The benefits of hyaluronic acid for skin have become widely known lately, and many skincare brands now include this miracle ingredient in their products.
The reason why hyaluronic acid has suddenly gained so much popularity is because of its ability to hydrate. Hyaluronic acid for skin is all the rage right now because research has shown that keeping the skin moisturized is the best way to prevent it from aging.
Hyaluronic acid is great at keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized. Its primary role is to store water, which is then released gradually to keep tissues hydrated and pliable. Hence, it may be your best bet to reduce skin aging.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid, or HA, is a naturally occurring molecule that can be found in the majority of our body's fluids and tissues, especially the skin, eyes, and joints. In fact, the skin contains roughly half of the body's total HA.
Hyaluronic acid plays an important role in keeping our skin supple and hydrated. Regrettably, both HA concentration and molecular weight significantly decrease with age. In light of this discovery, hyaluronic acid has been extensively studied and developed as an effective active ingredient in serums, moisturizers, and other cosmetic products.
Check out this anti-aging skincare routine to get youthful skin.
Hyaluronic Acid for Skin: What's All the Fuss About?
When it's functioning properly, your skin acts as a barrier, letting in beneficial substances like water and oil while keeping harmful ones like bacteria and dirt out.
The natural aging process or overly harsh products that strip the skin can compromise the skin's barrier or the balance of oils on the surface that keep skin protected. When this skin barrier is broken, water is lost more easily, resulting in the dry, wrinkled appearance that comes with old age. However, if you think a high-quality moisturizer will make a difference, you're only partly correct.
The problem with conventional moisturizers is that they sit on top of the skin and act as a barrier, preventing any hydration from getting absorbed. Traditional ingredients help seal in moisture and shield skin from the elements, but they can't repair or replenish the skin because they can't get deep enough into the skin.
This is where the benefits of hyaluronic acid for skin comes in. While other moisturizers are unable to penetrate very deep into the skin, hyaluronic acid certainly can. Read on to learn more about this miraculous skincare ingredient.
1) Provides Hydration
Hyaluronic acid works just like a large glass of water for your skin, and water up to 1,000 times its molecular weight can be held by it. By penetrating the skin and binding water to the skin cells, hyaluronic acid replenishes and hydrates the skin at its deepest layers.
Layering pure hyaluronic acid serum with other products is possible. Moreover, it can function effectively without a plethora of extra ingredients and fillers. Hyaluronic acid for the skin, in particular, demonstrates how effective minimal-ingredient skincare regimens can be.
2) Acts as Humectant
When it comes to skincare, humectants are used frequently. A humectant acts like a sponge, absorbing and retaining moisture even after the source of that moisture has been removed. Hydrogen bonds are formed and water is drawn to them.
Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sorbitol (sugar alcohol), hexylene glycol, butylene glycol, and a host of other ingredients are all humectants used in skincare.
After delivering essential hydration to the epidermis (skin's outermost layer), hyaluronic acid for skin serves as a humectant to continue absorbing water from the air. It keeps the skin hydrated for a long time.
3) Enhances Lipid Barrier
The primary role of our skin is to keep the rest of our body safe. The skin serves as a natural barrier between the environment and our vital organs, muscles, bones, and the rest. However, our skin also serves as a barrier against the countless toxic substances we're exposed to on a daily basis.
Damage from the environment is primarily felt by epidermis, the skin's outermost layer (toxins). The epidermis' lipid barrier (composed of fatty acids that prevent water loss and irritant entry) weakens with age. The sun's rays, air pollution, and even some people's bad habits (like smoking) can all have negative effects on the skin. Damage like this leads to advanced wrinkling, pigmentation, and dryness in the skin.
To further enhance its hydrating effects, hyaluronic acid for skin helps reinforce the skin's natural barriers, which trap moisture. This has the potential to strengthen the lipid barrier over time and reduce the rate at which it degrades.
4) Increases Skin Resilience
Hyaluronic acid for skin improves the skin's defenses against environmental age-factors and pollutants by reinforcing and shielding the lipid barrier. However, when the body isn't trying to eliminate these toxins, the skin ages relatively slowly, retains its elasticity, and shows fewer signs of wrinkling and dullness.
In conclusion, hyaluronic acid for skin has been studied extensively for its effects on the skin, and it has been shown to help with dry skin, wrinkles, and wound healing. Read here about how to build the perfect skincare routine.