Dry or dehydrated skin? Here's how to know which one you have

When it comes to finding out your skin is just dry or if it is dehydrated, your dermis can send mixed messages. You may have a flaky texture or a dull look to your skin, but how do you know how to deal with it if you're not sure what it is? We knocked dermatologist Papri Sarkar, MD, based in Brooklyn, Massachusetts. to give us real insight into the differences between dry and dehydrated skin. She told exactly what to look for to determine which one you might have, so before you apply Is it an oil or moisturizer?, read it.

How to know if you have dry skin

“The difference between dry and dehydrated skin depends on its initial behavior,” says Dr. Sarkar. "Dry skin usually has less oil at baseline, and if you have dry skin, you'll know it because it tends to be flaky, itchy, and superficially flaky." The oil, adds Dr. Sarkar, is an integral part of the skin's structure and helps the skin keep the skin's barrier function intact. “It helps preserve the outside and protect the important components inside,” she says. Because of this, dry skin actually gets dehydrated more often because when the oily skin barrier is not as strong, we lose moisture, which is the hallmark of dehydrated skin.

Dry Skin Mode

Since oil is the missing key component of dry skin, cleansing with oily cleansers and using facial oils should be a vital part of your routine, according to Dr. Sarkar. “Cleansing oils or balms are a great way to remove makeup, but you also have a non-dry palette to work with,” she says. Her pro tip is to add a few drops of facial oil to your regular occlusive moisturizer to help lock in moisture.

How to know if you have dehydrated skin

Unlike dry skin, dehydrated skin can be dry, normal, or oily, but it has less water than normal skin. “Dehydrated skin tends to be dull, not plump, and lacks skin turgor,” she says. This means you won't necessarily have a flaky or itchy texture - instead, your skin will look dull and lack moisture due to too little moisture.

Dehydrated Skin Mode

If your skin is dehydrated, Dr. Sarkar recommends adding hyaluronic serum to your routine. We recommend L'Oréal Paris 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum or CeraVe Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum so that no moisture escapes. “Humidifiers are also great for dehydrated skin because they replenish dry, wintry or warm air that draws moisture out of us,” she says.

What should you avoid if you have

Once you've determined if your skin is dry or dehydrated or both! “Dr. Sarkar suggests that there are certain things you should avoid entirely. "For both of these skin types, irritants can have a greater effect than when skin is normal," she says, "so you should avoid over-exfoliating or potential irritants like tea tree oil."