Does drinking water help our skin?
We’ve heard it from nutritionists, doctors, fitness coaches, beauty bloggers, & skincare experts; “Drink a lot of water!” This is because hydrating our bodies with the proper amount of water can greatly improve our overall health. But does drinking water actually make a difference in how our skin looks? The answer is YES! Drinking a good amount of water every day helps flush away lymph fluid that causes puffiness, decreases breakouts, and strengthens skin proteins.
scrub me secret: on my new facial client consultation form at the skin care studio one of my questions is “how much water do you drink in a day?”. This is important for me to know so I can best address any skin concerns. Depending on your water intake I may suggest trying to up your ounces of water per day to achieve the best results for your skin.
4 Ways drinking water helps your skin’s health and appearance:
Lessens puffiness in your face.
Stagnant lymph fluid and sodium retention in the body are things that contribute to puffiness around the eyes and face. You can help minimize this facial puffiness by staying properly hydrated throughout the day. Keeping our bodies hydrated with enough water will help excess sodium to flush out of our systems, helping fluid retention to go down. Drinking lots of water every day also helps to keep our lymph fluid moving; this also helps lessen any puffiness we may be experiencing.
scrub me secret: According to the mayo clinic, the adequate amount of daily water intake for women is 2.7 liters and 3.7 liters for men. I have a hydro flask water bottle that is 40oz so that would mean I should be drinking about 2.5 of those per day since I’m a female.
Detoxes toxins that cause breakouts.
As we discussed above, proper hydration keeps our lymph fluid moving. Lymph fluid is responsible for helping our bodies eliminate toxins; this includes bacteria that contribute to acne and breakouts. Lymph fluid is made up of mostly water so the more water we give to our bodies the better it is for our lymphatic system. When this fluid is moving and functioning properly it’s eliminating those toxins we don’t want. If we are dehydrated this fluid becomes stagnant and cannot eliminate bacteria and waste. This is especially important for acne-prone skin types!
scrub me secret: more water intake along with a proper skincare routine can definitely help minimize breakouts! but what happens when that inevitable hormonal or stress-induced pimple pops up out of nowhere? My blog post “Don’t pop that pimple. Do this instead.” gives my best esthetician tips to getting a breakout to go away fast.
Gives skin a firmer feel.
Our skin is a living organ that is affected by what’s going on inside our bodies. When we don’t give our bodies enough water we start to become dehydrated. Internal dehydration will start to affect our skin by making the texture feel tight, rough, stiff, or even cracked in some cases. Our skin’s elasticity is improved when we drink enough water. Proper water intake is also said to help increase the oxygen flow in our body which helps keep our collagen and elastin proteins alive. A hydrated body equals firm, bouncy, soft skin.
Helps skin to heal itself more quickly.
Are you having trouble with small cuts, scrapes, or popped pimples healing in a timely manner? This could be a sign that you need to up your water intake! Our bodies rely on hydration and water to function correctly and keep oxygen, blood flow, and lymph moving at a prompt rate. All these things are key when it comes to our bodies being able to heal themselves. Giving your body enough water each day will help it be able to heal those popped pimples, blemishes, or other markings faster.
scrub me secret: ingesting vitamins, collagen, nutrients, and minerals from foods, fruits, and veggies is something else we can do to help our skin heal quickly and have a clear complexion. In my blog post “6 superfoods, supplements, and drinks that improve your skin.” I list some things that we can eat and drink that can really help your skin glow.
Okay fellow skincare fanatics, if you needed a sign to up your daily water intake I think this is it! Remembering to hydrate enough is actually a harder task than some make it seem. We are busy people and hydration often isn’t at the top of our lists. I recommend grabbing yourself a cute reusable water bottle or water jug and treat it like your bestie! Take the bottle with you EVERYWHERE and you will find the time to finish your needed amount of water for the day. My 32oz water bottle is always by my side and I just sip it slowly throughout the day whenever I can. I sip it leisurely throughout the day and refill when empty. I am usually able to drink about 90oz.