How to hydrate for your best skin
We used to make little habits for ourselves like, “stop in the kitchen and chug a glass of water every time you come back from a bathroom break.” Then we learned that the “eight glasses of water a day” rule has virtually no science behind it, and also chugging water doesn’t really hydrate you because your body can only absorb about 4oz of water in 30 minutes (if you’re working out and sweating profusely, that amount increases to 16oz in 30 minutes). If you drink more than you can process, you basically just pee it out. Who has time for all those bathroom breaks?
Sip don’t chug
Keeping your skin hydrated is one of the easiest and best beauty treatments you can give yourself. You’ll have fewer fine lines and wrinkles; it will improve your complexion, reduce puffiness, clear acne, and the list of benefits goes on and on! Since your body can’t absorb more than a small Dixie cup of water every 30 minutes, you may want to switch-up your water tactics. Instead of chugging a bunch of water every couple of hours, it’s best to sip small amounts consistently throughout the day. We don’t know about you, but when we found this out, we were so relieved (ha ha — we love a good pun — and not having to take so many bio-breaks).
Seriously, stop with all those crazy rules that you have to finish a gallon of water every day!
If you’re tired of plain water
Caffeine has a diuretic effect, so you can’t cheat and substitute coffee, tea, or caffeinated sodas for water. And anything with sugar can inhibit hydration, so fruit juices, sports drinks, and sweet teas don’t cut it either. You do, however, have three good options when it comes to hydrating your skin — water, caffeine-free teas, and coconut water.
If you’re tired of plain water, try an herbal tea (hot or cold), which also has the added benefit of being packed with antioxidants. Coconut water is another good choice because it’s 95% water with the bonus of natural electrolytes (potassium, sodium, and manganese). Finally, you can always infuse your water with things like lime, basil, cucumber and/or mint, etc. to give it more flavor without adding a bunch of sugar.
Water and electrolysis
If you’re seeing us at Prickly Pear for permanent hair removal, you probably already know the moisture content of your skin is the most critical part of the electrolysis equation. Electrolysis relies on alternating and direct current. The amount destructive force we can generate in the hair follicle will be greater if the surrounding substances in your skin conduct electricity. With this in mind, thankfully your skin is more than 65% water (a highly conductive substance)!
If you come for an appointment and you’re only 70% hydrated, however, you may only be getting 70% of the possible hair destruction during your session — meaning you have to come back more times to achieve the same result (than someone with 100% hydrated skin).
We can’t stress enough the importance of drinking water — little sips throughout the day — for your best skin and the most efficient electrolysis sessions possible!
Cheers to you (in small Dixie cups, of course), and see you in the salon very soon!