What is hyaluronic acid?
Cassandra cut hyaluronic acid out of her skincare routine as a dedicated step during the summer because of her oily skin. Plus, she wondered if we actually need a dedicated hyaluronic acid step since it is created naturally by our skin. Moreover, HA is already in an overwhelming amount of products. It’s in almost everything from serums, toners, masks, and moisturizers. You might see it listed as sodium hyaluronate or hydrolyzed acid. So, do we really need a dedicated step in the routine for hyaluronic acid?
Does hyaluronic acid make your skin drier?
Hyaluronic acid can make your skin dry if you use it in a dry environment without sealing it in. It can also cause your skin’s moisture to evaporate more quickly if you don’t use other products that have an abundance of water and moisture in them. On the other hand, Cassandra noticed her skin did become a little drier when she stopped using hyaluronic acid. It wasn’t a major change and her skin didn’t get extraordinarily dry. But, she did notice a few drier patches. She also noticed that her scars did not heal as quickly.
Why should I use hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is great for wound healing. There have been medical studies showing that hyaluronic acid application helps wound healing. It also imparts so much moisture into the skin
How should I use hyaluronic acid?
You can apply HA right when you get out of the shower and there’s still moisture in the air. Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan which is basically a humectant that holds onto moisture and pulls it into the skin. This trick helped Cassandra’s skin absorb so much moisture, but the results may vary.
Sometimes, hyaluronic acid’s efficacy depends on the product. Cassandra has found that some HA products don’t bind to her skin well because the molecule size was too large. So, here are some great HA formulas with great delivery systems.
OSEA Hyaluronic Sea Serum -$88
This is fantastic to use right after getting out of the shower. The seaweed gives your skin an antioxidant boost so she likes using it during the day. But, if she uses too much of it, it can get a little gummy. You have to pat the product into your skin rather than rub it.
Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Acid Facial Mist -$32
This one is also really great. It has squalane, but it works very well in humid weather. It’s a great on-the-go product too.
Wishful Skin Thirst Trap Juice - $47
This doesn’t gum up so it does very well under sunscreen and cosmetics. This has peptides and aloe vera with no latex. Peptides help greatly with retaining water.
The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics
This is more lightweight and watery. It definitely imparts hydration, but Cassandra wouldn’t say it coats the skin.
These hyaluronic acid products were Cassandra’s favorite to use for the after-shower method. After using these, she noticed she was no longer getting dry, crusty patches on hers on her face. Her fine lines faded and looked much butter. Even compared to a moisturizer, these products plumped up her skin even more.