What is hyaluronic acid good for?
By restoring your skin’s supply of Hyaluronic Acid, this naturally occurring ingredient is the skincare equivalent of handing your complexion a cool glass of water.
What is hyaluronic acid good for?
Does your skin feel tight? Thirsty? Are fine lines more prominent than they were previously? Sounds like your skin is suffering from dehydration. Enter hyaluronic acid, the hydration hero swooping in to flood skin with much-needed moisture. It’s part of a family of ingredients called humectants, which work by drawing water into the skin and holding onto it. Imagine it like a sponge, soaking up moisture. Without water, the sponge (much like our skin) is brittle and rough to the touch, but with water, it becomes soft, supple and plump. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our skin and draws water to the surface. It will hold a thousand times its weight in water which is remarkable!
Hyaluronic acid has the benefit of being compatible with all skin types, whether you’re dry, oily, combination or normal. It’s worth noting that dry skin is lacking in oil, not water, so this isn’t a quick fix for the associated roughness, itchiness or flaking. However, making sure that skin is well hydrated will go a long way to making it look fresher, and feel more comfortable. On the flip side, those with oily skin who might typically steer clear of moisture-loving ingredients can enjoy hyaluronic acid without worrying about driving grease in the skin. Those where the skin barrier is compromised and losing moisture will see the greatest benefit from hyaluronic acid. As we can lose up to 40% of our hyaluronic acid at the time of the menopause, its addition to your routine is particularly important. This would be one of our first recommendations if you’re looking to give skin back its glow.
Can you use hyaluronic acid every day?
Is the word “acid” making you think of ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoic acid? Don’t worry. Hyaluronic acid is acidic by name, but not by nature and won’t exfoliate the skin or supercharge its turnover. For this reason, it’s perfectly fine to use hyaluronic acid every day. Beth recommends using it twice a day. You can’t really have too much of Hyaluronic Acid in our view, as long as it’s used alongside water-based emollients (ingredients that moisturise the skin). For maximum plumping benefits, it’s best to use hyaluronic acid in a leave-on formula rather than a cleanser or mask. TryRecovery Face CreamandHydrating Face Mist.This will give it maximum opportunity to work its hydrating magic. You could even mix a hyaluronic acid serum with your foundation or sunscreen for an extra dewy base.
How to apply hyaluronic acid: Step-by-step
The only downside of hyaluronic acid is that it needs somewhere to draw moisture from. If there isn’t any water readily available, it may start to steal stocks from inside your skin. Because hyaluronic acid draws moisture, some believe it can draw it directly from the skin which causes dehydration. Beth always recommends applying hyaluronic acid over damp or even wet skin and locking in that moisture with a light, water-based emollient. By adding extra water into the equation, you are effectively creating a moisture sandwich on the skin, giving it two avenues to draw moisture from. This isn’t a must-do, but might be a nice application technique if your skin is naturally very dry.
Here’s how to add hyaluronic acid to your skincare routines.
Step 1
After cleansing and/or exfoliating spritz Hydrating Face Mist all over your face and neck.
Step 2
Apply your Recovery Face Cream to skin before the Hydrating Face Mist sinks in, this will allow both HA products to hold moisture and hydration to the skin’s surface.
Step 3
For an extra HA boost use Recovery Face Mask 3-4 times a week as part of your evening routine too.
Which ingredients can you layer hyaluronic acid with?
When it comes to playing nicely with other skincare ingredients, hyaluronic acid is something of a social butterfly. As it doesn’t have exfoliating properties, it pairs well with other actives – and can even support their effects. A calm, hydrated skin barrier is the key to healthy skin, as less allergens and irritants can get in and less moisture can get out. Using hyaluronic acid will help to support the skin barrier and keep hydration levels topped up. When our skin is healthy and hydrated it will tolerate actives more easily and treatments such as retinoids and exfoliants can be used at optimal concentration without irritation. Hyaluronic acid can be layered with vitamin C, with retinol and with niacinamide. Just consider the weight of your products when layering, as you’ll need to work from lightest to heaviest to ensure everything can make its way to your skin.