Summer skin care - water retention

Yes, I realize that summer is over, but this tip I received yesterday when I went for my facial can work year-round. I have been breaking out like crazy lately and my facialist explained that although my skin had oil on it, all the water evaporated and something else about alkalinity and acidity...I dunno.  The point was my skin needs hydration in the form of water.  I expect not to have enough hydration in winter too - I go through bouts of break-outs then too.  I am going to go over some products which may help.

Yes, you could just spritz plain water on your face, but it's just going to evaporate quickly.  Use a spray that:

1. contains minerals that are good for your skin;
2. contains hyaluronic acid, which binds moisture to your skin; and/or
3. sprays in a fine mist.  You don't want to look like you just got out of the shower.

I did some research on glycerin's role in moisture retention, but some people (on the internet) say that glycerin will draw water from the inside of your skin to the surface, so although you will appear hydrated superficially, the inner layers of your skin will suffer.  I am not sure how much and in what quantities this occurs, though.

1. alba botanica rainforest Refreshing Mist Toner (pictured above).  I can't exactly remember WHY I bought this, but I have this in my stash.  ab's rainforest collection uses antioxidant rich oils from the rainforest and is Rainforest Alliance certified, which I think means that the rainforests of South American were unharmed in the sourcing of the raw materials.  Some of the ingredients include water, glycerin, aloe leaf juice,  hyaluronic acid, tiger nut extract, and several fruit seed extracts.

2.  MAC FIX +.  Many make-up aficionados will already have this in their arsenal, but you don't need to use it only to set your make-up or blend your foundation with a sponge (which is what I do).  It contains water, glycerin, caffeine, and extracts of cucumber, chamomile, and green tea.  I wonder if the caffeine and glycerin dries out skin though... I don't use it often enough to have noticed anything funky with my skin.

3. Avene Thermal Spring Water.  Ahhhh oui, one of the many French thermal spring water sprays.  Other popular brands that produce this  include Evian and La Roche-Posay.  This stuff is not tap water - thermal springs have been celebrated for years for their skin benefits because of the minerals found in the water.  These come in a very fine spray and in portable sizes to carry with your or keep in your desk drawer at work. 

photos lifted from albabotanica.com, MACcosmetics.com, and drugstore.com