Hyaluronic acid is all over the place within the magnificence world — and with good cause. However should you haven’t actually appeared into the science behind your skincare, you could be questioning the way it works. And particularly, how can an acid be hydrating?
To not fear—we’re digging into what hyaluronic acid is, how you can use it, and why it’s earned its spot within the skincare ingredient Corridor of Fame.
Let’s get began.
THE BASICS
HYALURONIC ACID (HA)WHAT IT IS: Hydrator
WHAT IT DOES: This moisturizing agent boosts elasticity, helps collagen and elastin, and helps restore pores and skin injury.
WHO IT'S FOR: Hyaluronic acid is mild sufficient for all pores and skin varieties, but it surely’s particularly useful for these with dry pores and skin.
HOW TO USE IT: Topical hyaluronic acid can be utilized in eye lotions, serums, and moisturizers each morning and night on clear, dry pores and skin.
GOES WELL WITH: Vitamin C, peptides, retinoids, glycolic acid
DON’T MIX WITH: Hyaluronic acid is discovered naturally within the pores and skin and is not recognized for inflicting reactions with different beauty elements.
TRY IT IN: Hyaluronic Eyes, Hyaluronic Focus, Hyaluronic Moisture, Fusion Water MAGIC, and extra
What’s hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that’s naturally present in our joints, connective tissue, and pores and skin. Relying on the place it’s discovered within the physique, it has completely different features:
- Within the joints, it helps hold the area between your bones comfy.
- In connective tissue, it cushions residing tissue cells and helps hold them hydrated.
- Within the pores and skin, it acts as a hydrating agent and helps to offer pores and skin elasticity, preserving it wanting wholesome.
Because of its pure capacity to bind to and retain water molecules, hyaluronic acid performs a serious function in your physique, notably within the pores and skin. This factors to its latest reputation in skincare merchandise.
What can hyaluronic acid do for my pores and skin?
Except for its capability as a pure moisturizer, hyaluronic acid additionally boasts different spectacular qualities. First up? It performs a task in serving to to restore pores and skin and fight the seen indicators of ageing, corresponding to superb strains and wrinkles.
And though it’s an acid, its delicate nature makes it very completely different from peeling elements like glycolic acid. This hydrating acid boasts a excessive water retention capability, performing nearly like a pure water reservoir in our pores and skin. It additionally contributes to pores and skin elasticity.
However as we age, pores and skin’s pure hyaluronic acid manufacturing slows. In brief, your pores and skin turns into drier and feels thinner over time. Making use of hyaluronic acid topically may also help return a few of that hydration to the pores and skin.
Plus, it gives rejuvenating results corresponding to:
- Helps restore plumpness to the face
- Minimizes the look of superb strains and wrinkles
- Promotes elasticity and bounce
- Helps pure collagen and elastin ranges within the pores and skin
- Helps retain water within the pores and skin and keep all-around hydration
Who ought to use hyaluronic acid?
It’s not simply these with dry pores and skin who can profit from hyaluronic acid – this celebrity ingredient makes a fantastic addition to any skincare routine for its plumping and youth-boosting advantages. And usually, it’s tolerable for all pores and skin varieties, even delicate or oily pores and skin.
What about mixing it with different skincare elements?
Hyaluronic acid + retinoids
Hyaluronic acid and retinoids make a stellar group. Actually, hyaluronic acid may also help make any drying or irritating results of retinoids much less noticeable. However be sure that to make use of the right software in line with your pores and skin kind and wishes.
Hyaluronic acid + vitamin C
Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid make a mild but highly effective skincare combo. The advantages of each elements complement one another to create a rejuvenating duo. Hyaluronic acid gives intense hydration, whereas vitamin C works to brighten and even tone over time.
Any mixtures to keep away from?
Excellent news: hyaluronic acid just about all the time performs good with others. There aren’t any notable ingredient interactions to fret about.
However when doubtful, check it out. Apply your skincare merchandise onto a less-sensitive and visual space of pores and skin (just like the aspect of your neck or inside forearm) to see if it reacts. As soon as 24 hours have handed with no response, try to be prepared to offer it an actual go.
Tips on how to use hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine, step-by-step:
1. Begin with a clear slate
General, an oil cleanser is your greatest guess for a deep cleanse that doesn’t strip the pores and skin. Oil attracts oil, making it ideally suited for gently eradicating impurities like extra sebum, waterproof make-up, or water resistant sunscreen.
