16 quick tips about using water for beauty

We cannot live without water and we also know how important water is when it comes to our health and skin. Today, let me share with you 16 quick tips on how to use water effectively for beauty inside out.

Water in cleansing
1. Lukewarm water is best for washing the face as it will remove sebum.
2. Cold water is not ideal to wash the face as it may cause broken capillaries.
3. Cold water can be used as a final rinse for the face to reduce any swelling.
4. Cold water can be used to rinse the hair to moderate sebum production.
5. Cold water can increase circulation throughout the body in bathing.
6. Tap water has the tendency to strip away oils that seal in moisture.

Bottom line: Lukewarm, tepid water is ideal for washing the face but cold water is good as a final rinse for the face and hair and great for bathing if one can take to the temperature. Note that excessive contact with water can dehydrate the skin.

Water in skin care products
7. Water keeps our skin hydrated.
8. Water is the most common ingredient used in cosmetic formulations.
9. Water cannot penetrate the skin as our skin is waterproof.
10.Water cannot penetrate oil.
11.Water in skincare products attract bacteria.

Bottom line: Skin care products containing water should have some form of preservatives. Applying moisturizer over damp skin helps to lock in the moisture and a water-based lotion should be used under an oil-based product.

Water in health
12.Water prevents dehydration.
13.Water carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell in your body.
14. Water fllushes out unwanted toxins.
15.Water improves circulation and blood flow.
16. Water helps provide a pH balance to the body.

Bottom line: Drink sufficient water to keep your body and your skin well hydrated. It will also help your body maintain a healthy state through appropriate detoxification.

If you have other beauty tips concerning water, please add on in the comments section.

Comments

  1. Audris says:

    Oh, I didn’t know about this.

    6. Tap water has the tendency to strip away oils that seal in moisture

    Is there an explanation behind it?

    Thanks ?

  2. sisca says:

    i’m already have broken capillaries. should i just using luke warm water and not cold water for finishing?

  3. rinaz says:

    Its funny that you’re blogging about this because not too long ago I was wondering if Hard Water which is full of calcium is good for the skin on a long term basis.

    Unlike Singapore where the water is usually “soft” in Europe, the water is most usually Hard

  4. Rinka says:

    i actually also used to do a mineral water mask as well! its similar to a lotion pack (like chizu saeki’s, which i also do :D) except you use mineral water instead of lotion. i really did notice a change and it was super cheap as well hehe

  5. Audris says:

    Hmm, I had the best skin during my 3 years in Europe. Maybe thanks to the hard water and climate! Minimal skincare there as well!
    But I broke out very badly the first few months when I returned to Singapore for good ? I really wonder about the water as well.
    My mum’s eczema noticeably subsides when we’re overseas, especially in Australia. Without applying anything special. But it flares up now and again back in Singapore. We also wonder if it’s due to Newater along with her hormonal changes.

  6. Swathy says:

    the tap water has lots of bacteria and microbes which are not good for the body, the tap water can also have contents of chlorine and other chemicals used to purify the water which are not good for skin.

  7. Swathy says:

    it is advisable not to use cold water…room temperature water can be used though..

  8. Swathy says:

    adding a few drops of water to the moisturizer before applying it keeps the skin moisturized and supple for a longer time.

  9. pf1123 says:

    Hard water is good? I was in Europe for a month and felt that the water is so hard that my cleanser doesn’t foam properly. I broke out a little and I think its because the cleanser can’t do its job without foaming.

  10. sesame says:

    Hi Audris: This was a comment I read from a dermatologist although there wasn’t an explanation for it.

    However, what Swathy mentioned is true. Plus, I think it’s also got to do with the pH level of water being 7 while normal skin pH is said to be somewhat acidic and in the range of 4.2. to 5.6.

    I don’t think it’s a big problem to wash with tap water but just don’t soak too long as that can strip the sebum from our skin. This is why our skin becomes wrinkly after contact with water for too long.

  11. sesame says:

    Yeah,Sisca, it’s best to keep to luke warm or room temperature. The cold water is really more like room temperature that Swathy mentioned…that means not heated up.

  12. sesame says:

    Rinaz: I understand hard water can make the skin dry but I’m not so sure now that Audris mentioned her skin was good using the water there. pf1123 seem to have problems with the water though.

    I was in Europe many years ago and I really can’t remember so much. But I recalled that my hair didn’t look so good after washing. As for skin, I didn’t notice.

  13. sesame says:

    Mineral water is good for the skin. I’m seriously thinking of changing our taps.

    Actually, better still if you can get ionized water with pH level close to our skin. The facial salon I go to uses that to wash our face and the result is quite good. They first start with using a higher pH to flush out the impurities and then follow on with a lower pH closer to our skin’s. There is a noticeable difference to the skin tone.

  14. sesame says:

    Yes, I noticed a difference when I apply moisturizer or oil on damp skin vs dry skin. My skin feels a bit drier when I don’t apply on damp skin. But I prefer to spritz on a toner or hydrosol and then moisturize.

