Keeping hydrated. That’s the real Summer wellness challenge.

It seems like no matter how much you drink, you get thirsty again right after. And life gets harder when you’re dehydrated. Everything wears you down easier. The weather is disorienting. Whether or not people can see you sweating, your confidence cuts out like the NBN on a hot Sunday.

That’s when the breakouts begin. Heat, stress, and sweat are a breeding ground for acne. That’s why we’re going to catch it early and explore four crucial tips for hydration — inside and out.

1) You’re meant to be drinking double.

When it’s forecast to be a hot one, you might have an extra glass of water or spend a little more time at the workplace watering hole. And you’re on the right track. That’s when you pat yourself on the back for outsmarting the heat. We all do it. I do it.

And an hour later, you’re stumbling through an urban desert, begging for water. This shouldn’t be happening, right? You just drank.

It’s because the recommended amount on a hot day is two glasses every time you usually crave one. It should average out to roughly a glass per hour — everyone’s body is different. If you drink bottled water, buy a big one and be proud that you’re adulting well. If you don’t want to be seen with a big bottle, fine, buy two. It’s all about comfort. But tap water in Australia has a nice trove of minerals like calcium and magnesium. It’s so easy to take a glass, fill it twice and stay fresh. Everyone’s doing it.

2) You’ll need a water bottle.

A normal day is full of travel, even if you work from home. There are places to be, deals to make, people who depend on you (even if it’s your friends wanting company). Maybe it’s a walk in the evening. In any case, humans need to travel.

You won’t find a kitchen sink on the train to work, but you will find sweaty people. So get ahead of them and take your water with you.

There’s one great advantage: You can mix things into the water and release it slowly through your trip, or the day even. Try some electrolytes. Try the Clear Skin Superfood Booster. When I cut weight I’m a fan of psyllium, which suppresses the appetite and dissolves in water. But that’s just fibre. Nothing beats the appetite like nutrient rich hemp protein powder and superfruits, marine collagen hydrates the body from the inside.

Taking a bottle with you is an easy habit to form. When you’re checking for your keys and phone, check for a bottle too so you can stay smooth and confident. Then take a sip, or just keep on appreciating yourself for being healthy and strong. Habits form when you feel good about them.

3) Your love affair with caffeine is manageable.

Caffeine can prove right away that what goes in the body affects the skin. An hour after the second or third coffee you can feel the grease starting to form, your patience is down, it’s harder to move. And your skin has gotten rougher. All these things have one little cause.

Dehydration.

You can wean yourself onto a smaller amount of caffeine and still be satisfied. You can drink even more water if you don’t mind installing an office in the restroom (please don’t). But there’s a more fun way: Replace the drink.

The Clear Skin Superfood Booster is packed with energising nutrients, giving you a caffeine-free buzz.

Fruit, herbal tea, iced tea. Get a headstart on caffeine with a long black instead of a cappuccino. Make flavoured ice blocks or cubes. Put some lemon or cucumber in your water. Feel good.

4) You could use some hydration from outside.

A little sun is good, but there’s more than radiation hitting you. Heat dries the skin and removes your hydration with sweat, which is the foundation for Acne City.

You can protect yourself with products. A moisturiser like the SkinB5 Moisturiser keeps hydration sealed in the dermis. If you want to really glow, which isn’t hard on a hot day if you’re well moisturised, a serum or mask like the SkinB5 Five Minute Skin Purifying Mask refills your cells with vitamins and minerals. A sunscreen is especially important since it won’t let sunlight burn those cells you want looking good. There are things you can avoid too.

Aftershave and perfume have alcohol in them, which dries the skin. Stick with a non-drying cleanser like SkinB5’s global hit the blemish control Cleansing Mousse.

It’s simple to keep hydrated, you just have to know how it’s done right. Half the battle is doubling your water. Stay satiated, my friends.

Peter Matthews is a freelance writer living in Melbourne. He likes tea and coffee, exercise in the sun, travelling, pretty much only things that require a water bottle.