur in radishes helps clean our arteries and veins, and helps stop plaque from adhering to the linings of our blood vessels. Radishes are incredibly helpful and act as an excellent food source for our hearts. They help in reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.

The best part of a radish is the top part, the leafy greens. This is known to be the second most potent prebiotic (wild blueberries being first). The radish greens contain many nutrients rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and cancer-fighting alkaloids. The emotional support a radish offers is an uplifting effect. They are great to eat and can lift your spirits when feeling down. You can eat them raw or cooked.

3. Wild Blueberries

Wild blueberries are the most powerful antioxidant out there. They are considered one of the world's healthiest foods and contain 84% water. Wild blueberries are full of polyphenols, anthocyanin and amino acids, all of which help in detoxing heavy metals inside the body. They are the most powerful brain food in existence, contain prebiotics and restore liver function. These tiny blue orbs are the skin's best friend. They help to brighten and repair the skin. Wild blueberries offer emotional support when we feel distracted or unsure. Eat a bowl of these little blue wonders and observe how your mood and skin changes.

4. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are 97% water. This vegetable is one of my personal favorites. Cucumbers help hydrate on a deep cellular level, similar to an apple. They cool down the adrenals and kidneys, helping aid in their filtering process. Cucumbers can also help reduce anxiety, as they deliver trace minerals and amino acids to neurotransmitters. The emotional aspect cucumbers bring is calming. You've heard the saying "cool as a cucumber." Now, you know why.

Hydrating Skin Care Ingredients

Let's look at ingredients that help prevent water loss and help skin rehydrate from the inside. There are many to list, but I'll just name three basic ingredients that aid in hydration. There are also other tips and tricks to keeping the skin hydrated and healthy. (See 4 Skin Hydration Tips).

1. Humectants. Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin and shea butter pull water from the air and deeper layers of the stratum corneum to add to skin moisture. One of the most well-known and influential ingredients is hyaluronic acid, which is known to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. This is an excellent plumping mechanism, and our body naturally makes hyaluronic acid, so it is not foreign to our cells, which means a low risk for allergies.

2. Glycerin. Glycerin is a sugar alcohol and is referred to as glycerol. Glycerin is produced from vegetable or animal sources. I prefer organic glycerin extracted from flax seeds. It's palm-free, non-GMO, alcohol-free and vegan. It’s important that an ingredient has no alcohol when applied to dehydrated or dry skin, as alcohol can dry and irritate the skin.

3. Shea Butter. This ingredient is my absolute favorite for hydrating the skin. Its creamy consistency moisturizes, soothes and protects dry skin. Shea butter is a highly nourishing butter native to Africa. Shea trees only bear fruit once annually after they are around 20 years old. Organic shea butter is a premium quality, cold-pressed and 100% natural—no harsh chemicals or GMOs. I absolutely love this ingredient for all skin types.

4 Skin Hydration Tips

1. Sleep eight hours.
2. Limit caffeine and alcohol.
3. Use lukewarm water when showering instead of hot.
4. Incorporate fatty acids into your diet.

Happy Hydrating

Fruits, vegetables and skin care ingredients can enhance or deplete our health. One of my favorite quotes is from Hippocrates: "Let food be thy medicine; thy medicine shall be thy food."

Reference:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/hydration

Renowned beauty and skin care expert, Lisa Stewart’s passion and tireless efforts have earned her a place in the market as one of the country's most beloved and most sought-after skin care professionals. She is the guest beauty expert for Fox, The Doctor's, writer and advisory board member for Skin Inc; she is the founder and owner of Solia Spa and Peri Skin Care and is a co-host for the national TV show, Lite It Up TV. She is also working on launching her nonprofit, Michael’s Promise.