At The Beauty Doctrine, we believe true hydration isn’t about how much water you drink, it’s about how well your cells absorb and retain that water.

Most people are walking around unknowingly dehydrated. Their skin feels dry, their minds foggy, their joints stiff. They drink water all day, yet nothing changes. Why? Because real hydration is not just about water, it’s about minerals, gut health, water quality, and balance.

This guide was created to help you go deeper, to understand the mechanics of hydration and finally give your body what it needs to thrive.
You'll learn:

• The clinical ratios of electrolytes your cells depend on.
• How to choose the right kind of water (not all are created equal).
• The tools I personally use, from filtration to supplements to skincare.
• And how to integrate these into a routine that supports energy, skin glow, and long-term health

Whether you’re struggling with fine lines, dryness, fatigue, or just want better skin from the inside out, this guide is your blueprint.

Most people assume that if they’re drinking enough water, they’re hydrated. Unfortunately, that’s not how biology works.

Tap water, distilled water, and even many types of filtered water lack the essential minerals your body needs to absorb and retain hydration at the cellular level. Worse, some contain contaminants that can silently sabotage your health and skin from within.

What’s wrong with tap and bottled water?

• Chlorine & Chloramine: Used to disinfect water, but disrupts the gut microbiome and dries out the skin.
• Heavy Metals: Like lead and mercury, which can accumulate in the body and trigger inflammation.
• Microplastics: Found in bottled water, even “spring” or “purified” types.
• Fluoride: A controversial compound that may interfere with thyroid function and collagen production.
• Devoid of Minerals: Distilled or reverse osmosis water strips all minerals, leaving it “dead”, which may actually dehydrate you further unless minerals are reintroduced.

Why mineral-rich water matters

Your body needs electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium to actually pull water into your cells and keep it there. Without these, water simply moves through you without doing its job.

This is why so many people drink all day yet still feel thirsty, foggy, or have excessively dry skin.

Solution: Filter Smart, Then Remineralize

Start by removing contaminants without stripping out beneficial minerals. Then, if needed, add them back.

Best-in-Class Water Filter:

Simpure Y7P-BW Countertop Reverse Osmosis System

• Removes over 99% of chlorine, fluoride, lead, and VOCs
• Built-in remineralization filter adds back calcium and magnesium
• No plumbing required, countertop-friendly
• Supports skin, gut, and overall cellular hydration

Pro Tip: If you're using a basic reverse osmosis or distilled water system without remineralization, be sure to add a trace mineral supplement or a pinch of sea salt to each liter of water.

(And Why You’re Probably Not Getting Enough)

If water is the vehicle, electrolytes are the keys that allow it to get inside your cells.

Electrolytes are minerals, like sodium, potassium, and magnesium that carry an electrical charge and regulate fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. Without them, even the cleanest water will pass through your body without actually hydrating your cells.

This is why drinking water alone, without electrolytes, can still leave you feeling foggy, dry-skinned, or fatigued.

The Clinical Hydration Ratio

Based on research from the WHO and performance medicine, here’s what your body needs per liter of fluid:

• Sodium: 500–700 mg
• Potassium: 200–400 mg
• Magnesium: 50–100 mg
• Chloride & Calcium: Optional but beneficial in trace amounts

These ratios create the osmotic pressure your body needs to draw water into the cells and hold it there.

When you drink plain water or rely on sugary sports drinks with unbalanced minerals, you miss the mark, and it shows up as:

• Puffy eyes or water retention
• Dry skin, especially in the afternoon
• Low energy despite good sleep
• Brain fog or poor concentration
• Muscle cramps and poor recovery

What’s Wrong With Most Electrolyte Powders?

Most popular electrolyte drinks are either:

• Too low in minerals to make a difference
• Too high in sugar (which spikes insulin and actually worsens hydration)
• Too high on sodium alone (which can further imbalance the body)
• Missing magnesium entirely
• Laced with citric acid, “natural flavors,” or synthetic sweeteners that irritate the gut and skin

That’s why I recommend either a clean, well-balanced electrolyte powder or, better yet, make your own (we’ll cover that in Section 4).

Functional Hydration = Skin Deep

Balanced electrolytes do more than support energy. They help:

• Regulate oil production (especially potassium)
• Prevent skin dehydration from within
• Improve nutrient absorption
• Reduce under-eye puffiness and dark circles
• Support collagen matrix by reducing inflammatory stress

Without electrolytes, water is just surface hydration. With them, it becomes a fountain of youth at the cellular level.

(Clean, Functional, and Hand-Picked for Results)

Below are the top-performing products I recommend to support true hydration, from water quality to electrolyte balance to hyaluronic acid. These are brands I trust, and many are available directly through The Beauty Doctrine as affiliate or retail partners.

A. Water Filtration

B. Mineral Waters

For on-the-go or added trace minerals, choose these naturally mineralized waters:

Avoid generic bottled “purified” water, it’s usually just filtered tap water without the minerals your body needs.

C. Electrolyte Powders

These are the best clean electrolyte products that meet functional hydration ratios without sugar or fillers.

