Turn on the waterworks: how to hydrate your skin type

If you only do one thing for your skin, make it this. Hydration's the best way to keep yourself looking young, but every skin type needs to be watered in its own way.

Hydrating different skin types

All skins need water, all the time, and it can come from drinks, fruits, vegetables and hydrating moisturisers. A lack of water leads to dehydrated skin that feels itchy and tight; it can become rough or dull, with fine lines. Showering (especially in hard water), cold or windy weather, pollution and smoking can also play havoc with your skin. But hydrating products like creams, masks and serums restore balance by retaining moisture. Creams rich in hydrating ingredients enhance your skin's natural water-retention process, preventing dehydration and dryness. 
  • Normal skin: smooth, with a matt appearance and an even texture, thanks to perfect water/lipid levels in the epidermis. Normal skin feels comfortable and needs a hydrating treatment that is neither too rich nor too light. - Combination skin: the most difficult to treat. The T-zone has an excess of sebum, causing an uneven skin texture and dilated pores, while the cheeks have normal skin. A light, fluid cream is best during the day and a hydrating, mattifying one will balance sebum levels overnight. - Oily skin: prone to imperfections, oily skin is unbalanced and, contrary to popular belief, can easily become dehydrated. Use a hydrating, mattifying cream or anti-imperfection treatment in the morning and a repair cream at night. 
  • Dry, sensitive skin: lacking in sebum and desperate for nourishment, it can feel tight and lack lustre. Opt for a hydrating, protective moisturiser in the morning to ease discomfort and a rich cream at night. 
  • Mature skin: thin, prone to liver spots, less resistant to external factors, and lacking suppleness, firmness and radiance. Go for a protective, hydrating anti-ageing cream in the morning. At night, gently apply a regenerating anti-ageing treatment to the face, neck and cleavage.