Skin dehydration is a very common occurance – but it is often confused with simply dry skin. Yep – there’s a difference. While dry skin is the result of insufficient oil in the skin, dehydration is the lack of water in the skin. That means you would treat it differently as well.

First off, how can you tell if your skin is dehydrated? It looks scaly and flaky – and, you guessed it, it looks dry. Fine lines are much more visible, and skin can even appear as if it has an additional thin layer of skin on top. I know – that’s what dry skin can look like – but it is important to remember one thing: dry skin is skin type and tends to be hereditary or as a result of the aging process, while dehydration is condition and tends to be something more temporary. Dehydration can be the result of things like exposure to the sun, wind, or dry heat. It also is often caused by drinking too much coffee, tea or other diuretics.

And don’t forget – dry skin AND oily skin can become dehydrated. Oily skin often becomes dehydrated by using strong, harsh soaps and cleansers, as well as using astringents too frequently. And when oily skin becomes dehydrated the top layers of skin cells harden and block the skin’s ability to secrete oil. You can see where this is going – oily skin that can’t secrete the oils can increase (ugh) breakouts.

So now that you can identify it better – you can treat it more effectively. For instance, just treating dehydrated skin with oils can be completely ineffective. The trick is to find a moisturizer that is designed to trap the water in your skin by forming a thin layer of film on the skin’s surface. Ingredients to look for include glycerin, glycolic acid and lactic acids (which help to bind water and draw it into the skin) and hyaluronic acid (which traps the moisture). There are other ingredients, like dimethicone, which can also trap the moisture, but since that has a questionable safety rating, we don’t use it in Garden Girl products. Lastly, it’s important to treat dehydrated skin with a hydrating face mask weekly as well.

All Garden Girl face creams and body lotions are packed with hyaluronic acid, and our Like Magic anti-aging serum is highly-concentrated with hyaluronic acid as well. Plus our Cookies + Cream masque is perfect for rehydrating your sun-parched skin. So whether you have dry skin or dehydrated skin – we’ve got you covered!

I am going to try to do a mini-series of informational bits on ingredients that we use in Garden Girl products. This way you can get a better understanding of why they are used and how they benefit your skin. So to kick it off, I thought I’d start with AHA’s.

AHA’s – or alpha hydroxyacids – are commonly found in skin care products. AHA is a group of acids often referred to as “fruit acids.” While there are many types, they all are generally used to treat hyperpigmentation, damaged skin and acne.

The beauty of AHAs is that they improve your skin with little effort needed on your part! They exfoliate dead skin which in turn helps to unclog pores, keep skin smooth and clear, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles (yes please!). Further, there is the added bonus that in doing so – they actually help to improve skin’s hydration. They have natural moisturizing properties and activate your skin’s own hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid then is able to retain more moisture in your skin.

Some typical AHA’s include:

Glycolic Acid (found in At Long Last, Break Free and Nature Nurture) which is sourced from sugar cane juice
Lactic Acid (found in Break Free) which is sourced from sour milk
Malic Acid (found in Nature Nurture) which is found in apples
Tartaric Acid which comes from grapes and wine
Citric Acid (found in Nature Nurture) which comes from lemons, limes, pineapples, oranges and other fruits
Pyruvic Acid (found in Break Free) is derived from tartaric acid

Glycolic and Lactic acids are thought to be the most effective for use in skincare and can be safely used in cosmetic products at a rate of no higher than 10%. Generally, AHA’s can be safe for all skin types, but people with sensitive skin should test the products on their skin before they use them.

So go ahead – embrace those AHAs. Your skin will be glad you did!

I’m a little behind this week – this is the week that always throws me for a loop. It’s the week that school starts for my sons (this year the youngest goes to Kindergarten!) plus my husband, a history/law teacher, also goes back to school. But no one starts at the same time, we have the Monday holiday and we are still in the mindset of it being summer. So with all of that – things are always a little discombobulated.

So my disorganization means a bonus for you! This week, I’m doing a full-week special instead of just one day. And it’s a GREAT offer on one of our most popular products:

50% off Eye Can’t Believe It eye cream! (with a purchase of $50 or more)

Eye Can’t Believe It is a fabulous eye cream that hydrates deeply and takes special care of that sensitive skin around the eyes. This rich cream (in a generous 1 oz. jar) is packed with DMAE – a natural skin-firming ingredient, as well as hyaluronic acid (or sodium hyaluronate). Sodium hyaluronate is the key water maintaining substances in human skin. The effects of aging and the environment can decrease hyalruonic acid (HA) in your skin, which can result in a decrease in skin’s ability to maintain water balance. Consequently, skin can appear dry and wrinkled. When HA is applied on the surface of skin in creams and serums, it can form an air permeable layer and keep the skin moist and smooth. And since the skin around your eyes is the most tender and delicate – and has the lowest levels of natural oils – it can show aging faster than other areas. So it needs special attention.

Eye Can’t Believe It packs in the DMAE and HA, but also contains other natural ingredients like aloe and jojoba that help it to deeply moisturize and rejuevenate skin. Plus it has powerful antioxidants from green tea and vitamins C and E to fight free radical damage. Many customers love it so much they use it for their entire face and neck.

So now is the perfect time to check it out for yourself! And as always, we’d love to know what you think! Feel free to use this blog to provide feedback, or shoot us an email anytime!

So how, you ask, can you take advantage of this unbelievable deal? (Which, don’t forget, is valid until FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th) It’s easy – simply go to:

www.gardengirlskincare.com

Fill your cart with at least $50 of products (before you add the Eye Can’t Believe It) – then add your Eye Can’t Believe It to the cart.

Then, use coupon code:

SEPT1

when checking out – and you will instantly save $16 on your order!!

Happy shopping and have a great week!

Holy cow! Can you even believe it’s June already? Well, today’s special offer is one to help you ladies improve the look of your skin instantly. I have to say, it’s my favorite Garden Girl product! Today’s deal is for

$10 off Like Magic (with a $75 purchase).

Fill your cart with your other favorite products and Like Magic – all totalling at least $75. When you are ready to check out, simply use coupon code

JUNE2

Like Magic is packed with some of the most fantastic natural ingredients at high concentrations, to improve the look of “trouble” areas on your skin – almost instantly. I always say it’s like a tiny little face-lift in a bottle. The combination of Hyaluronic Acid – which plumps skin, reduces fine lines and hold 1000 times its weight in moisture – plus a peptide complex that relaxes fine lines is amazing. Apply it after you wash/tone and BEFORE you put on moisturizer. You need only a drop – which is enough to use around your eyes and mouth area. It will dry and instantly tighten up the area so your skin looks better the very first time you use it. As I said, it’s my favorite product!

So what are you waiting for? Enjoy!

I’m so excited to announce that we have made a tweak to our face cream formulas that will make them even better! All face creams now include Hyaluronic Acid (HA) – an amazing natural ingredient that is found naturally in skin but depletes with age. HA binds water, holding 1000 times its weight in water. It draws moisture deep into skin and holds it there, resulting in smoother skin and reduced fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps to draw the other active ingredients of the products into the skin as well.

So to celebrate this – I am offering

$5 off our face creams (No Worries, Nature Nurture, Eye Can’t Believe It, or Bright Idea)

Simply go to the website

www.gardengirlskincare.com/facecare

Place an order (no minimum!!) and enter coupon code:

MAY5

Enjoy, and may your skin thank you