When it comes to skincare, a product having skin benefits such as ‘hydrating’ and ‘moisturizing’ are undeniable selling points, but what do those terms actually mean? 

Often used interchangeably, hydration and moisturisation are essential processes for your skin’s health, but they differ in their purpose and how they work. We’ll dive into each individual process and what you need to know, including what order to use your hydrating and moisturizing products. 

Skin hydration

Skin hydration is all about increasing the water content within the skin. Moisturizers and serums with active hydrating ingredients in them can help the skin attract water and retain it.  Humectant ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and glycerin all help to boost your skin’s hydration. 

Naturally produced by the body, hyaluronic acid is a substance that is able to hold a thousand times its own weight in water and helps to prevent moisture loss also. Aloe vera is highly hydrating as well as healing, and glycerin is a highly effective humectant that helps hydrate and smooth the skin.

How to hydrate your skin

The process of hydrating your skin begins long before you start to moisturize. It’s important to use products that are formulated with natural, skin-loving ingredients. 

Face Toner with Hyaluronic Acid 

After cleansing your skin, spritz some of our Hydrating Face Toner over the skin. Enriched with hyaluronic acid to add a hit of hydration and plump the skin, and chamomile extract to soothe the skin from irritation.

This balancing face toner helps to revitalize and refresh tired skin. It works to brighten and hydrate the skin as it is formulated using hyaluronic acid and glycerin, effective humectants that draw water to the skin.

Upcycled ingredients: anti-inflammatory residual water of green mandarin fruit, a by-product of the juicing industry, and skin-soothing chamomile stem extract, a by-product of the tea industry.

Peptide Serum

While your skin is still damp, apply some of our Peptide Serum to your skin, using your fingertips to massage the product into the skin. Applying while your skin is damp helps the active ingredients, such as niacinamide, sink into your skin and be better absorbed.

Clinically proven to improve skin elasticity by 29% over the course of 14 days, we recommend using this serum morning and night.

The upcycled custard apple used in this formulation is not only great at hydrating the skin, but it also contains antioxidants and antimicrobial properties that work to prevent signs of premature ageing. 

This serum is recommended for all skin types, even the most sensitive skin, due to its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Upcycled ingredients: custard apple, a by-product of the food industry, to make your skin glow, and blood orange water which works to brighten the skin. 

Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid and Coffee

Working to boost hydration, this hyaluronic acid infused Eye Cream helps to reduce puffiness in your skin and brighten up dark undereye circles.

Firming and protecting the delicate eye area, this eye cream helps to target fine lines.

Upcycled ingredients: coffee oil extracted from repurposed grounds from London cafés, and anti-inflammatory maple bark extract, a by-product of the wood industry.

Face Moisturizer with Vitamin E

Multi award-winning and deeply hydrating, this fast-absorbing Face Moisturizer with vitamin E helps to nourish and brighten the skin.

Dermatologically approved, this vegan face cream is suitable for all skin types. Combining skin-soothing cocoa butter, aloe vera and blood orange, this moisturizer draws water into the skin, boosting its hydration. 

Upcycled ingredient: finely-ground powder of discarded argan shells, a natural by-product of the argan oil industry and rich in antioxidant vitamin E.

Skin moisturisation

Skin moisturisation is different from skin hydration as it is concerned with preventing water loss from the skin, rather than actively trying to draw water into the skin as hydrators do. Moisturizing ingredients create a protective barrier on the skin, sealing in hydration and reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Common moisturizing ingredients include emollients (like butters and oils), occlusives such as petroleum jelly, and natural oils like jojoba oil, coconut oil and rosehip oil.

How to moisturize your skin

In order to moisturize your skin, we recommend focusing on using products enriched with natural oils that will help to support the integrity of your skin’s natural barrier. With a stronger skin barrier, TEWL can be reduced, keeping your skin as nourished as possible.

Face Oil with Coffee Extract

Our multi-award winning Face Oil boosts collagen production in the skin and is rich in vitamin C. This hydrating face oil is dermatologically approved for all skin types to enjoy.

It’s important that this product is used after a moisturizer, as it is completely oil-based and works through occlusion. The oil forms a protective layer over the skin, locking in the hydration that the previous products have provided. 

All the skin-loving ingredients in the peptide serum and moisturizer are sealed into the skin when you use a face oil as the last step of your skincare routine. 

Upcycled ingredient: coffee oil extracted from upcycled coffee grounds from London cafés to make your skin glow.

Discover our full collection of nourishing skincare at UpCircle.