About 60% of the human body is made up of water. Even more astonishing, water makes up 90% of blood plasma. Water is essential for life, but it also has a significant impact on the health of your skin. Staying hydrated helps flush toxins from the body while boosting blood flow to the skin. It helps improve skin tone, prevents premature aging, and keeps the skin from getting dry and itchy. Even if you stay hydrated by drinking water, however, your skin could probably use a boost of extra moisture to keep it soft and supple. This is where moisturizers come in. Moisturizers are available in different textures like creams or fluides. Keeping your skin hydrated is essential but choosing the right product can be a challenge. Here we’ll discuss the difference between hydration and moisturization. Understanding the difference will allow you to know whether a fluide or cream moisturizer is best for your skin.

Hydration vs. Moisturization

While the words hydration and moisturization are often used interchangeably in the skincare industry, there is a difference between the two. Both products help make sure the skin gets the water it needs to prevent dehydration and fight aging and environmental damage. The difference can be found in the way they go about achieving these goals. The term hydration refers to the water content in the cells. Water causes the cells to swell, helping the skin maintain its supple plumpness. When water leeches out of the skin cells, they become dehydrated which leads to dull skin tone. A topical hydrator, called a humectant, infuses the skin cells with water in addition to boosting its ability to absorb moisture as well as essential nutrients. Moisturizing, by comparison, is about trapping water in the skin. It’s about building and protecting the skin’s natural protective barrier to prevent water loss. It also helps keep your skin soft and smooth. Nourishing ingredients, called emollients, are used prevent water loss and maintain a healthy barrier.

Which One Do You Need?

All skin types require both hydration and moisturization, though one may take priority over the other for certain skin types. For example, if you have dry skin (skin that lacks oil), rebalancing both hydration and lipids is important. A good moisturizer can help prevent trans epidermal water loss. It can restore the skin’s healthy barrier and plumpness. If your skin is dehydrated (lacking water), however, focusing on humectants is more likely to be beneficial. Your skin cells need to absorb more water. As a reminder, any skin type can suffer from dehydration, while balancing lipids will vary by skin type. If you struggle with dull complexion or the visible signs of aging, your skin is likely battling dehydration. When the skin cells lack water, they lose volume and essentially shrivel which can exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in addition to affecting your complexion.

Yon-Ka Fluide vs. Cream

Whether you’re concerned about hydration or moisturization (or both), Yon-Ka Paris offers a wide variety of products catered to different skin types. Two of the most popular products in this category are fluides and creams. Yon-Ka fluides are lightweight with a thinner texture than creams. Fluides focus more on hydration, less on moisturization and adding lipids to the skin. Therefore, they are rich in humectants, less in emollients. They’re a great choice for combination skin as well as oily skin types because it’s very light and non-greasy. Yon-Ka creams are heavier than fluides, making them ideal for dry and/or mature skin. They also work well for protection against cold, dry weather. Creams address both hydration and moisturization. They are more equally focused on treating the skin with humectants and emollients. Check out some of Yon-Ka’s most popular fluides and creams…

• Hydra No. 1 Fluide – Ideal for oily, dehydrated skin, this lightweight moisturizer helps mattify the skin. It contains micro- and macro- hyaluronic acid to build hydration levels over time as well as silica to control excess sebum production.
• Alpha-Fluide – This renewing anti-wrinkle day emulsion is lightweight and easily absorbed into the skin to smooth, hydrate, and protect. It is supplemented with vitamin E and rice bran oil to protect against environmental damage as well as AHAs for renewing.
• Nude Perfect Fluide – If you struggle with the clarity of your skin, this blur cream is just what you need. It features an ultra-lightweight formula that instantly smooths the appearance of pores, skin imperfections, fine lines, and wrinkles to promote perfect looking skin.
• Advanced Optimizer Crème – This firming, anti-aging cream lifts and tightens the skin while delivering a strengthening effect to protect against the progression of skin damage related to aging. Milk proteins and shea butter deliver intense nourishment for long-lasting suppleness.
• Hydra No. 1 Crème – This intense moisturizing cream is enriched with two forms of hyaluronic acid to prevent water loss in dry, dehydrated skin. It contains soothing shea butter and hazelnut oil to combat dryness and restore the skin’s’ natural youthful radiance.
• Excellence Code Crème – A multi-functional cream for mature, hormonally fatigued skin that needs revitalization. It contains three proprietary, botanical complexes to fortify the moisture barrier, effectively firm and smooth skin, and enhance overall radiance.

No matter your skin type, Yon-Ka Paris offers a wide range of moisturizers including fluides and creams. As you start shopping, keep in mind that fluides and serums are not the same thing. Though packaged similarly in pumps, serums are even thinner than fluides which enables them to penetrate the skin to deliver the benefits of specific active ingredients. Serums are meant to be applied underneath your favorite Yon-Ka moisturizer.