A leading celebrity facialist who counts Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham as clients has revealed how to identify whether your skin is dry or dehydrated, and how to treat each type to get your most glowing complexion yet.
Melanie Grant, who lives in Sydney but has studios in Sydney, Melbourne, LA and Paris, said many people misunderstand the difference between these two skin issues, and this can often mean their approach to skincare isn’t targeted towards their concerns.
‘Just because someone has dry skin, it doesn’t mean their skin is dehydrated,’ Melanie posted on her Instagram page.
‘It all comes down to oil dry versus water dry, which are two very different things that require very different treatments.’
A leading celebrity facialist who counts Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham as clients has revealed how to identify whether your skin is dry or dehydrated (Melanie Grant pictured)
Melanie (pictured) said you can identify whether your skin is dry by taking a close look at it in the mirror. Is it dull, rough, flaky or even scaly? It is likely you have dry skin
What is dry skin and how can I treat it?
At a basic level, Melanie explained that dry skin is caused by a lack of oil, which is naturally produced by the skin.
‘Oily skin is the product of too much sebum; dry skin is the opposite; there isn’t enough sebum to create the lipids our skin needs to stay supple, glowy and healthy,’ Melanie said.
You can identify whether your skin is dry by taking a close look at it in the mirror. Is it dull, rough, flaky or even scaly? It is likely you have dry skin.
Similarly, if your skin feels less elastic and is more prone to showing visible lines, again you might have a dry, dull complexion type.
If you have dry skin, Melanie (pictured) recommends that you look for nourishing ingredients like ‘fatty acids, squalane, glycerin and ceramides’
If you fall into this skin camp, Melanie recommends that you look for nourishing ingredients like ‘fatty acids, squalane, glycerin and ceramides’.
‘Layer a hydrating serum underneath a thick, vitamin-rich moisturiser to lock the hydration in,’ Melanie said.
‘When required, especially in the colder months, a great face oil can give an extra quenching drink to dry skin.’
Some of Melanie’s favourite products for dry skin include Augustinus Bader’s Face Oil and The Rich Cream, as well as the Serum T.E.W.L and Creme Masque Vernix by Biologique Recherche and Chanel’s Huile de Jasmine.
You can find all of these available to buy on her curated Skincare Edit, where Melanie showcases her favourite products right now.
What is dehydrated skin and how can I treat it?
On the other hand, the facialist said that dehydrated skin means that your skin isn’t retaining enough water, and your overall complexion is suffering as a result of this.
‘This can lead to dark under-eye circles, a dull complexion and more prominent fine lines,’ Melanie said.
If you’re struggling to identify whether your skin is dull or dehydrated, Melanie recommends looking underneath your eyes.
If they have circles or are more sunken, then it’s likely you have a dehydrated complexion.
One of the facialist’s top products for dry skin is Augustinus Bader’s Rich Cream (pictured), which stimulates the natural regeneration process of skin cells to transform the skin
‘The treatment of dehydrated skin should be made in tandem with a skincare routine, as it requires some changes to your lifestyle as well as topical skincare,’ Melanie (pictured) said
‘The treatment of dehydrated skin should be made in tandem with a skincare routine, as it requires some changes to your lifestyle as well as topical skincare,’ Melanie said.
‘Dehydrated skin can benefit from moisture-rich hydrating serums and creams, but these should be incorporated alongside increased water consumption and avoiding key environmental stressors.’
Melanie recommends you steer clear of alcohol, coffee and salty foods as much as possible.
Work on upping your hydration after exercise, and drink herbal tea in lieu of caffeinated tea or coffee, and all of this will help to provide your body with the ‘tools to fight dehydrated skin’.
Some of the facialist’s favourite products for dehydrated skin include Victoria Beckham’s Power Serum, Auteur’s Defintive Hyaluron Activator, Biologique Recherche’s Serum Amniotique or Extraits Tissulaires and finally, the Hyaluronic Complex by Vida Glow.
To find out more about Melanie Grant, you can visit her website here.