Hyaluronic Acid 101: What You Need To Know About This Popular Ingredient

You may have heard of Hyaluronic Acid in your favorite moisturizer or serum formula as it is definitely a buzzy word in the skincare community, but what exactly is it—and what does it do? In this blog we are going to take you through the ins and outs of Hyaluronic Acid and how it pertains to your skincare routine with the help of award-winning New York City based dermatologist, Dr. Hadley King.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

In order to learn about how Hyaluronic Acid works when blended with other popular skincare ingredients, we first need to learn what Hyaluronic Acid is. Hyaluronic Acid is a molecule that is naturally produced by our bodies and can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. Hyaluronic Acid helps skin stay hydrated and rejuvenated to ensure we are maintaining our moisture barrier. This powerful skin care ingredient “holds water and helps to keep the skin hydrated, dewy and plump,” says dermatologist Dr. Hadley King.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work With Other Ingredients?

Because Hyaluronic Acid is a versatile ingredient, it mixes well with many different types of skincare products. Combining Hyaluronic Acid with other ingredients can help lock in hydration “because it is a powerful humectant. Hyaluronic Acid is a great topical hydrator, as long as either the environment is humid, or you combine it with emollients and occlusives to lock in the hydration, so it doesn't pull water out of the skin,” says dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. Let’s go through four popular ingredients to see how they mix with Hyaluronic Acid.

• Niacinamide

We love mixing together Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide, as Niacinamide also occurs naturally in the body and is water based. Mixing together Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide can help improve skin texture while also providing hydration. We love this skin-loving combo in Surge Hyaluronic Acid Booster as this booster combines HA and Niacinamide to deeply moisturize dry, dehydrated skin to leave behind an uber-hydrated complexion and luminous glow look. See what dermatologist Dr. King has to say about Surge below:

“COSMEDIX Surge is a great Hyaluronic Acid booster that contains not only Hyaluronic Acid but also Niacinamide, which helps improve skin tone and texture, and kiwi fruit water, which is rich in Vitamin C.  It should be applied after cleansing, in conjunction with a serum if desired, and then followed with a moisturizer that contains emollients and occlusives to help lock in moisture.”

• Vitamin C

Unlike Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide, Vitamin C is not naturally produced by our bodies. Vitamin C helps with fine lines and wrinkles, texture, brightness, and hydration. Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid work well together by hydrating the skin, helping improve the look of skins texture, and brightening the skins appearance. You can find Vitamin C in our BrillanCy Vitamin C Brightening Face Oil, which gives your skin a fresh burst of hydration while visibly brightening the skins appearance. This Face Oil pairs well with Surge, as well, for a powerful Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid skin care duo.

• Glycerin

Glycerin is similar to Hyaluronic Acid as Glycerin also helps draw water from outside sources into the skin. Glycerin hydrates the outer layer of the skin while also helping to improve the skins barrier. When these two ingredients are combined, they work together to help fight any dryness to give you hydrated and healthy-looking skin. We love using Skin Thirst Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Cream as its formulated with both Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid to help plump the look of skin and soften the appearance of wrinkles. See what Dr. King has to say about Skin Thirst below:

“Hyaluronic Acid can be incorporated into a moisturizer that also contains emollients and occlusives, so that you get the benefit of all three components in a single product. A great example is COSMEDIX Skin Thirst, which combines humectants like Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin to hydrate, emollients like Triglycerides to support the skin barrier, and occlusives like Dimethicone to lock in moisture.”

• Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid acts is an ingredient that helps with clogged pores that can cause breakouts and blemishes. Salicylic Acid is a popular ingredient in acne based products, such as a cleanser or a spot treatment. However, Salicylic Acid can make the skin feel dry after regular use, which is why Hyaluronic Acid and Salicylic Acid are the perfect pair. Hyaluronic Acid helps to bring moisture back into the skin while Salicylic Acid deeply exfoliates. You can find Salicylic Acid in Clarity Skin Clarifying Serum as it helps to remove impurities and help balance oil production. Clarity pairs well with Skin Thirst to help bring back moisture into the skin, working together as a powerhouse skin care duo.

If you want to learn more about popular skincare ingredients, see best-selling products, and other clean beauty and skincare, visit COSMEDIX.com