Inside the Alchemist’s Workshop: Birth of the Hydration Routine.
Nov 18, 2022
A few days after moving to the desert, my skin was begging for mercy.
But was it dry or dehydrated? (Quick refresher-- Dry skin is a condition—like oily skin. It needs lipids (oils, moisturizers). Dehydration is a situation—like how your face looks after getting off a plane. It needs water-based ingredients like hydrosols—coconut water—rose water.)
I needed both.
It was COVID lockdown and I had nothing but time to make our offerings as hydrating and moisturizing as possible.
Deep Hydration Softening Mist has everything in it I know to be hydrating and softening like calendula, chamomile, cucumber, and saccharide isomerate (sugar!), plus it has acetyl tetrapeptide 40 which is a huge help with redness. And redness can be a thing when your face is dehydrated.
That lives on my desk, and I use it constantly.
Then I wanted something to talk back to the environmental stressors my skin deals with every day. Hence Deep Hydration Gel Balm, aka “The Pink Stuff,” starring the very cool DAP Tripeptide 33. It is fierce. I think of it as the Bruce Springsteen of peptides.
Just to ratchet up the power of the pink I added mushrooms. Called Beta Glucan, this botanical specializes in protect and repair and is super moisturizing. Throw in some oat and plum oils and voila!
Then Meta Ultimate TX Cream, which in my humble everyone should use, morning and night, in every single routine ever. This cream has my favorite buriti oil, which guards against UV rays and gives a deep moisturizing treatment without being greasy.
Last, a new balm. Replenish started deep in my soul and nagged at me until I began fussing with it and failing and trying again. One day, it was perfect. Like a good poem, a good balm is the best oils and butters in best order.
Every oil in Replenish has a job to do, but the first is to be so sumptuous that your skin wants to eat it. Camelia oil and babassu and borage are just a few, and pracaxi oil, which you may never have heard of, is single-handedly responsible for many Brazilian beauties.
That last step seals everything in and fights against TEWL (trans epidural water loss). Take that, desert.
No matter where you live, if dehydration and/or dry skin is tripping you up, try this routine. I made it for me, but it will work on your skin no matter where your situation is happening.
I mix it up with the anti-aging routine, depending on what the weather is like, but it’s all good to have in your toolkit.
Routine: Focus on texture, smoothness, moisture retention, protection
A.M./P.M. (bundle here)
- Optional. Supreme Clean. Cleansing Balm. (or cleanser of your choice)
- Deep Hydration. Softening Mist. Mist a couple of sprays and pat in.
- Deep Hydration. Gel Balm. Apply a generous layer.
- Meta. Ultimate Tx Cream. Apply on face, neck, chest.
- Replenish. Hydrating Balm. Apply a very small amount to cheeks, neck, under eyes and massage into skin.
In a Hurry? Try Transform + Condition.
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One of the ingredients that make this routine so good for making sure your skin is hydrated is Saccharide Isomerate. It is a deeply moisturizing, plant-derived ingredient based on its unique composition which is similar to that of the carbohydrate complex found in human skin and on its unique ability to bind to skin cells. It provides deep hydration and creates a moisture reservoir that lasts for 72 hours. Another ingredient that will help create a well-hydrated glow is the Acai oil found in our Meta Tx Cream and our Condition Balm. From the Rainforest, this oil is high in moisturizing properties and dense in amino acids. Acai oil quickly penetrates your skin and gives a smooth has silk feel.