Photo credit Taras Kalapun

Often enough, advices about the hydration of skin can be found all around as one of the most basic advices connected to skin care. Keeping the skin hydrated is connected to the process of moisturizing. Moisturizers (a more scientific term is emollients) are chemical agents which are used to keep the external parts of the epidermis (skin) more pliable and softer, which then in turn increases the amount of hydration because they reduce the amount of water lost by sweating or through evaporation.

Moisturizing is increased by using specialized skin creams and products which are recommended to people who have naturally less oily skin (these are lucky when it comes to this natural water conservation, but not so lucky when it comes to acne). But, the much more important fact is that no moisturizers can keep in water which simply isn’t there!

Not that recently, soda was the favorite drink in the USA, while the good old H20 took the back seat. Thankfully, this started to change in 2013, but still, a great deal of people simply doesn’t drink enough water in their everyday life, believing that things like Coke will do everything H20 does (and they don’t, while they also make you fat, thanks Coke’s Santa Clause for this additional gift). Aside from many serious health issues which come from a lack of hydration (kidney problems, fatigue, etc.) a lack of water will show in your skin no matter how much moisturizers you might use. Mayo Clinic recommends that everyone should drink at least 1.9 liters of water daily, which is around eight glasses that hold 8-ounce (8 by 8 rule). You shouldn’t count coffee, soda, juices or any other non-water products in this equation.

Anything less that this simply isn’t enough. If you drink less than 2 liters a day, your skin will show this by losing its elasticity and becoming cracked and dry. Water is our friend, and a friend of your skin. Drink it in ample amounts.