The main difference between hydrate and moisturize is that hydrating provides the skin with moisture while moisturizing helps the skin to retain moisture.
Although both hydrate and moisturize are similar words, in skincare, these two have slightly different meanings. Hydrating and moisturizing are two important skincare systems when you have dehydrated or dry skin. Hydrating is necessary for people with dehydrated skin, while moisturizing is necessary for people with dry skin.
Key Areas Covered
1. What Does Hydrate Mean
– Definition, Features
2. What Does Moisturize Mean
– Definition, Features
3. Relationship Between Hydrate and Moisturize
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Hydrate and Moisturize
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Hydrate, Moisturize
What Does Hydrate Mean
Hydrating refers to providing your skin with water to improve the skin’s ability to absorb moisture and nutrients and make it look bouncy and plump. Hydrating prevents your skin from dehydrating. Dehydrating is a condition that can make your skin look dull and lackluster. Dehydrated skin is mainly caused by a lack of water. Several other factors, like an unbalanced diet, inadequate sleep, environmental stressors, and cosmetic products, can also contribute to dehydrated skin. If your skin is dehydrated, it will look dull and feel tight and flaky. You’ll even feel that this skin never feels hydrated despite the various products you use. People with all types of skin (whether dry, oily, or combination skin) can experience dehydrated skin.
To hydrate your skin, you can use various hydrating skin creams. What these creams basically do is add water to the skin and help to trap water in the skin. They typically contain ingredients with hydrating molecules like hyaluronic acid, which help to absorb water.
What Does Moisturize Mean
To moisturize means to make your skin less dry. People with dry skin need moisturizing. Dry skin is a type of skin that does not have the ability to produce an adequate amount of oil and tendency to experience more transepidermal water loss (evaporation of water from the skin). Moisturizing helps to prevent this water loss while reinforcing your skin’s barrier function. Unlike dehydrated skin, it’s not a condition caused by a lack of water. Dry skin can occur due to genetics, hormones, old age, or climate. Dry skin looks dull, flaky, and tight.
People with dry skin can moisturize their skin using a moisturizing cream. These creams help to soften and smoothen the skin. Generally, they contain moisturizing ingredients like humectants, which include glycerin or ceramides. In addition, moisturizing products are typically thicker than hydrating products and stay on the skin’s surface.
Relationship Between Hydrate and Moisturize
- Both hydrating and moisturizing help the skin retain water.
- They help to prevent your skin from looking dull, tight, and flaky.
Difference Between Hydrate and Moisturize
Definition
To hydrate means to provide water to the skin and help to trap water in the skin, while to moisturize means to make your skin less dry.
Type of Skin
Hydrating is necessary for people with dehydrated skin, while moisturizing is necessary for people with dry skin.
Function
Hydrating provides the skin with moisture while moisturizing helps the skin to retain moisture.
Creams
Moreover, hydrating creams are thin and sink deep into the skin, but moisturizing creams are thick and stay on the skin’s surface.
Conclusion
The main difference between hydrate and moisturize is that hydrating provides the skin with moisture while moisturizing helps the skin to retain moisture. Moreover, hydrating is necessary for people with dehydrated skin, while moisturizing is necessary for people with dry skin.
Reference:
1. “When Moisturizer ‘Sinks’ into Your Skin, Where Does It Actually Go?” Science ABC, 22 Jan. 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Woman moisturizing her hand with cosmetic cream” By (CC BY 2.0) Marco Verch Professional Photography
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