5 Ways Water Is Good For Your Hair And Skin

When I was in elementary school I learned a lot about biology. Including the fun fact that the human adult body is made up of 55-75% water. I also learned that our bodies need water to stay healthy.

What I did not learn in biology class is that water should be an essential part of my beauty routine. It’s probably the cheapest, most beneficial beauty product I would ever use.

Related read: My Updated Skincare Routine

Since water makes up the majority of our bodies, it’s not a surprise that when we don’t have enough our bodies don’t function properly. This doesn’t apply just internally, but also externally to our hair, skin, and nails.

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The beauty benefits from water

When I’m not properly hydrated I notice a big difference in how my skin and hair look, feel and act. On the flip side when I drink water regularly and stay hydrated here are five positive things I notice:

1. Glowing skin

When our bodies are properly hydrated our skin is also properly hydrated. When this happens the skin's elasticity is improved and complexion enhanced resulting in the skin having a nice glow. Another benefit of this is I feel the need to wear less makeup!

2. A scalp that doesn’t itch or flake as much

I've mentioned in other posts that drinking water helps my scalp feel moisturized and helps with reducing itching and flaking. I've also found that spritzing my scalp with cool water can sometimes help with flaking and itching.

Related read: Tips For Combating A Dry And Flaky Scalp

3. Moisturized skin without the use of many products

As I noted above, when our bodies are hydrated our skin is hydrated as well. My skin lets me know when I need to drink water. The way I know is I need to constantly use lotion on my hands throughout the day. My lips chap and flake no matter what I put on them. I also notice that the skin around my mouth dries out and feels tight.

4. Reduced acne or pimple breakouts

Let me caveat, water doesn't get rid of acne or pimples. Believe me, if it did I would be drinking more water than I do. What drinking water does is flush out toxins and maybe even bacteria that can increase the likelihood of a breakout.

Related read: 10 Ways To Keep Pimples At Bay

5. Stronger nails

I think I naturally have weak nails because they tend to break and chip quite often. But I've recently noticed they do that more when I'm not staying hydrated. So when you see me with shorter nails is probably a good indication that I'm not drinking enough water.

The beauty benefits don’t stop there. Those are just the benefits of when water is ingested for hydration. I also use water topically by spritzing it on my hair and skin and also using cold water on my face and hair. When I use water topically I also see many positive effects on my hair and skin.

How to know you’re properly hydrated

Per dietitians and medical experts, most people need to intake about 6-8 cups of liquid every day to be properly hydrated. And when they say liquids they don’t mean sugary drinks like soda or juice.

When we aren’t properly hydrated we may experience a lack of energy and some levels of confusion. Additionally, we may start to notice changes in our skin. Our skin may start to feel dry and not as lustrous or supple as it used to be.

We can also see and feel changes in your scalp. There may be flaking or more flaking than normal on the scalp and it may also start to itch more.

 6 ways to incorporate water into your beauty routine

1. Carry around a bottle of filtered water with you

I found a great water on bottle on Amazon that is slim, holds a good amount of water, and keeps it cold for a long time. I carry that water bottle around with me all of the time when I'm going to the store, to work, or on vacation. Having a water bottle with me helps me to stay hydrated because I don't have to spend time or effort trying to find water.

If you have a hard time drinking water straight adding some fruit like lemons or orange slices can help make it more flavorful.

While staying hydrated is great, too much water can be not so great. In fact, it can be harmful. So be careful to not overindulge when drinking water.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables with a high liquid content

If you don’t like the taste of water this can be an easy and delicious way to get your daily water intake.

3. Use a small spray bottle to mist your skin and/or hair

I recently started misting my hair with water every night and morning. I’ve found it’s a good way to keep my hair from quickly drying out.

To do this I use a small spray bottle I got from Walmart from the travel toiletry section, you can also find similar ones on Amazon, and put a little bit of filtered water to it. Since exposed water has a shelf life, I dump out any unused water and fill it again for my next use.

4. Use warm or lukewarm water 

How water may feel good on the skin, especially in the winter but it dries out the skin. When I use hot water on my face it removes all of the good natural oils that I want to stay there and keep my skin hydrated.

As an alternative, I use warm or lukewarm water on my face in the morning to wake me up and keep my skin from drying out.

5. Use cold water to rinse the hair

I’ve found using cool or lukewarm water on my hair helps to close the cuticles. Closed hair cuticles help keep moisture from escaping and my hair from drying out. 

Because the cold water closes the hair cuticles I only use the cold water as the last rinse of my wash day.

 

 

6. Create a homemade toner

Making beauty products yourself allows you to have control over the ingredients being used. If you make your own astringent or toner you can increase the amount of water content it has. One mixture I like is filtered water and rose water with a splash or two of lemon oil.