We are all aware that water, whether it’s tap, filtered or bottled, is essential for digestion, absorption and excretion. However, does drinking water really make your skin glow? Let’s take a look at the science:

• Water transports nutrients to every cell in the body (remember skin is made up of several types of cell).
• Water is used to help flush out toxins and waste.
• Water improves circulation and blood flow.
• The human body is made up of 70% water, and the skin is 64% water.

So, taking into consideration that our bodily organs do not function properly without sufficient water, it seems obvious that this applies to the skin also. Or does it?

The truth about water and skin

There’s many a celebrity who swears that the ageing wolf is kept at bay due to the gallons of water they consume daily. But is this really the case, or is it the secret vials of plumping solution and face yoga that is actually responsible?

Yes, skin that is lacking in hydration will over time become dry and flaky, and it’s no secret that dry skin tends to expose wrinkles more prominently. Drinking water and keeping hydrated plumps up the skin, so although wrinkles are still present, they are certainly less visible.

Yes, if you are not drinking ample water, the toxins and bodily wastes trapped inside your body may find their way out through your skin, causing your face to erupt into spots and acne. For people who suffer from oily skin, keeping the skin well hydrated can actually help to eliminate the excess oil, which causes acne and spots.

How do you get water to the skin?

As the body can only absorb so much water per hour, drinking large quantities of water at once just means that your body will simply expel it out. The recommendation is to sip water throughout the day, thus allowing the whole body to absorb and distribute evenly to every organ of the body, including the skin. As well as filtering water, there are many other ways to consume water  (if you don’t really like the taste of plain water).

• Add lemon to hot water
• Green tea
• Veg and herb infused water drink
• Vitamin water
• Smart water

Moisturising the skin is vital to keeping it in tip top condition and applying a hydrating moisturiser within 2 minutes of washing allows the still porous skin to absorb more of the moisture and lock it in.

So whether or not you believe in the magic of water on the skin, there have been thousands of tests carried out and according to a recent study: “almost 1 in 5 women who drank 1.5 litres of water per day saw a reduction in wrinkles after 6 weeks without making any other changes to their diet.”

With water being used as part of therapy for the mind and the body, it surely does have some benefits to our beauty regime too. So keep your skin glowing, eyes sparkling and your body functioning with water: Mother Nature’s true elixir!