Once confined to Lucozade bottles and other lurid sports drinks, electrolytes have emerged as one of the hottest wellness supplements in recent years. More recently, Google searches have rocketed by 760 per cent, while interest on TikTok is up 103 per cent year-on-year. It’s no surprise, given that these powders and liquids are routinely touted in wellness circles as the answer to everything from dehydration and afternoon hunger pangs to recovery after illness, a particularly punishing workout or even a heavy night out.
So it was perhaps only a matter of time before the skincare industry cottoned on to our collective obsession with a supplement that has become a mainstay of morning routines everywhere. A slew of new launches, including Drunk Elephant’s F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial, Cocokind’s Electrolyte Water Cream and Milk Makeup’s Balmade Electrolyte Lip Balm, have generated plenty of buzz, with the latter enjoying a 5,000 per cent uplift in Google searches in the past month alone. But what exactly can electrolytes do for our skin? And is this just another wellness trend repackaged for our bathroom shelves, or is there actually method in the hydration madness?
What is electrolyte skincare?
First, it pays to understand what electrolytes actually are, and the role they might play in our skin health. Essentially, they’re minerals – including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride – that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in water. Our bodies rely on them for a number of essential functions, from transmitting nerve signals and supporting muscle function to regulating fluid balance. It’s why replenishing them through food, drinks or supplements can be helpful when electrolyte levels are depleted, as a result of excessive sweating, illness or dehydration.
“In skincare, magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium are the main minerals being used, often with the addition of copper and zinc,” explains consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall. “Sodium and potassium are mainly there for hydration, while calcium and magnesium are aimed at barrier function,” which refers to the outermost layer of skin that keeps moisture locked in and bacteria firmly out. “Zinc and copper have a long track record in skincare for soothing and skin repair,” adds Dr Hextall. Magnesium has also been shown to improve hydration and reduce roughness and redness in atopic skin – although the research carried out involved soaking in magnesium-rich water, rather than applying it in a skincare formula.
According to Heather Wish, head of education at Paula’s Choice, these minerals also support the function of specialised water channels, known as aquaporins, which help regulate the movement of moisture between cells. “This allows water to be distributed efficiently across the skin’s layers, helping it feel soft, supple and comfortable,” she says. They’re also said to improve cellular communication and energy transfer that help keep skin healthy and resilient – making them useful for all skin types, not just those prone to dehydration.
Does electrolyte skincare work?
Electrolyte skincare certainly sounds appealing. However, as is so often the case with emerging skincare trends, there isn’t yet enough clinical research to prove that adding electrolytes to skincare delivers additional benefits on the hydration front. “While there is some promising evidence, it is still very limited,” consultant dermatologist Dr Sharon Belmo points out, noting the positive hydration results from the aforementioned magnesium sea salt study. “Another study reported an improvement in skin hydration when using a cream containing ceramides and magnesium – however, it’s impossible to know how much the magnesium (rather than the ceramides) were contributing to the hydration.”
Dr Hextall is similarly cautious. While the science makes sense in theory, she believes skincare brands may be getting ahead of the evidence. “There is clear data on the role these electrolytes play in skin function, but there is little evidence that applying them topically is going to have significant benefits on hydration and barrier repair in otherwise healthy skin,” she explains. “I’d like to see more robust research and evidence of mechanism before recommending it.”
That doesn’t mean these formulas don’t work, though. It just means that there isn’t yet robust evidence to prove their hydrating prowess can be attributed to electrolytes specifically. Take Paula’s Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturiser, which contains calcium, potassium and magnesium alongside pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (aka PCA, a humectant that draws moisture into the skin), moisturising fatty acids and antioxidants to shield against environmental aggressors like pollution and UV. Use it and you’ll likely notice an improvement in hydration and skin juiciness (I certainly did). Meanwhile, Drunk Elephant’s F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial feels like a drink of water for the skin, thanks to sodium PCA, hydrating squalane and five different ceramides, which act like glue between cells and help to keep the skin smooth. Apply it before bed and wake up to fresh skin.
Then there’s Oskia’s Isotonic Hydra-Serum, which combines potassium, sodium and calcium with polyglutamic acid (which holds four to five times more moisture than hyaluronic acid) and glycerin to draw moisture into the skin, plus ceramides to help prevent water loss. “It’s a multi-layered approach: attracting water, retaining it and supporting the skin’s natural hydration mechanisms,” says brand founder Georgie Cleeve.
These are just some of the formulas making a case for electrolyte skincare, but they have one important thing in common: they combine the minerals with other hardworking, well-established hydrators and barrier-supporting ingredients. “The most exciting approach is combining humectants (such as hyaluronic acid) to attract and bind water, and electrolytes to help regulate water balance and support cellular function,” notes Cleeve, who likens it to the difference between giving skin a drink of water and helping it manage its own hydration. Wish agrees, suggesting that electrolytes are best viewed as complementary to traditional hydrating ingredients, rather than a replacement for them, potentially helping the skin distribute and maintain moisture where it’s needed most.
And what about drinking electrolytes? While there’s plenty of evidence that electrolyte drinks can help replenish fluids and minerals when we’re dehydrated, the jury is still out on whether taking them orally has any meaningful impact on skin hydration. For most people, says Dr Hextall, the key to keeping skin hydrated is actually minimising transepidermal water loss – the evaporation of water through the skin’s outer layer – rather than focusing on systemic hydration.
Her advice? Stick with the ingredients that we know work. Humectants, such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, help attract and retain moisture; lipids, including ceramides, support the skin barrier; occlusives, such as petrolatum, mineral oil, dimethicone and shea butter, help seal moisture in and prevent it from escaping. All have a much more established evidence base for improving skin hydration, says Dr Belmo.
Electrolyte skincare: a conclusion
Should you be relying on topical electrolytes for all your skin hydration needs? No. But can formulas containing them help to hydrate, plump and moisturise the skin – particularly when combined with other scientifically proven ingredients? Absolutely, especially as the mercury drops and central heating saps skin of moisture. While the jury is still out on just how much electrolytes themselves bring to the table, that doesn’t mean these formulas aren’t worth your time or money.
Here are some of the best to try.
Balmade Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm with Electrolytes
Alpha Beta pH Balance Replenishing Cream
