What is dehydrated skin?

Simply put, dehydrated skin is skin that lacks water. A deficiency in skin moisture leads to tightness, flaking, and can make the skin more sensitive, prone to irritation, redness, and accelerated aging.

Dehydrated skin can affect all skin types (oily, dry, combination) and is often confused with dry skin. The fundamental difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin is that dry skin lacks both water and oil, whereas dehydrated skin is merely a temporary state of water deficiency.

Why does skin become dehydrated?

The skin has a natural water regulation mechanism (Skin Hydro Regulation) to maintain the necessary water content for its function. Three factors influence the skin's water regulation mechanism: NMFs (Natural Moisturizing Factors), Lipids in the stratum corneum, and Aquaporin. When any of these three factors are deficient or not functioning optimally, the skin becomes prone to dehydration.

Hydration: NMFs (Natural Moisturizing Factors)

NMFs (Natural Moisturizing Factors) are a group of substances (amino acids and humectants) naturally produced by the skin that can bind water to the stratum corneum. When NMFs are abundant, skin cells become hydrated and plump, which is why after applying NMF-rich moisturizers, you'll immediately notice plumper, smoother skin.

Retaining moisture: Lipids in the stratum corneum

To prevent moisture from escaping the skin (TEWL), the skin surface always has an oil layer that acts as a protective barrier against water loss. This lipid layer is composed of fatty acids, squalene, diglycerides, cholesterol esters, and cholesterol. For congenitally dry skin, this lipid layer is deficient, causing the skin to lose moisture easily and become rough and less smooth.

Water transport: Aquaporin

Aquaporins are proteins that act like water channels, allowing fluid to move freely between cells. Scientists have discovered 13 aquaporins, with AQP3 being the most common in our skin. AQP3 not only transports water but also glycerol across skin cell membranes. The more AQP3 present, the better the moisture distribution in the deeper layers of the skin, enhancing its water retention capacity and strengthening the skin's protective barrier.

How to address dehydrated skin?

Moisturizing is the most common solution to prevent dehydration. While most moisturizers work by binding water to the skin and reducing water evaporation, oh!oh! has added a mechanism to activate the skin's moisture distribution channels – Aquaporin – to support skin hydration from within.

EOX Defending Tonique Toner - a collection of next-generation moisturizing ingredients:

AQUAXYL™ complex: is one of the most advanced moisturizing ingredients today, affecting all three factors that regulate skin water content. AQUAXYL™ is a complex comprising three natural sugar-derived ingredients: Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol. Sugar is one of the NMF components mentioned above, so when using moisturizers containing AQUAXYL™, you will immediately notice plumper skin. Beyond immediate efficacy, in vitro and ex vivo studies have also shown that AQUAXYL™ helps increase AQP3 levels, promoting skin hydration from within and improving long-term moisture and skin barrier function.

7 Types of Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic Acid – an NMF component used in most serums and creams, but did you know that in advanced formulations, Hyaluronic Acid is used in various molecular sizes to moisturize through multiple mechanisms:

• Hyaluronic Acid: reduces water evaporation and can act similarly to an occlusive.
• Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate: HA salts, whose molecular size easily penetrates the stratum corneum, transporting water and moisture to the inner layers of the skin.
• Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate: with ultra-small molecular sizes that easily penetrate deeper layers of the skin, providing restorative and collagen-boosting effects.
• Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate: acts on the skin surface, forming a strong film that binds to the epidermis, preventing water loss.
• Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer: a cross-linked structure that offers 5 times the water-binding capacity of conventional Hyaluronic Acid.

Beta-Glucan: considered a third-generation moisturizing ingredient, is a large sugar molecule with 20 times the moisturizing capacity of Hyaluronic Acid. Despite its relatively large molecular size, Beta-glucan can penetrate deep into the skin (dermis) to improve wrinkle depth and skin texture in just 8 weeks. In addition to moisturizing, Beta-glucan also strengthens the skin's immune system, soothes redness and irritation, and boosts collagen production to combat aging.

Additionally, EOX Defending Tonique Toner also contains soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients such as Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Allantoin, and Panthenol, making it ideal for sensitive and irritated skin.

With its alcohol-free formula, light texture, rapid absorption, and non-greasy finish, the EOX Defending Tonique Toner will provide sufficient moisture for oily skin without stickiness, while also strengthening the protective barrier of oily, sensitive skin.