We talk about skincare as if the glow is sitting inside a bottle waiting for us to find it.

The right cleanser.
The right serum.
The right moisturizer.
The right oil.

And yes, what you put on your skin matters.

But before we start adding products to the routine, there is something much more basic that your skin needs every single day:

Water.

Not an expensive beauty water. Not a trendy supplement. Not a fancy drink with a beautiful label.

Just water.

Your skin is a living organ, and water is essential to its normal functioning. The outermost layer of your skin, called the stratum corneum, has an important job: it helps keep water in your body while also protecting you from the outside environment. When that layer is properly hydrated, it can function more effectively. When it becomes excessively dry, the skin can become rough, flaky and less comfortable.

And this is why I want hydration to come before we start talking about all the other things you can do for your glow.

Related: Skincare You Can Eat: 3 Healthy Salads for Good Skin & Glow

Because sometimes we are trying to solve a problem with five different products when the basics haven't been taken care of yet.

Your skin needs water to function

Think about your skin as part of the bigger system that is your body.

Your body is constantly using water. It is involved in transporting nutrients, regulating temperature, removing waste and supporting normal cellular processes. Your skin also depends on water balance to maintain its normal structure and barrier function.

The outer layer of your skin contains natural substances that help hold water, as well as lipids that help reduce water loss. When that balance is working properly, your skin can remain more supple and comfortable.

When water is lost faster than it can be replaced, things can start to feel different.

You may notice:

• tight-feeling skin
• roughness
• flakiness
• a duller appearance
• increased sensitivity or discomfort

And no, this doesn't mean every dry or irritated skin problem is caused by not drinking enough water. Skin conditions, weather, skincare products, medications, hormones and many other things can affect the skin.

But hydration is still one of those basic things worth getting right.

Does drinking more water actually improve your skin?

Now let's be honest, because this is where beauty advice can become exaggerated.

You've probably heard someone say:

“Just drink eight glasses of water every day and your skin will be glowing.”

I wouldn't tell you that.

There isn't good evidence that simply forcing yourself to drink a fixed amount of water will magically clear your skin, erase wrinkles or give everyone a dramatic glow. A systematic review found that the evidence connecting increased fluid intake with improvements in skin hydration is still limited, although some studies found modest improvements, particularly among people who were drinking relatively little water to begin with.

So hydration isn't a miracle treatment.

But that doesn't make it unimportant.

Water is essential to your body, and adequate hydration supports normal skin function. Some research has found that increasing water intake can increase skin hydration, particularly in people whose usual intake was low.

That's a much more useful way to look at it.

Don't drink water because someone promised you glass skin.

Drink water because your body needs it — and healthy, properly functioning skin is one of the things that benefits when your body is adequately hydrated.

That's a glow-up worth investing in.

Hydration isn't just about drinking plain water

This is something I really want us to understand.

When we say “drink more water,” we're not necessarily saying you have to spend the entire day forcing down glass after glass of plain water.

Your total water intake comes from water, other beverages and the water contained in foods. The amount you need also varies depending on things like your body size, activity level, climate, pregnancy or breastfeeding status and health. 

And if you live somewhere hot, like many parts of Africa, your needs can be different from someone sitting in a cool environment all day.

So rather than becoming obsessed with one magic number, I prefer thinking about hydration as something you build into your day.

How to hydrate throughout your day without making it a chore

The easiest way to drink enough is to stop treating hydration like a task you have to complete at night.

Don't wait until 8 p.m. and suddenly realise:

“Oh my goodness, I haven't had any water today.”

Then you're trying to drink a whole litre before bed. 😂

Instead, spread it out.

Here is a simple rhythm you can adapt to your own day.

When you wake up: start with water

Before your day gets busy, have some water.

It doesn't have to be a huge bottle.

A glass of water when you wake up is simply an easy way to begin replacing fluids after several hours of sleep.

And I like this habit for another reason: it creates a cue.

Wake up → drink water.

You don't have to remember it later because you've attached it to something you already do every day.

If you don't enjoy completely plain water in the morning, you can add a slice of lemon or lime for flavour. Just don't feel that you need lemon water for some special “detox” effect. Your body already has organs that handle waste removal.

We're drinking it because it helps us drink more comfortably, not because it is magic.

During the morning: keep water beside you

This is where a reusable water bottle becomes surprisingly useful.

Put it beside your computer.

Carry it when you're moving around the house.

Take it when you're going out.

Keep it somewhere you can actually see it.

