What is the difference between hydrating and moisturising?

[ChirpyChirp]

I've just stayed using a serum from The Inkey list. On the back of the tube it says my routine should go:

Cleanse
Hydrate
Treat
Moisturise
SPF

I tend to go straight from Cleanse to Treat - so I wash my face. Dry. Use Alpha Arbutin and a peptide serum. Moisturise and then add SPF. What am I missing?? I thought hydrating and moisturising would do the same thing?

Typos. Sorry! New phone and fat fingers 😬

Hydrating is about adding water, moisturising technically is too but in reality it is about occluding to prevent loss of moisture from the skin but there are usually some hydrating ingredients in a moisturiser too so it often functions as both. It's not really cut an dry but for a simple version, hydrating is about adding and moisturising is about locking it in.

OK thanks. So what sort of product do I use to hydrate?

I don't know which products exactly you're using but there's a very high probability that the alpha arbutin and peptide serum will contain plenty of hydrating ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, propylene glycol etc. Plus there will be some in your moisturiser and probably SPF too. Peptides themselves are technically humectants (ie a hydrating ingredient), their efficacy are a bit up in the air but at least they have another function in hydrating the skin so you're well covered. I doubt you need a hydrating product on top of that unless you're seriously having issues with dehydration.

Most of it is a load of nonsense made up by manufacturers to make you buy more stuff and increase their profits imo.

I agree with carnations, I just finished a bottle estee lauder Advanced night repair, around £45 , I didn't pay this, I got it in a Christmas gift box including a mascara, and the bb cream which alone cost £45. for £37 for the three items, just to say the night repair has done nothing new to my skin, don't waste your money.

You can’t hydrate skin by putting things on it, only by drinking water. Products that claim to hydrate are just using extra words for moisturising to build it up a bit.

@lindyloo57

I agree with carnations, I just finished a bottle estee lauder Advanced night repair, around £45 , I didn't pay this, I got it in a Christmas gift box including a mascara, and the bb cream which alone cost £45. for £37 for the three items, just to say the night repair has done nothing new to my skin, don't waste your money.

ANR was one of the first hydrating serums and when it came out was a gamechanger simply by virtue of its consistency, ingredients and aim. Personally, it never did anything for me that much cheaper products did, and as it contains no active ingredients as such, but "just" hydrates, it's not going to change anyone's life IMO. Now a decent Vit C on the other hand....(and I'm still indebted to @botemp for introducing me to Vichy LiftActiv many moons ago and several names ago. Still use it. Still love it. Still notice a difference when I don't use it!)