Hyaluronic Acid: What Your Skin Needs This Fall

As cooler weather approaches, dry skin becomes an all-too-familiar struggle Enter Hyaluronic Acid – the star ingredient your skin has been craving! In this blog, we want to dive a little deeper into this amazing ingredient, answer your frequently asked questions, and share our top-pick skincare products so you can get your skin healthy and hydrated.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?

We have been using this ingredient in skincare for decades. A naturally occurring substance in our bodies, primarily found in our joints, eyes, and skin. The coolest thing about this ingredient is its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight. Think of this ingredient like a water balloon, when hyaluronic acid gets in the cells, it fills up with water, trapping the moisture in the cells, and preventing evaporation. This gives your skin that plump, hydrated, glow you are looking for!

💧Today, we want to share a quick science breakdown to help you understand its power: 

A flap opens and closes in our cells allowing nutrients and water in and toxins out. If we have inflammation in our body or our skin’s barrier is compromised, the flap stops working properly. If left open, nutrients and water leak. If left closed, toxins can’t be released. 

Hyaluronic acid also surrounds the cell in a glue that holds our cells together (picture a brick wall). When our skin feels dry even after applying moisturizer, it’s because water evaporates from the skin, which means our cell’s flap is open and water is escaping. This happens from overdoing skincare products or aggressive skin treatments. In a previous blog about barrier repair, we discussed the importance of keeping your skin healthy and hydrated. Check out that blog by clicking here.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

When hyaluronic acid gets in the cells, they plump up and hold water. Remember we mentioned above that it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water? When hyaluronic acid enters the skin, it attracts water to the cells, like a magnet. The cells fill up like balloons holding water in.  This is where having a healthy skin barrier is key for hydrated skin. Adding a hyaluronic serum to your skincare routine is a game-changer!

Pro Tip: Not all hyaluronic acid is created equal! Different varieties of molecular weight affect hyaluronic’s efficacy. Over-the-counter brands may not deliver the same results as professional or medical-grade skincare brands. Make sure to check with your esthetician and choose wisely. 

We aren’t going to bore you with too many details, but we found a study done on hyaluronic acid and its effects on the skin and body. “The biological activity of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) depends on its molecular weight. It has been shown that high molecular weight HA has anti-inflammatory properties, and its rheological characteristics determine its use in the treatment of various joint diseases, in cosmetology, and in aesthetic medicine, and in ophthalmology. Degradation of HA leads to a decrease in the molecular weight and, consequently, to a decrease in viscosity, which is detrimental to the use of HA”. Read the full article here. This article studied the effects of the various weights of hyaluronic acid, how it impacts the skin and body, and the factors that can affect its efficacy to work properly.

Now we get to the fun part! Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

💧 Why Does Hyaluronic Acid Make My Skin Dry?

The article above is important to note because we have had many clients explain that they have used hyaluronic acid in the past and don’t see results. We can share from experience, that most over-the-counter products use hyaluronic acid as a buzzword, using just enough to put it on the label. The problem, you don’t get results.  If hyaluronic acid sits on top of the skin, it will draw water out of the skin, instead of locking moisture in. Make sure to use a high-quality serum, essential for skin hydration.

🌟 What Skin Types Should Use This Ingredient?

Anyone with dry, dehydrated, or sensitive skin – especially in the fall and winter! Hyaluronic acid gives your skin a hydration boost by adding water, perfect for all skin types. Pair with monthly hydrating facials for even better results! Having dry skin and losing water will break down your skin’s barrier. Water loss is common in the winter because running the heat in our house sucks the water from the skin. 

Pro Tip: Hydrated Skin = Happy Skin! Keep your skin healthy and hydrated by adding a humidifier to your room, using hyaluronic acid serums morning and night, and treating yourself regularly to hydrating facials. Your skin will be ready to face whatever the fall weather brings!

💡 Will It Help With Acne?

Yes! Even acne and oily skin will benefit. Oil and water are different components, your skin needs both to stay healthy. If you remove oil, you also remove water. When you’re oily you need hyaluronic acid to regulate oil production by keeping the cells hydrated. We need water to float oil out of the skin via the pores. Have you ever suffered from those small white bumps forming under the skin? That is trapped oil caused by water loss. Dehydrated skin leads to clogged pores and breakouts, so don’t skip this important step.

😊 Which Hyaluronic Acid Is Best?

We recommend either a professional or medical-grade skincare line. These products are formulated in smaller batches and use higher active ingredients and fewer filler ingredients so see improvements in the skin. We love our Hyaluronic Concentrate Serum. It’s lightweight, hydrating, and can be layered under other serums. 

Pro Tip: When layering serums always go lightest to heaviest in consistency. 

We love to pair the Hyaluronic Concentrate with anti-aging and/or brightening serums. Our top favorite serums to pair are the Lifting Complex Peptide Serum and VitaLift-C Serum which contain Hyaluronic Acid, Marine Collagen (aging and hydration), and Vitamin C (brightening). Don’t forget about Melatonik, an incredible partner with Bakuchiol, Melatonin, and Vitamin C!

✨ When Should I Use?

You can use Hyaluronic acid both morning and night, especially if you have dry skin. We pair our serums with our advanced anti-aging treatments. We recommend pairing the Hyaluronic Concentrate Serum + Lifting Complex Serum both morning and night to keep your skin hydrated while it heals. If you have combination skin or in summer, you can use hyaluronic in the morning and your antiaging serums at night.

🍁 What Products Should I Look For?

Serums are ideal but in some cases, moisturizers can have it. It all comes back to the molecular weight of the hyaluronic because the wrong type draws water out of the skin. This leaves you feeling dry and creates skin sensitivity due to the lack of water.

💪 Can you use Hyaluronic Acid with Retinol?

Absolutely! We highly recommend pairing hyaluronic acid with any active serum, especially retinol, because this star ingredient focuses on hydration. Retinol focuses on wrinkles. Pairing with hyaluronic acid makes this a dynamic duo!

🌟 Don’t Let Dry Skin Steal Your Glow 🌟

If your skin is tight, flaky, or dull, now is the time to add hyaluronic acid to your skincare routine. Your skin will thank you for the extra hydration. Plus, we have plenty of facials and professional-grade options that will give you results! Ready to Take Control? Book your next hydrating facial with us or shop our top picks for hyaluronic serums! Click the link to check out our website

💧Got questions? Drop them in the comments below – we’re here to help you glow this fall!