The problem for many of us isn't that we don't want water.

We simply don't think about it.

A bottle sitting beside you removes one little barrier.

And instead of telling yourself, “I need to drink two litres today,” you can simply keep taking regular drinks throughout the morning.

☕ Tea counts too — just be smart about it

If you're someone who enjoys tea, tea can be part of your hydration routine.

Plain tea and other unsweetened teas contribute to fluid intake, and the National Academies notes that beverages containing caffeine can still contribute to total water intake; the diuretic effect of caffeine at usual amounts is not enough to mean that caffeinated drinks simply “cancel out” their fluid.

So you don't need to panic because you had a cup of tea.

Try:

• green tea
• black tea
• peppermint tea
• ginger tea
• hibiscus tea
• rooibos
• other herbal teas you enjoy

And here's where I would make one small change if you're used to very sweet tea:

Gradually reduce the sugar.

Tea can become another way of consuming a lot of added sugar without really noticing it.

You don't have to suddenly go from three spoons to zero tomorrow.

Reduce it gradually.

Let your taste buds adjust.

The goal isn't to make your life miserable in the name of health.

It's to make small changes that you can actually maintain.

With meals: make water part of the table

This is one of the easiest hydration habits.

When you sit down to eat, have water with your meal.

It doesn't have to be complicated.

Breakfast? Water.

Lunch? Water.

Dinner? Water.

The CDC also recommends serving water with meals and choosing water instead of sugary drinks when possible.

And if plain water is boring to you, try adding:

• lemon
• lime
• cucumber
• mint
• orange slices
• berries

You're not changing the fundamental purpose of the drink.

You're simply making it more enjoyable.

🍉 Eat your water too

Hydration isn't only something you drink.

Many fruits and vegetables contain a significant amount of water and contribute to your overall fluid intake.

Think about foods like:

• watermelon
• oranges
• pineapple
• cucumber
• tomatoes
• lettuce
• strawberries
• soups and broths
• other water-rich fruits and vegetables

This is another reason I love the idea of salads as part of a glow-up.

You're not just getting vitamins, minerals and plant compounds.

Depending on the ingredients, you're also getting water from the food itself.

So that colourful salad you made earlier?

It can contribute to your hydration too.

🥤 What about juice?

Juice can contribute to your fluid intake, but I wouldn't make it your main hydration strategy.

There's a difference between getting fluids and choosing the healthiest everyday drink.

A glass of 100% fruit juice can contain nutrients, but it can also contain quite a lot of naturally occurring sugar, and drinking fruit isn't quite the same nutritional experience as eating the whole fruit.

If you're thirsty throughout the day, water is the easiest default.

And if you love juice, enjoy it sensibly rather than convincing yourself that you need to drink litres of it because it contains fruit.

🥥 What about coconut water?

Coconut water can be refreshing and provides some electrolytes, but you don't need it every day simply because you're trying to “hydrate better.”

For ordinary everyday hydration, water is enough for most people.

Coconut water becomes more relevant depending on the situation — for example, after significant sweating or exercise — but it isn't a magical beauty drink.

Again, we're keeping things real.

You don't need a refrigerator full of expensive drinks to have a good glow-up.

💧 And then comes external hydration

This is where we bring the inside and outside together.

Drinking water and moisturising your skin are not the same thing.

You can drink enough water and still have dry skin.

Why?

Because your skin also has to hold on to its water.

The outer layer of the skin acts as a barrier, helping regulate water loss. Moisturisers work on that barrier in different ways: some ingredients attract or bind water, while others soften the skin or reduce water loss.

This is why I always like to separate the two ideas:

Hydrate from within.

Drink enough fluids and eat water-rich foods.

Hydrate from the outside.

Use a moisturiser that helps your skin retain water and supports its barrier.

You need both approaches for good overall skin care.

The easiest way to moisturise your skin

You don't necessarily need a complicated routine.

After bathing, don't leave your skin completely dry for ages before moisturising.

Apply your body lotion or cream while your skin is still slightly damp.

You're basically trying to make it easier for your moisturiser to help maintain that moisture in the outer layer of your skin.

If your skin is particularly dry, consider a richer moisturiser or an occlusive product that helps reduce water loss.

This is where products containing ingredients such as glycerin, petrolatum or other moisturising agents can be useful.

The important thing isn't finding the most expensive product.

It's finding something your skin tolerates and using it consistently.

