Have you noticed Hyaluronic acid popping up everywhere on skincare?
It is in your face wash, serums, sheet masks, face oil being sold as the ingredient that gives you flawless, hydrated skin. Let’s get to the science behind this miracle ingredient.
Hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan (HA) is a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan (C28H44N2O23) naturally occurring biopolymer and plays a multifaceted role in regulating the various biological processes such as skin repair, diagnosis of cancer, wound healing, tissue regeneration, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulation. It is an anionic, nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan distributed widely throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. The highest amount of HA is found in skin, in recent years HA has become a miracle product for its water-binding capacity; the structure of hyaluronic acid exhibits remarkable ability to hold/trap approximately 1000 times its weight of water.
Skin aging manifests at the molecular and cellular level which ends up in sagging skin and appearance of wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is being used in formulations that provide hydration, moisturizing, and rejuvenating. HA is proven to replenish moisture in the skin, and its water holding capacity results in softer and suppler skin.
This is the first time I am using a Hyaluronic acid serum as a topical application. Muscat has a hot arid climate which makes being in air-conditioning all day a daily lifestyle in most months of the year. AC pulls moisture from the air to reduce humidity and the dry air pulls sucks the moisture out of your skin. Even though I have always had oily skin, continuous exposure to the AC has made my skin dry. No matter how good or heavy moisturizer I apply on my skin, my skin gets used to it in days and eventually starts feeling dry.
Moisturiser alone was not hydrating my skin properly, so I decided to invest in HA serum from Allies of Skin (It is 100% cruelty-free and not tested on animals). While using a HA serum might seem to be the one-stop solution, there is a catch – how best you can use it. HA sucks moisture from surroundings, so if your skin is dry and the air around is dry too HA will absorb moisture from the skin instead of pulling it towards it. The best way of using an HA serum is to apply on damp skin and then top it up with a moisturizer, this way HA absorbs the moisture and provides your skin with a barrier.
The one I am using is a hydration + repair serum (pH 4.3-5.1) supercharged with 3 forms of Hyaluronic Acid (Low Molecular Weight, High Molecular Weight, and Botanical Polysaccharide), 5% Resveratrol Ferment, 2% Superoxide Dismutase, and multiple antioxidants to intensely hydrate, brighten and strengthen dehydrated skin. Since it is being added into a lot of skincare products these days, I do not prefer to have HA in my cleanser, masks, or any other skincare product. Personally, just one product with HA is enough for me.
It comes in a turnaround bottle and the serum itself is liquid translucent in color and liquid in a thick consistency and also contains strawberry fruit extract. There is definitely an improvement in the way my skin holds onto moisture after the application of the serum.
I am more inclined towards natural products in skincare, but we have to remember all-natural products are not good for your skin. Some of the natural products can harm your skin over a period of time; such as fragrant essential oils or using direct lemon juice on the skin. Fragrant Essential oils cause skin irritation and Lemon juice is acidic in nature with a pH of about 2 that can cause more damage to your skin by increasing its sensitivity to the sun. I have used Lemon juice in a lot of my DIY masks but I always balance it out with honey or curd and use a few drops of Lemon instead of squeezing the life out of it. But now I have stopped using lemon drops on my DIY masks, and add only honey or yogurt to the mask.
Even natural ingredients are made up of chemicals. There is substantial research proving that ingredients such as Vitamin C, Squalene, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic acid are eventually better for the skin.
There are many HA serums available in the market, a few budget-friendly ones are The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid 2% + B5 (one of the best), CeraVe Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum, Paula’s Choice Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster Concentrated Serum(all of Paula’s choice skincare is amongst the best). Hyaluronic acid is a powerful moisture-binding substance that provides excellent hydration to the skin and is a worthwhile addition to the skincare routine.
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Tnx for the info it’s great to hear…..💖💖💖….loads of warm wishes
Nisha venkat
@_nisha_venkat_
Thank you, Nisha 🙂