After exposure to the sun, hydration is crucial to maintain suppleness and elasticity, thereby delaying the onset of ageing signs (sagging, wrinkles, fine lines) and the fading of the tan.
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The importance of skin hydration after sun exposure.
Summary
Published February 17, 2022,
updated on October 4, 2024,
by
Maylis, Chemical Engineer
—
5 min read
The importance of skin hydration.
Dry, normal, oily, combination or sensitive, regardless of its type, the skin needs water to maintain its suppleness and elasticity. Hydration is essential to prevent premature skin ageing. However, in the face of certain external aggressions such as the UV rays of the sun, the skin dehydrates quickly. In response to this, after sun exposure, it is important to pay particular attention to skin hydration for two main reasons:
Compensating for the insensible water loss (IWL) that intensifies during exposure to the sun's UV rays.
As a reminder, TEWL (Transepidermal Water Loss) is a phenomenon related to the passive diffusion of water and perspiration, leading to the constant and imperceptible evaporation of water from the dermis to the skin surface. This insensible diffusion through the various layers of the skin is essential for its normal functioning, as this physiological process promotes hydration of its superficial layers and also allows the rise of nutritive substances from the dermis to the epidermis, given that the latter is not vascularised. Under normal functioning, this loss amounts to 300 - 400 mL per day, but this value increases during sun exposure. To compensate for this water loss, it is therefore necessary to redouble efforts on hydration before, during and after exposure.
Maintaining your tan for a longer period.
Hydration is a crucial practice to extend one's tan and delay peeling. However, it's worth noting that a tan generally cannot last longer than a month due to cell differentiation. This natural process is characterised by the maturation of epithelial cells, which load up with keratin to result in dead cells that make up the horny layer and eventually peel off. Thus, keratinocytes continually renew themselves in a cycle of approximately28 days.
What treatments to hydrate your skin?
It is crucial to rely on formulas rich in humectant ingredients (glycerine, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, etc...) that will retain water in the layers of the skin.
Choose moisturising treatments according to your skin type (dry, oily, normal...) and apply them daily, morning and evening. Thehyaluronic acid (HA) is the quintessential moisturising agent. This compound is naturally present in the body, primarily in the dermis, but its production decreases with age. The daily intake of HA thus helps to delay the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and to maintain the suppleness and tone of the skin.
For the face, both morning and evening, you can use the hydrating facial serum which contains 3% hyaluronic acid. This lightweight serum absorbs quickly, allowing you to follow up with the hydrating face cream made up of 9 ingredients. Enriched with hyaluronic acid and organic coconut oil, it's a minimalist formula that hydrates and nourishes the epidermis. Its light and non-greasy texture is suitable for dry, normal and combination skin, even sensitive ones.
For the body, opt for the body moisturising cream with 10 ingredients, which hydrates all skin types, even sensitive ones. This treatment is enriched with coconut oil, a vegetable oil rich in saturated fatty acids that nourishes and prevents skin dehydration. It also contains vegetable glycerin derived from rapeseed and sunflower seed that captures air moisture and allows for superficial skin hydration.
Diagnostic
Understand your skin
and its complex needs.
