Staying hydrated is a hot topic in the summer but not as much on the dry winter months. Hydration is crucial not just for your body's optimum functioning, but for radiant and youthful looking skin.

Our skin is made up of cells. And skin cells, like any other cell in the body, are made up of water. Without water, the organs will certainly not function properly or at their best. If your skin is not getting the sufficient amount of water, the lack of hydration will present itself by turning your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. Making sure your skin stays hydrated is just about the easiest way to maintain a youthful glow.

When the weather gets warmer our bodies dehydrate quicker but in the winter, we tend to not think about drinking as often and we can also become dehydrated. This is especially concerning as the average US individual already, with 75% of Americans being chronically dehydrated (Chicago Sun Times, 2018). Aside from drinking enough water, here are our tips for boosting hydration during the warm months.

1. EAT YOUR VEGGIES

Vegetables tend to retain a lot of water. And, odds are, like most, you aren't eating enough of them! Boosting your veggie intake will help you not only increaase your nutrition, energy and overall health but will also help you increase you hydration from the inside out.

2. EAT MORE FRUIT

Going hand-in-hand with boosting your vegetable intake, fruits are another way to encourage hydration. Again, eating fruits will provide vital nutrients, energy and overall improvement to you health and you guessed it...more hydration from the inside out.

Here are the fruits and veggies with the highest water content:

3. TRY NATURALLY FLAVORED WATER OR ICED TEA

Wouldn't it be so obvious if we just told you to drink enough water? You already know that. And we could tell you to grab water flavor droplets or powders like Crystal Lite, but in all honesty the chemicals in those flavorings aren't anything good for you or something we want to encourage you to ingest. So let's be smart. There are ways to naturally enhance the flavor of your water, such as with herbs, fruits, and veggies. Upscale your water with some mint, cucumber, or blackberries! The options there are actually unlimited so get creative.

Now, if slicing and dicing seems like just too much trouble, our facorite way to jazz up water for both taste and a healthy dose of wellness is using Pure Inventions enhancers. By your popular request, be sure to look for these back in stock this month!

If you're a Starbucks lover, they have some really tasty teas that can be healthier options. Our favorite is their Passion Fruit tea! It's got a pretty deep pink color and even prettier benefits for glowing skin. Just do yourself a favor and make sure you don't defeat the purpose by overdoing it with added sugars or artificial sweeteners.

4. SKIP THE SALT

Are you a salt-a-holic? Kicking that habit can really help your body, your heart an your skin.. Salt retains water and keeps it in your system, but the problem is that salt likes to hog all the water in your system... not your cells and your cells NEED water. Because of this, not only is this bad for overall hydration, it leads to puffy looking, more dull skin. 

5. PUT THE CLAY MASK AWAY

This one might slip your mind but it can make a big difference in your skin's hydration. During the winter months, put your clay mask away. and opt for a gel-based one. Clay not only absorbs oil but can also overdry your skin. Gels naturally have a lower temperature, so they feel very cooling on the skin which is additionally soothing for sensetive skin types. You can even use a gel mask as often as every night after cleansing (depending on the ingredients)Of course ou want to proceed with your hydrating toner, serum, and moisturizer after masking to rebalance and restore your ph and moisture levels.