Most people think staying hydrated just means drinking more water. But if you still feel thirsty or depleted despite drinking plenty, water alone may not be enough.

A little caveat: I sweat a lot.. intentionally (saunas + hot classes) and unintentionally, and it's made me a little obsessive about what I put back in. 

Here's what I've learned: water alone doesn't hydrate you. True hydration depends on electrolytes. 

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge in your body.

That charge is what allows your body to:
- move water into cells
- send nerve signals
- contract muscles
- maintain fluid balance

The main electrolytes (the ones that actually matter):
Sodium → controls fluid balance, helps water enter cells
Potassium → works with sodium, supports cell hydration and nerve function
Magnesium → involved in muscle relaxation, energy, and fluid regulation
Calcium → muscle contraction, nerve signalling
Chloride → works with sodium to regulate fluids

Before we get into the fun stuff, we need to talk about salt. Not table salt that's been stripped of everything useful and in large quantities can actually dehydrate you. The real ones are Celtic grey salt (harvested from clay beds, slightly damp, highest mineral content of any salt) and Himalayan pink salt (widely available, good trace mineral profile).

A small pinch of the right salt in your water changes what your cells can actually do with it.

MORNING SOLE WATER · hot

The night before, dissolve 1 tsp of Celtic grey salt in a small jar of water. In the morning, add 1 tsp of this to a large glass of warm water and drink before anything else.

Why it works: Salt contains sodium, which activates aquaporins. These are the tiny channels in your cell walls that allow water to actually enter your cells. Without enough sodium, water passes through your body rather than being absorbed by it. Celtic grey salt also carries magnesium, potassium, and calcium, giving your cells exactly what they need to hold on to hydration.



HIBISCUS WATER · cold

Steep dried hibiscus flowers in hot water for 5 minutes. Strain, cool, and drink over ice. Deep red, naturally tart, rich in vitamin C and minerals. Find dried hibiscus at any toko in Amsterdam.

Why it works: Hibiscus is rich in potassium and magnesium, the same electrolytes your body loses when you sweat. Even a simple steep transfers these into the water, making it meaningfully more hydrating than plain water. The tartness you taste is the mineral content working.

COCONUT WATER & LIME · cold 

Pour good coconut water over ice and squeeze in fresh lime. That's it.

Why it works: Coconut water has an electrolyte profile remarkably close to human plasma, which is why it's been used as an emergency hydration drink in parts of the world for centuries. The lime adds vitamin C, which supports your adrenal glands. When your adrenals are under stress (including the good stress of exercise), they burn through vitamin C rapidly. Replenishing it helps your body regulate fluid balance more effectively.

BARLEY, PANDAN & ROCK SUGAR · hot or cold

Simmer pearl barley in water for 30-40 minutes. Add a few pandan leaves and a piece of rock sugar (冰糖) in the last 10 minutes. Strain and drink warm, or cool and serve over ice. One of the oldest hydration tonics in the world, slightly sweet, deeply nourishing, and completely underrated in the West. Find all three ingredients at any toko.

Why it works: Barley releases beta-glucan as it simmers, a soluble fibre that forms a soft gel in the gut and slows the absorption of water into the bloodstream. Instead of a quick flush, you get sustained, steady hydration that lasts. Barley is also high in silica, which supports collagen production and connective tissue from the inside. Pandan adds antioxidants, and rock sugar, being less processed than white sugar, provides a gentle energy source without spiking blood sugar.

NETTLE & LEMON TONIC · hot

Brew a generous handful of fresh or dried nettles for 10 minutes. Strain. Add fresh lemon juice and raw honey. Nettles are coming up right now across the Netherlands. Find them at the farmer's market or dried at a toko.

Why it works: Nettles are exceptionally dense in silica, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, making them more mineral-rich than almost any plant you can drink. Silica in particular supports collagen synthesis and the integrity of connective tissue, which means what you drink here is directly supporting how your skin holds moisture. Iron supports oxygen transport in the blood, and better-oxygenated cells hydrate and repair more efficiently.

CHAMOMILE & ROSE HONEY SPRITZ · cold

Brew chamomile tea and steep a small handful of dried Rosa damascena buds together. Cool completely. Pour over ice, stir in raw honey, then top with sparkling water, gently, so you keep the bubbles.

Why it works: Chamomile is deeply anti-inflammatory and supports the gut lining, which is essential for how well your body absorbs water and nutrients. Rose is rich in polyphenols that protect cells from oxidative stress. Raw honey brings trace minerals and enzymes that enhance nutrient absorption. Together they don't just hydrate. They help your body receive hydration more effectively. And they are almost identical to what I've been making for your skin.

NOW THAT YOU ARE PROPERLY HYDRATED FROM THE INSIDE. HERE'S A TALL DRINK FOR YOUR SKIN:


BAPTISM · Hydrating Botanical Face Mist | Skin Preparation
€23.00

A water based botanical veil designed to prepare the skin before applying tallow. By increasing surface hydration, it allows occlusive balms to spread more evenly and reduce transepidermal water loss. Distilled rose, frankincense and chamomile hydrosols offer gentle soothing properties while elevating the ritual of application.

Rose Alba hydrosol offers gentle hydration and toning properties, while Frankincense hydrosol helps calm and clarify the skin. Roman Chamomile hydrosol provides soothing support, making the formula suitable for sensitive and redness-prone skin.

Lightweight and alcohol free, Baptism can be used daily to refresh and rebalance the skin.

How to Use: Mist generously onto clean skin and allow it to absorb for a few seconds. Apply your balm while the skin is still slightly damp to seal in hydration. Suitable for face and neck, morning or evening. Can also be used throughout the day or during flights as a refreshing skin mist.

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Hydration isn’t just what you drink. It’s what your body can actually use.