Hyaluronic acid is a powerhouse skincare ingredient. Whilst skincare trends can come and go, hyaluronic acid is one of the best ingredients you can include in your skincare routine. Using hyaluronic acid skincare can bring so many benefits and it’s suitable for use by all types of skin, including oily and dry.
Whilst it sounds like a severe ingredient, hyaluronic acid is naturally produced within our own bodies, and we use it for our skin, eyes, and joints. It’s a key molecule involved with natural moisturising and also wound healing, keeping our bodies hydrated and helping to give our skin structure. Adding this ingredient to our skincare can help to boost these naturally occurring nourishing benefits even further.
Below, we investigate exactly what makes hyaluronic acid so fantastic as a skincare ingredient.
Hydrating
The main benefit of hyaluronic acid is that it is a powerful moisturiser. It can hold 1000 times its own weight in water and has a unique capacity to draw in moisture from the air, acting as a humectant. This moisture is then held on the surface of our skin, keeping it hydrated and slowing the rate that water evaporates from our skin. This prevents us from drying out and looking dull and tired. As the hyaluronic acid boosts the hydration of our skin, the result is dewier skin that looks radiant and glowing all day long. Hyaluronic acid is also great at balancing the moisture levels of skin, so it will never over-hydrate, which could otherwise cause just as many problems as being too dry.
Smoothing
Due to its ability to hold water, hyaluronic acid can also help skin look smoother. Using hyaluronic acid can help the skin to hold its structure, improving the elasticity of skin and creating volume. It’s an ingredient that is sometimes used in fillers, but the results can be similar when used topically and when injected. When the hyaluronic acid binds the water, skin is plumped up and looks smoother.
Healing
When the skin is able to retain moisture, it can also help with tissue regeneration. This is where hyaluronic acid helps to work for healing skin and relieving inflammation. There have been studies into the use of hyaluronic acid that show it can help to improve the symptoms of mild to moderate eczema. These healing properties can help every skin type by revitalizing the outer layers of the skin, improving the overall look and feel of the complexion.
Antioxidant
Whilst hyaluronic acid is best known for its hydrating properties, it is also a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants protect skin from free radicals, which are molecules that weaken our skin cells and cause oxidative stress, which can lead to dry, uneven skin. Hyaluronic acid works to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals and keeps skin in the best health so it can also protect itself from environmental damage. This in turn keeps skin looking plump and radiant. It’s often combined with other antioxidants in skincare, to boost the efficacy of the ingredients and protect the skin from multiple types of aggressors.
When skin is moisturised, it helps to prevent wrinkles from forming, instead keeping our skin elasticated and smooth. Hyaluronic acid can also help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that are already present on the skin, filling them out so skin looks plumper. As we mentioned, hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring in the skin, but we produce less and less as we get older. Adding a topical application of hyaluronic acid to our skincare routine can help us to boost what we lose as we age, helping our skin to stay firm and smooth.