A lot of people know that keeping your skin moisturized is key if you’re trying to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But did you know that it’s also crucial for fighting off breakouts, maintaining an even skin tone, and having that indescribable glow that will make you light up every room you step into?
So, let’s talk about one of the best ingredients to have in your arsenal when it comes to keeping your skin moisturized: Hyaluronic Acid.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Unlike other common acids in skincare products like Alpha Hydroxy Acids or Beta Hydroxy Acids, Hyaluronic Acid isn’t a chemical exfoliant.
Hyaluronic Acid is what’s known as a humectant, and it’s often shortened to the abbreviation HA.
It’s simplest to think of humectants as hydration magnets that attract water.
Humectants pull water in both from the air around you as well as other products you layer on top of them, and lock that moisture in.
Hyaluronic Acid is special because not only does it attract water, but it’s also a sugar that occurs in your skin naturally. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the main molecules involved in skin moisture, and it exists as a part of your skin’s natural processes to maintain itself.
What Are the Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic Acid’s hydrating superpowers can be beneficial in addressing a wide variety of skin concerns.
While products with Salicylic Acid tend to reign supreme in over-the-counter breakout solutions, Hyaluronic Acid can be very effective in keeping the effects of breakouts at bay. This is partly because of its ability to improve the appearance of redness and irritation in your skin, making the breakouts you do have a little less noticeable.
Additionally, if you struggle with severe breakouts and take prescription medication — or even just use heavy-duty over-the-counter products — you probably know that such products can cause a lot of dryness, redness, and flakiness in your skin.
Even if you know it’ll be worth it once you’ve busted your breakouts for good, it’s hard to accept that you’re going to need to live with dullness and dehydrated skin long-term.
This is where Hyaluronic Acid can come in. Where traditional moisturizers and other topical products may fall short, HA can go the extra mile to help your skin retain the moisture it desperately needs to let your breakout cream do its job without punishing the rest of your skin with harsh dryness.
Keeping your skin moisturized is important for maintaining youthful, plump-looking skin. So, if anti-aging measures are high up on your skincare wishlist, Hyaluronic Acid is a perfect addition to your routine.
Hyaluronic Acid can also be very useful in helping to address uneven-looking complexion. Some studies have shown that HA has the potential to even out the appearance of your complexion.
How Do You Use Hyaluronic Acid in a Skincare Routine?
As with most ingredients, there are a few different options for working HA into your routine.
Find a Hyaluronic Acid-Infused Cream Moisturizer
We love a one-step solution as much as the next person — skinimalism is our thing.
So, if you love the idea of utilizing Hyaluronic Acid to get your skin back on track but aren’t sure you’re ready to commit to an entirely new step in your skincare routine, this is the option for you.
The most important thing when applying Hyaluronic Acid is making sure a helpful cream moisturizer surrounds it — remember, it’s a humectant, so the HA itself isn’t the hydration station. Finding a cream moisturizer that’s formulated with HA is a straightforward, seamless way to unlock the moisturizing potential of your current routine!
When using an HA moisturizer during the day (or night!), you can’t go wrong with our Chebula Extreme Cream. If you’re looking for the triple threat of extreme hydration, extreme antioxidant benefits, and extreme optimization of your skin barrier, this is the cream moisturizer for you.
The star botanical here is extract from the Chebula fruit, which offers a breakthrough cascading antioxidant that effectively targets five signs of aging.
Extreme Cream is also formulated with potent plant actives like Acerola Cherry, Calendula Oil, and Wild Pansies Extract that help soothe skin and add additional hydration.
With Hyaluronic Acid in the mix, it’s the perfect all-day, all-night cream moisturizer that doesn’t feel heavy duty on your skin (even though it works heavy duty!).
Chebula Extreme Cream also contains both low and high-weighted Hyaluronic Acid molecules, which means this hydrating acid is working for you on two different levels. Because these different-sized molecules absorb into your skin at different rates, the smaller molecules can help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while plumping and firming your complexion. In contrast, the larger molecules help to smooth out your skin’s texture.
Our formula is clinically proven to deliver extreme moisturization both instantly and in the long-term. In fact, 100% of people tested felt a significant improvement in their skin’s hydration levels — and showed a 97% increase in their skin’s moisture over just four weeks.
If you’re looking to amp up your hydration routine, using a cream moisturizer formulated with Hyaluronic Acid is one of the best ways to keep your skin quenched and glowing.
Find a Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Serums are an effective way to work all kinds of nourishing vitamins, lipids, antioxidants, and other impactful ingredients into your skincare routine that can help keep your complexion bright and even. Choosing the perfect HA serum for you depends on your individual skincare goals.
The most significant difference to note when using a Hyaluronic Acid serum: While you typically cleanse and then dry your face before applying serum, you should apply HA serums to damp skin.