2. Add in an eye fixed gel with hyaluronic acid
After cleaning, attain for an ultra-hydrating resolution to your eyes. Hyaluronic acid can supply a firming impact and defend pores and skin from moisture loss, leaving the attention space feeling smoother and visibly extra energized.
What to search for in a method? A gel-sorbet texture may also help decongest and fight fatigue. Bonus factors if it has an additional cooling impact and may be saved within the fridge or freezer earlier than use.
3. Apply a soothing hyaluronic acid serum
Clean on a hydrating serum each morning and night. This straightforward act of self-care may also help to replenish and enhance your pores and skin’s moisture ranges, leaving pores and skin wanting radiant. The deep hydration from serums containing hyaluronic acid may also work so as to add the looks of quantity to the pores and skin, whereas softening the look of superb strains and wrinkles.
4. Wrap pores and skin in moisture with an HA cream
Hyaluronic acid can be utilized in moisturizer formulation to assist retain hydration, performing because the layer that seals moisture into the pores and skin. Moisturizers with hyaluronic acid assist to keep up water ranges, offering sustained moisture all through the day. The top end result? Pores and skin that appears and feels clean, hydrated, and refreshed.
5. Final however not least, sunscreen!
Day by day, each season—the ultimate step of your morning skincare routine ought to all the time be a excessive SPF, broad spectrum sunscreen. Layer it on after your moisturizer to assist hold pores and skin moisturized and guarded all through the day.
Do you know hyaluronic acid may also assist strengthen and moisturize nails and cuticles? And there’s one kind known as cationic hyaluronic acid — consider it as an enhanced model of our hydration hero, working to moisturize the nail plate and cuticle. Attain for nail care options designed with cationic hyaluronic acid for seen outcomes.
Simply the FAQs
Is hyaluronic acid secure?
Don’t let the phrase ‘acid’ offer you pause: hyaluronic acid is broadly thought-about a secure selection for all pores and skin varieties. Because it’s discovered naturally within the physique, opposed reactions to this ingredient aren’t widespread.
How typically ought to I exploit it? Day by day?
You possibly can add hyaluronic acid to each your morning and night routines day-after-day.
Seen results of hydration might present up shortly, however any rejuvenating results sometimes take not less than 30 days to seem. So, be sure that to offer any new skincare product not less than a month of constant use earlier than making a remaining judgment.
Can I exploit hyaluronic acid underneath eyes?
Sure! Hyaluronic acid formulation made particularly for the eye contour space may be each important and efficient. Because of its capacity to bind to water, this hydrating ingredient may also help restore elasticity and moisture ranges across the eyes as nicely. Strive it in Hyaluronic Eyes and Okay-Ox Eyes.
Is hyaluronic acid in sunscreen good?
A hydrating sunscreen with hyaluronic acid generally is a nice selection for all pores and skin varieties. The extra moisture works to fight the drying results of the solar and different environmental components. Search for a light-weight method that doesn’t really feel greasy or heavy on the pores and skin. Our suggestion? Fusion Water MAGIC. It gives 12-hour hydration* due to hyaluronic acid.
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Sources and references:
Garre A et al. Antiaging results of a novel facial serum containing L-ascorbic acid, proteoglycans, and proteoglycan-stimulating tripeptide: ex vivo pores and skin explant research and in vivo scientific research in ladies. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:253-263
https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S161352 Oe et al. Oral hyaluronan relieves knee ache: a evaluation. In Diet Journal (2016); 15: 11.
Sridevi et al. A Evaluation on Hyaluronic Acid. In Worldwide Journal of Analysis in Chemistry and Setting (2012) Vol. 2 Situation 4; 6-11.
Papakonstantinou E., Roth M., Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in pores and skin ageing. In Dermatoendocrinology (2012); 4(3): 253-258.
Pavicic et al. Efficacy of cream-based novel formulations of hyaluronic acid of various molecular weights in anti-wrinkle remedy. In Journal of Medicine in Dermatology (2011), 10(9):990-1000.
*Information on file. ISDIN, 2025.
Amy is a content material strategist who turned a part-time obsession with skincare right into a full-time ardour. Her expertise as a artistic storyteller features a vary of life-style and know-how subjects throughout Washington D.C. and Barcelona. What’s in her journey bag? Eye contour cream and sunscreen, all the time.
