Why The Skin Gets Drier With Age & 3 Research-Backed Solutions To Keep It Hydrated

Aging is inevitable. This is a good thing! To age means to live, and may we all be so lucky as to live happy, long, and healthy lives. Obviously where folks have concerns is how the body changes with age. As the body gets older, its regenerative processes decline—so various parts of the body may weaken, slow performance, and take longer to bounce back. 

This is most evidently seen in the skin—it's our largest and most visible organ, after all. As we age, the skin may develop fine lines, lose firmness, become more irritable, form dark spots, and become drier. 

In short: Dry, dehydrated skin occurs when the barrier weakens and isn't as able to retain moisture. 

But allow me to elaborate: The skin barrier is made up of several parts, all of which work together to hold in water, avoid irritation, and protect your body from external aggressors. One very important part of the skin barrier function is the skin's moisture layer, which includes things such as fatty acids, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, squalene, cholesterol, and more.

This is the part of the skin barrier that acts similarly to a sealant, trapping water in the body. When the barrier is weakened, something called transepidermal water loss occurs—this means water evaporates from the skin into the surrounding air. 

And with age, the body isn't as able to replenish those components of the lipid layer. For example, ceramides have been shown to decline with age1, resulting in increased skin permeability. Hyaluronic acid (HA) loss is another key molecule in skin hydration, the loss of which is linked to skin aging and dysfunction2. Research indicates that by the time we hit 50, we've lost half of our natural reserve3 of the humectant. And the skin experiences similar losses with fatty acids, squalene, cholesterol, and so on. The combined sum of this loss accounts for the increased skin permeability, dryness, and dehydration.

The best solutions always address the root cause. And in this case, that's the loss of various skin components like the lipids and humectants mentioned above. Use creams and lotions that replenish your lipid levels or encourage their production. Look for ingredients such as fatty acids, amino acids, cholesterol, ceramides, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and squalane. 

You can also opt for botanical extracts that contain these nutrients or stimulate lipid production. For example, shea butter contains fatty acids and has been shown to seal moisture into the skin and protect the skin barrier4. One study even suggests it has similar topical effects as ceramides5. Or oat oil has been shown to boost ceramide levels by upregulating production6.

While it's important to fortify skin barrier function from the outside, it's equally important to supply your body with the right nutrients so the skin can produce these components more effectively internally. This is not an exhaustive list of good-for-skin nutrients. 

Phytoceramides: Found in oats, wheat, rice, and supplements, plant-derived ceramides are shown to boost moisture levels—one study found participants who took a phytoceramide-rich wheat extract oil saw up to a 35% improvement in skin hydration7. 

Hyaluronic acid: A popular skin care supplement, oral supplementation has been shown to support skin hydration8 and appearance. As for food sources, eating kale, almonds, and sweet potatoes may help upregulate production. 

Vitamin E: This fat-soluble vitamin is found in avocados, mangos, and almonds. It can help retain moisture as well as neutralize drying free radical damage. 

Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in salmon, tuna, seaweed, and flaxseed, this healthy fat can help balance moisture levels in the skin9. 

The skin microbiome10, sometimes called the skin flora, is the term for the trillions of organisms11 that live on our skin. We live symbiotically with these organisms, and they do a lot for us. One of their most important responsibilities is creating metabolites (commonly called postbiotics). 

These metabolites nurture and support your skin, helping retain the moisture barrier, fight free radicals, improve dermal framework reconstruction, and stop premature aging. And these postbiotics are many of the ingredients you know and love, such as hyaluronic acid, peptides, and essential fatty acids. 

Using microbiome-supporting products can help keep the biome thriving, which means it's better able to keep the skin hydrated, supple, and strong.