That extra moisture will give the Hyaluronic Acid water molecules to attract and hold within your skin — remember, think of them like magnets.
After, you’ll want to apply a cream moisturizer. Since we’re talking about a nighttime routine, we’d recommend going with a thick, lush, cream moisturizer to really give your skin the best chance at total hydration to replenish moisture while you sleep.
If you’d prefer to use a Hyaluronic Acid Serum during the day, our Chebula Active Serum is also formulated with Sodium Hyaluronate, and is an easy addition to your morning routine.
Chebula is a breakthrough antioxidant that helps protect your layers of skin against just about everything — including the free radicals found in UV rays. Whatever your skin type, Chebula Active Serum can help you fight five signs of aging.
Unlike other antioxidants, a whopping 60% of Chebula is bioactive. For comparison, most antioxidant fruit derivatives are only about 10% bioactive. That’s a serious step up!
Because you don’t need to worry about any increased photosensitivity with Hyaluronic Acid, you don’t need to worry about sun exposure — though, of course, you should always finish your routine with SPF to protect your skin.
Hyaluronic Acid Injectables
Different from your usual skincare options, Hyaluronic Acid is also offered as a type of temporary dermal filler. This is obviously not something you should pursue on your own; you should only pursue dermal fillers after consulting with a board-certified dermatologist or another trustworthy, licensed aesthetician.
Hyaluronic Acid dermal fillers are used to restore the suppleness and firmness in your skin that gets lost when you age. It can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and change the structure and perceived volume of your face. Unlike traditional skincare methods, dermal fillers show their effects immediately.
If My Skin Produces HA, Why Do I Need It in My Skincare Routine?
Your skin’s hydration level can vary depending on your environment, diet, skin type, genetics, and more. The amount of HA your body produces can vary, too, meaning your skin might need some extra help staying hydrated.
As we get older, our skin produces less and less of the proteins and other compounds that keep our complexion bright and bouncy in our youth. When we’re young, our skin cells are quick to replace themselves and produce more than enough collagen, elastin, and Hyaluronic Acid to keep your youthful glow and elasticity intact.
As we age, fewer pieces of the skin glow puzzle are generated regularly, so we end up with gaps that can lead to visible signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and thin skin.
By using a Hyaluronic Acid product, especially as you get older or if you struggle specifically with dry skin, you can make sure that even as your cells slow down, your complexion will still stay youthful.
Who Should Use Hyaluronic Acid?
The short answer is: just about everybody!
Hyaluronic Acid is an amazing humectant, and it also works for just about any skin type.
Whereas other skincare-related acids may leave your skin dry and irritated, Hyaluronic Acid is gentle on all skin. It doesn’t need to be introduced as gingerly as you might introduce a sensitizing ingredient like Synthetic Retinol.
Even if you have sensitive skin, Hyaluronic Acid has a place in your routine. However, despite the unlikeliness that Hyaluronic Acid might cause allergic reactions, you don’t need to go overboard — an HA formula concentration below 2% is about as high as you should go.
Keeping your skin moisturized isn’t only important for aesthetic reasons. While it does help on that front, keeping your skin hydrated is key to maintaining your skin’s all-important moisture barrier.
Your skin’s moisture barrier is the outermost layer of your skin, and it’s basically a shield protecting the deeper layers of your skin from the outside world — that means pollution in the environment, and irritants like dirt and bacteria.
At the same time, your moisture barrier keeps moisture in. If your skin feels overly tight or dry or is getting a bit flaky, it may be more than just dryness — it may be a weakness in your skin barrier. A weakness in your skin barrier can expose you to redness, irritation, and discomfort, but also to infection and breakouts.
Ensuring that your skin gets the moisture it needs to stay hydrated is an all-around important part of your skincare regimen.
You can check out our Skin Barrier Bootcamp here for everything you need to know about one of the most important tools you have to achieve youthful-looking skin. In this master class hosted by Logan Browning, we’ll show you how to nourish, protect, repair, and optimize your skin barrier in just five days, to give you the knowledge you need to support your skin for a lifetime!
In Conclusion
Hyaluronic Acid is different from many skincare ingredients in some key ways. While it is an acid, it isn’t used to exfoliate — rather, it’s a powerful hydrating tool that can boost the moisturizing effects of other products and ingredients.
Ready to try Hyaluronic Acid for yourself? Get started with the True Botanicals Hyaluronic Hydration Heaven Set, which includes our Chebula Extreme Cream, Resurrection Radiance Eye Cream, and Moisture Lock Glossy Lip Balm.
Sources:
Alpha Hydroxy Acids | Food and Drug Administration
Beta Hydroxy Acids | Food and Drug Administration
Hyaluronic Acid: A Key Molecule in Skin Aging | Demato-Endocrinology