  15. sesame says:

    pf1123: Now that you’ve mentioned, I recall that my shampoo couldn’t foam so well. Maybe that’s why my hair looked awful. Anyway, at that time, I spent more time and effort looking after my hair so I can remember.

  16. yay says:

    i do have broken capillaries(noticeable =(…. i used warm water since it’s cold where i live…. is there any way to treat capillaries?

  17. sesame says:

    I understand that laser treatment is one option. As for more natural remedies, I’m not so sure if they work. Recommendations from natural remedies include using rose oil, vitamin E and chamomile. But probably will take longer.

  18. Audris says:

    London certainly has hard water. My hair didn’t look good as well when I went down from the Midlands to visit friends there. I think the parts where I was in for longer periods had generally softer water.

    Here’s some info from the UK website.
    London tap water, for example, contains on average 108 mg of calcium per litre, which is around 12% of the RDA for this mineral, but negligible amounts of magnesium. It is also low-sodium.

    The majority of the UK has relatively hard water. Only those areas, like the Lake District, where the water runs over granite and can’t pick up any mineral residues, is it naturally very soft. Hard water areas, like London which has a water table of clay, leaches minerals into the water, thus hardening it.
    Source(s):
    http://www.dwi.gov.uk/

  19. Audris says:

    Thank you ? Something that I never really thought about despite everyday usage.

  20. Audris says:

    Thanks, Sesame ? Will bear that in mind.

  21. sesame says:

    Audris: Ah I see…I was in London and yeah, water was not great for my hair. I was also in Northern Ireland but I forgot what the water did for me but only remember half the time, I don’t want to bathe cos it was so freaking cold there. Haha…

  22. Toxic Beauty says:

    Very complete and concise post! I tend to shower in too hot water and I now this is not good for my skin…

  23. pf1123 says:

    Haha…I was thinking that my hair is ok due to the low humidity for anti-frizziness. But I remembered that your hair concern is different from mine.

  24. pf1123 says:

    I was in London, Italy and Paris. Sigh…its the worse in Italy because everywhere is so dusty.

  25. pf1123 says:

    I used the Avene water spray once. Ok lah…so so…never kept up with it. hehee…

  26. N. says:

    Oh very interesting post. I definetly try to wash my face with cold water in the end but I can’t take it with my hair. I love showering with very hot water but it’s terrible for my skin. I always get red, itchy and flaky on my arms and legs. So I’m trying to control it, little by little, to a better temperature.

  27. sesame says:

    Hot water is not too good for the skin especially if you have skin problems. When I had rashes, I found cold water better for my skin.

  28. Hazel says:

    Have you heard of the water-only skincare?
    Hazel last post is: Weekly Reads #03 + a little something from my heart

  29. Sesame says:

    No, haven’t come across.

  30. Loren says:

    I have to put moisturizer on while my skin is still damp from the shower, otherwise, it seems like I am just wasting it.

    And as for Water for Health, I think every diet, nutritionist and doctor out there suggests 32 to 48 oz of water per day. But I have found many posts in articles on the web suggesting a you need to drink according to your activity. – like if you exercise a lot, you need a lot more water.

    And the type of water in your area will dictate how dry your skin is. Our area requires “treatment” because it is comes from a well. But that’s another story!

    Great Post!
    Loren last post is: IPL Vs Laser Hair Removal –

  31. Organic skincare says:

    Hi Sesame, great post. What do you think of floral waters? Many skincare companies claim they help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
    Organic skincare last post is: Cosmoprof Bologna 2013

  32. Sesame says:

    Ah…I agree. More water if you exercise a lot! I also think the type of water we drink is important.

  33. Sesame says:

    Hmm…benefits probably can only be seen long term. Some of them like Neroli are great though…

  34. Yvonne says:

    Huh, this is very interesting. I knew that water is generally good for both the skin and the body, but I had no idea about most of the points in this article.
    I once read about a girl (also a blogger) that didn’t wash her face with water, but used all sorts of cleaning products instead because she didn’t want water to come in contact with her face…
    Anyway, very informative article, thank you for sharing this, it’s incredibly useful!

  35. Sesame says:

    Glad you find it useful. ? And not having water come into contact with her face? Hmmm…very odd to me.

  36. Kaitlyn says:

    This was an interesting read! I can definitely notice a change in my skin when I don’t drink enough water.

  37. Cannon Law says:

    The question is how much water is sufficient? should we drink however much we want or even more than that?

  38. Tyler Flood says:

    Agree, sometimes water is a life saver, as many illnesses can be cured with water only or mostly as a solution

  39. Tyler Flood says:

    Thanks for all the beauty tips.

    I didn´t kno that water in skincare products attract bacteria and that cold water may not be the best for washing your face.

    Do you have some specific recommendations for dry skin? Thanks I´d appreciate it

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