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Doing It All Right But Suddenly Not Getting A Good Shave? It May Be Dehydration

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You’re doing everything right, you’ve been getting great shaves, and suddenly BANG!  A string of lousy shaves.  Why?  It might be for a reason that you may not have thought of, and may not have a whole lot of immediate control over: dehydration.

Dehydration

You may be dehydrated.
Get lousy shaves when the weather suddenly changes, especially at the change of seasons?  I’ll bet the humidity has dropped and you’ve gotten dehydrated.
Get a bad shave the day after you travel, especially by aircraft?  Dehydration.
Bad shave after a night of frolicking with adult beverages?  Yep…dehydration.

Dry Skin vs. Dehydration

Dry skin is classified as a skin type, inherited through genetics. A dry skin type is predisposed to inadequate production of the skin’s natural oils.
Dehydrated skin is a skin condition. Dehydrated skin is often caused by external elements (weather), unhealthy diet (lack of fresh produce) and lifestyle choices (consumption of alcohol or caffeine).  Dehydrated skin can also be aggravated by topical skin care products.  All of these factors can reduce the skin’s water content. Dehydration is a lack of water so even oily skin types can get dehydrated.  In fact, the body’s reaction to dehydration is to produce even more oil which can lead to breakouts and blemishes.

How to Tell if You’re Dehydrated

Here are two ways to check whether your body is dehydrated:
Skin: Use two fingers to pinch up some skin on the back of your hand, then let the skin go. The skin should spring back to its normal position in less than a couple of seconds. Ff the skin returns to normal more slowly, you may be dehydrated.
Urine: If you’re well-hydrated, your urine will be mostly clear with a tinge of yellow (the color of light lemonade before it hits the bowl). Darker yellow or orange are the “warning” colors to watch for.  If you see those colors, start hydrating.

How to care for dehydrated skin

Drink enough water. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day.
Eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can also help hydration of the skin.
Take showers with lukewarm (or cold) water. The occasional hot shower won’t do much harm, but repeated exposure can dry out your skin and lead to irritation and dryness. Limit hot showers whenever possible to help your skin retain moisture, and use high-quality liquid cleansers designed for men’s skin instead of mass-market soaps.
Apply moisturizers at least once a day. Products containing hyaluronic acid may help increase your skin’s elasticity and balance moisture levels.
Protect your skin from the elements. Weather can play a huge role in your skin health. In a hot, humid climate, wear a broad-spectrum sunblock of at least SPF 30 to reduce your risk of sunburn, age spots and other sun-related skin damage. In a colder climate, wear layers to keep your skin from drying.
Bring your skin back up to snuff and you’ll soon be getting those great shaves again!

Related Posts:

8 Winter Skincare Tips Every Man Should Take Heed Of
Skin Care Tips Before You Hit The Slopes
5 Natural & Effective Ways to Care for Dry Skin
Shaving & The Perils of Sensitive Skin

Author

Shave tutor and co-founder of sharpologist. I have been advocating old-school shaving for over 20 years and have been featured in major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Lifehacker. Also check out my content on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!View Author posts

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