EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HYALURONIC ACID

The beauty industry loves hyaluronic acid right now. And for good reason - it is a superstar, non-irritating ingredient for moisturizing and relieving dry skin. But do you know exactly what it is? How it works? Or that it has an important counterpart named sodium hyaluronate? Let’s start with the basics.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is more than just a skincare ingredient. It’s actually a molecule that’s naturally produced by your body. Found primarily in the skin, connective tissue and eyes, this gooey substance retains water to lubricate our joints and tissue.

HYALURONIC ACID FACTS:

• Carries up to 1000x its own weight in water
• Supports healthy collagen and elastin production, and
• Assists with wound healing.

Hyaluronic acid is reduced by sun exposure, dehydration, air conditioning, stress, smoking, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and oh, age. Anything naughty really.

As we age, our skin loses hyaluronic acid levels and with it, the ability to protect itself from the sun, higher levels of inflammation, pigmentation, wrinkles.....*sits in a bath of HA*.

Hyaluronic acid is also something your body produces more of in response to damage or inflammation (like sun exposure) to assist in wound healing. Half of your body’s stores sit in the epidermis and create a healing environment for your skin to make collagen and elastin. 

HOW DOES HYALURONIC ACID WORK?

Think of your skin like a sponge. You want that sponge full of moisture, soft and pliable, not brittle and hard.  Hyaluronic acid is what keeps that moisture in your sponge.

When we have plenty of hyaluronic acid in the epidermis, our skin retains moisture better, looks plumper and heals faster. 

Sadly, this wonderful ‘fountain of youth’… how can we say. It dries up. We need to top up hyaluronic acid regularly for our skin to look its best.

As we age or sustain sun damage (or both), we produce less hyaluronic acid and our skin becomes less efficient at holding onto what we’ve got.  

What are the benefits?

Both sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid have the same skincare benefits, the most significant of which is extreme hydration. This hydrator can help improve the overall complexion through:

• Firmer skin - When sodium hyaluronate sinks deep into the skin between connective tissue, it increases the skin’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. This results in skin that looks and feels firmer and more youthful.
  
• Fewer wrinkles and fine lines - As skin becomes firmer, it also becomes plumper, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, well-moisturized skin helps to prevent the emergence of future wrinkles.
  
• Hydration that won’t clog pores - Both hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate are extremely gentle and non-comedogenic, so even people with sensitive and/or acne-prone skin can reap the powerful hydration and moisturization benefits.

Plus, well-moisturized skin is essential for people who suffer from breakouts. When skin is too dry, sebum production goes into overdrive, which ultimately clogs pores and results in even more breakouts. So whether you choose a product with hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate, moisturizing is definitely a good thing, especially during these dry, cold winter months!

SO, WHAT HYALURONIC ACID PRODUCTS SHOULD I USE?

There are many different forms of hyaluronic acid we use in skincare, each with different properties. For best results, we want a combination of hyaluronic acid forms to create maximum moisture and bounce. Let’s look at some great hyaluronic acid products to top us up!

HYALURONIC ACID 2% + B5 AND CERAMIDE HYDRATING SERUM

Smooth, supple, healthy skin—it all starts with hydration. This lightweight, non-sticky hydrating serum immediately quenches skin above and below the surface. A blend of dermatologist-approved hyaluronic acid, peptides, and antioxidants provides instant dryness relief while boosting your skin’s own barrier function. A hydrating booster with 4 different types of Hyaluronic Acid Molecules along with super hydrator Polyglutamic Acid (PGA). Provides multi-level hydration throughout the day.

2% ALPHA ARBUTIN ULTRA WHITENING SERUM

An anti-pigmentation daily serum with high purity Alpha Arbutin along with Butyl-resorcinol and 2% Hyaluronic Acid for dramatically reducing dark spots and blemishes for brighter, even-looking skin after few days of use. This formula contains Ferulic Acid which is a potent antioxidant and improves the product efficacy. Ferulic acid has a characteristic mild woody smell & it gets imparted to the product as well.