Hydration and your glow-up are connected — but don't overthink it

I think this is where hydration becomes really beautiful as part of the Ngumabis Glam philosophy.

We can get so caught up in trying to improve ourselves that we turn everything into a project.

Track this.

Buy that.

Take this supplement.

Try that serum.

Follow this ten-step routine.

And meanwhile, we're forgetting the very ordinary things our bodies have needed all along.

Water.

Sleep.

Food.

Movement.

Rest.

Sun protection.

A moisturiser.

A little consistency.

Sometimes the glow-up isn't about adding more.

Sometimes it's about finally doing the basics properly.

A simple hydration routine for the girlies

If you want something practical, start here.

Morning

Wake up: Have a glass of water.

Breakfast: Have water or an unsweetened tea alongside your meal.

Mid-morning

Keep your bottle nearby and take regular drinks instead of waiting until you're extremely thirsty.

Lunch

Have water with your meal and include some water-rich foods such as vegetables or fruit.

Afternoon

This is often when the day gets busy and hydration disappears.

Refill your bottle.

Have water, unsweetened tea or another sensible drink.

If you're working, set a gentle reminder if you need one.

Evening

Have water with dinner.

Don't try to compensate for an entire day's worth of missed hydration by drinking huge amounts just before bed.

Before bed

If you're thirsty, drink.

But you don't need to force yourself to drink a huge bottle right before sleeping. Otherwise, your glow-up routine might turn into a midnight bathroom routine. 😂

Make hydration easier, not harder

If you struggle to drink enough, don't start by giving yourself an impossible target.

Try these little tricks instead:

Keep water visible.

If you can see it, you're more likely to remember it.

Use a bottle you enjoy.

Yes, really.

If you like your bottle, you'll be more likely to carry it around.

Add flavour.

Lemon, lime, cucumber, mint or fruit can make plain water more appealing.

Drink with habits you already have.

After brushing your teeth.

Before leaving the house.

When you sit at your desk.

With lunch.

After your workout.

Create little hydration cues.

Keep cold water available.

Some people simply prefer cold water.

Make it easy.

Eat more fruits and vegetables.

They contribute water as well as nutrients.

Make tea part of your routine.

Especially if you enjoy warm drinks.

Just be mindful of how much sugar you're adding.

Replace some sugary drinks with water.

You don't have to eliminate everything overnight.

Start with one substitution.

Instead of soda with lunch, have water.

Instead of a sweetened drink every afternoon, try unsweetened tea.

Small changes add up.

You don't need to obsess over a number

You've probably heard the famous “eight glasses a day” rule.

But there isn't one magic amount of water that every woman needs.

Water requirements vary, and total water intake includes fluids from beverages and food. The National Academies' reference values, for example, describe an adequate intake of about 2.7 litres of total water per day for women aged 19–30, with roughly 2.2 litres coming from beverages in the population data used to establish that value — but this is not a universal prescription for every woman. Needs can increase with heat, exercise and other circumstances.

So don't turn hydration into another thing to feel guilty about.

If you're in a hot environment, exercising heavily or losing fluids through sweating, vomiting or diarrhoea, your needs can be higher.

And if you have a medical condition that requires you to restrict or carefully manage fluid intake, general hydration advice may not apply to you.

Listen to your body, pay attention to your circumstances and build a consistent habit rather than chasing a perfect number.

Your glow doesn't need to be complicated

There is something I really like about putting hydration at the beginning of a skincare conversation.

It brings us back to reality.

Before the serums.

Before the expensive treatments.

Before the complicated routines.

Before the “glow-up” becomes something you have to spend a lot of money on.

There is your body.

And your body needs water.

Your skin needs to maintain its water balance so that its outer barrier can function properly. Adequate hydration supports normal body function, and while drinking extra water isn't a guaranteed beauty treatment, maintaining good hydration is still one of the simplest foundations of looking after yourself.

So fill your bottle.

Eat your fruits and vegetables.

Have your tea.

Drink water with your meals.

Moisturise your skin.

And then go on with your day.

Because sometimes taking care of yourself doesn't have to look impressive.

Sometimes it looks like drinking a glass of water because you remembered you deserve to take care of the woman carrying you through this life.

And that, girlie, is part of the glow too.

Make Hydration Easier 💧

Sometimes the easiest way to build a healthy habit is to make it convenient. I’ve put together a few simple hydration essentials — from reusable water bottles to things that can make drinking and preparing hydrating foods a little easier.

Explore my Hydration Essentials on Amazon →