Moisture vs. Hydration: What's the Difference
Do hydrating and moisturizing products do the same thing? Can I use one or the other? Do I pair them together? What happens when I—gasp—come across the double-whammy of something that is both hydrating and moisturizing?
Hydration and moisture are often used interchangeably, even though each function in their own magical way to take care of and nourish your skin. It is very easy to confuse the two, especially when product descriptions or reviews praise both hydrating and moisturizing products for providing soft, glowing, nourished, bouncy, plump skin.
Let's understand how hydration and moisture function on their own before they embrace one another to help you achieve healthy, radiant, glowing skin!
Water vs. Oil
If you're familiar with the phrase water and oil don't mix, perfect! For a quick chemistry lesson––this happens because of the chemical nature of oil and water molecules. Oils (lipids) are insoluble, which means they are not able to dissolve in water, so if you try to mix oil and water, you'll notice oil will float at the surface. When we think of the difference between hydration and moisture, hydration equals water, and moisture equals oil. No matter which skin type or concerns you have, hydration and moisture are your friends as they will work in harmony.
Hydration
Let's get to know hydration a little better! When you're thirsty, you reach for a glass of water to feel refreshed and replenished. Well, your skin also gets thirsty, and we like to think of hydration as a tall glass of water for your skin. Simply put, hydration means increasing the skin's water content.
Hydrators are humectants, which draw water in from the environment and the deeper layer of your skin (so it's important to stay hydrated) and work like a magnet to infuse your skin cells with water, improving the skin's ability to absorb moisture and nutrients. While all skin types and concerns benefit from hydration, those with dehydrated, dull skin may benefit from hydrating products like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, fatty acids, amino acids, and peptides.
Moisture
If hydration is like a tall glass of water for your skin, moisture (oil) is there to trap and seal in everything hydration brings to your skin––there's the embrace we talked about! Moisturizers are occlusives, which work to prevent moisture from evaporating from your skin (also called Transepidermal water loss) and reinforce your natural skin barrier.
All skin has a natural lipid (oil) barrier, but when skin is drier or aging, that lipid barrier starts to break down, and the skin loses moisture. Just like hydration, all skin types and concerns need moisture. If your skin leans on the dry side, you most likely lack oil.
When you're thinking about which order to apply skincare, you'll want to apply hydrating products first and then a moisturizing product to lock in everything.
RUVI
RUVI's Age-Defying Glow Serum is oil-based and works as a moisturizer! Hopefully, hearing the word oil automatically made you think of moisture! Our powerhouse, superfruit ingredient Bataua is rich in Oleic, Palmitic, and Stearic acids—the holy grail of deep, long-lasting moisture resulting in velvety soft, smooth skin! It also plumps your skin to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and visibly brightens for a radiant all-day glow. Pair RUVI with a hydrating product to bring even more moisture and nutrients to your skin for an off-the-charts glow!
Hydrating Products We Love
Now that we know hydration and moisture are a dynamic duo, here are some hydrating products to pair with the moisturizing powers of RUVI Age-Defying Glow Serum:
Moon Juice Plump Jelly Hydrating Serum