DIY Electrolyte Mix (Coming in Section 4)

magnesium powder, and lemon—simple, potent, and clean.

D. Internal Hyaluronic Acid Supplements

To hydrate within the tissue, skin, fascia, and joints. You need high-quality, bioavailable HA

🧴 Best Clean Topical Hyaluronic Acid Products

The Cleanest Way to Hydrate, Backed by Science

If you’re tired of overpriced powders loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners, or unbalanced mineral ratios, make your own.

This DIY electrolyte drink delivers clinical-level hydration with simple, functional ingredients that support energy, skin glow, and mineral balance. All without the junk.

The TBD Electrolyte Formula

For 1 Liter of Filtered or Spring Water

• 1/4 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  → Provides sodium + trace minerals
• 1/8 tsp Potassium Salt (potassium chloride)
  → Balances sodium, supports intracellular hydration
• 1/8 tsp Magnesium Glycinate or Citrate Powder
  → Crucial for over 800 cellular functions and skin repair
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon (optional)
  → Adds flavor, vitamin C, and supports mineral absorption

1 tsp Allulose (optional sweetener)→ Zero glycemic impact, safe for skin and gut, pleasant taste

Shake well. Sip slowly throughout the day, especially after sweating, fasting, sauna use, or air travel.

Caution

• If you’re on kidney medication, diuretics, or have hypertension, consult your doctor before adding potassium chloride or magnesium.
• Start with half the dose if sensitive to salt or new to electrolyte balancing.

Why This Works

• Sodium pulls water into the extracellular space (outside your cells).
• Potassium brings water into the intracellular space (inside your cells).
• Magnesium acts like a hydration switch, supporting enzyme activity and cell integrity.
• Allulose improves taste without triggering glycation or insulin spikes.
• Lemon enhances absorption and supports liver detoxification.

Together, these ingredients mimic the mineral ratios found in WHO-approved oral rehydration therapy without the glucose overload.

(Even the “Healthy” Habits That May Be Depleting You)

You might be drinking filtered water and even supplementing electrolytes… but if certain habits are working against you, your hydration still won’t hold.

These common lifestyle factors quietly sabotage your water retention, mineral balance, and ultimately, your skin’s ability to stay youthful and elastic.

1. Caffeine & Alcohol

Both act as diuretics, increasing urination and flushing out essential minerals. Especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

• Just one cup of coffee or a glass of wine can increase your electrolyte requirements significantly.
• Offset every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage with mineralized water or an electrolyte drink.

2. Low-Carb or Keto Diets

When you reduce carbs, your body burns through glycogen, your stored form of glucose, which holds water and minerals.

• Result? Rapid water loss, electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, and skin dryness.
• If you're eating low-carb, electrolyte support is non-negotiable.

3. Over Exercising Without Replenishing

Sweating is great for detox. But you’re losing sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride.

• Most people don’t replace these properly.
• Replenish within 30 minutes post-workout or sauna with a balanced electrolyte drink.

4. Sauna & Red Light Therapy Without Recovery

These therapies boost detox and mitochondrial function, but also accelerate mineral depletion.

• Always follow with filtered mineral water + a high-electrolyte drink (like the DIY formula in Section 4).

5. Alkaline Water

It sounds healthful, but excessive alkaline water can neutralize stomach acid, interfering with digestion, mineral absorption, and microbiome health.

• Your body regulates its pH naturally. Don’t override it with pH-enhanced waters unless under medical supervision.

6. Distilled or Reverse Osmosis Water Without Remineralization

Pure H₂O without minerals is “empty.” It can actually pull minerals from your tissues and increase dehydration long-term.

If using RO systems, add back minerals with trace drops, sea salt, or a built-in remineralization filter like Simpure.

Final Note:

Hydration is more than water, it’s a daily strategy. One that includes filtration, remineralization, supplementation, and smart skincare habits.

If you’ve ever said, “I drink so much water, but my skin still feels dry”, this guide was made for you.

Scientific References

World Health Organization. Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS): New Formulation. WHO Guidelines. [Link](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240030764)

Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. [Link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56068/)

Shirreffs, S. M. et al. (2005). Rehydration after exercise with sodium and potassium-containing beverages. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15890640/)

Maughan, R. J. & Murray, R. (2001). Sports drinks: Basic science and practical aspects. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11838803/)

Ohsawa et al. (2007). Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17486089/)

Aoki et al. (2012). Effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on muscle fatigue caused by acute exercise in elite athletes. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22969760/)

Koufman, J. A. & Johnston, N. (2012). Potential benefits of pH 8.8 alkaline drinking water in reflux disease. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22844861/)

Schubert, M. L. (2017). Gastric secretion. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28244932/)

Kawada et al. (2014). Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25134313/)

Rawlings et al. (2004). Moisturizer technology: mechanisms of action and clinical performance. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15083932/)

Iida et al. (2010). Failure of D-psicose absorbed in the small intestine to metabolize into energy and its low large intestinal fermentability in humans. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20497787/)

Han et al. (2016). Allulose reduces plasma glucose and increases GLP-1 in humans. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27635140/)

Whelton et al. (1997). Effects of oral potassium on blood pressure. [Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9244332/)