Plump up your skincare with Hyaluronic Acid
by Lisa Young – Salon Director
In the beauty industry trends change and new ingredients emerge frequently. As the next ‘must-have’ skincare ingredient hits the beauty magazines many others are short lived and disappear. However, one ingredient, ” hyaluronic acid “, has been around for a while and seems to be here to stay.
So what is it and is it as great as they say it is in skin care products ?
What is hyaluronic acid ?
Hyaluronic is a major component of our skin. It plays an important role in helping our skin retain moisture. It is a glycosaminoglycan, which is a polysaccharide. Basically a very large sugar. It is also naturally found all over the body particularly in the skin.
Did you know that one molecule of hyaluronic can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water ? If you think about it that makes hyaluronic acid an amazing product for skincare products.
Why is Hyaluronic great for the skin ?
In order for skin to remain youthful, it needs to be plump and have luminosity.
Skin with a high water content is plump. If your skin is dehydrated it appears wrinkly and thinner than skin that is hydrated. This means that fine lines and wrinkles appear greater when your skin is dehydrated.
To plump out your skin and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles it is essential to keep the skin hydrated. However, contrary to common belief, drinking lots of water alone is not enough to hydrate your skin. This is because the water you drink is used for other parts of your body such as your organs and to power your body, which means there is very little left for your skin.
Because hyaluronic has the ability to hold onto water (in fact 1000 times more than its own weight, a bit like a big sponge) it is very helpful in hydrating your skin.
How can I boost Hydration in my Skin ?
- Boost your hyaluronic acid levels with exfoliation – 1 way to increase your hyaluronic acid naturally in your skin is by regular exfoliation. By regularly exfoliating your skin, you assist the skin to “turnover” and renew skin cells. This is called desquamation. As skin cells are born deep down in the dermis (the deeper layer in your skin), they gradually make their way to the surface of the skin and eventually die. As they do this they hydrate the skin by increasing the natural hyaluronic acid levels in the skin.
- Use products with hyaluronic acid – the natural cell renewal process for some people may be slower and it needs a little help due to:
- Season factors – such as air conditioning or central heating
- Age – the older you are the slower the turnover of cells. As a guideline, a 20 years old’s cell renewal is 20 days whereas a 40 year old’s is around 40 days.
- Hormones & HRT therapies
Using products with hyaluronic acid is a great way to boost hydration levels for any skin type.
Hyaluronic acid is also an anti-ageing ingredient because it helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It does this by plumping the skin. Lines and wrinkles will therefore appear reduced.
Look for hyaluronic acid ingredients in skincare products such as hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid and sodium acetyl hyaluronate. The best products are ones that you leave on your skin, such as a spritz, booster, moisturiser or serum.
Hyaluronic acid is also available in the latest fillers. However, whether you choose products or fillers don’t forget exfoliation. If you’re not exfoliating then add exfoliation to your regular skincare routine. Read more about exfoliation in our blog about exfoliation.
An experienced skincare therapist can easily identify dehydrated skin by the touch and feel of the skin as well as the way that it appears when gently moved between the finger and thumb. If you are concerned that your skin is dehydrated, why not ask your skincare therapist to show you. They can do this using a skin scanner or a hydrometer, which is a clever tool that measures the levels of hydration in your skin as well as sebum or oiliness of the skin so that you can see for yourself.
Read more about the difference between dehydrated vs dry skin.
What Dermalogica products contain Hyaluronic Acid ?
Here are a few of the products available from the Dermalogica Skincare range:
Skin Hydrating booster – A super hydrating fluid concentrate to revitalise dry and parched skin and help hydrate tissues and smooth the skin.
Hydrablur Primer – A lightweight, non-greasy primer that hydrates the skin to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles whilst providing a luminous silky look to the skin.
Skin Hydrating Masque – A refreshing, moisturising masque containing calming botanicals, antioxidant vitamins and unique cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid that delivers time released hydration.
Ultrasmoothing eye serum – This powerful eye serum containing advanced collagen-producing peptides to help hydrate the delicate area around the eyes as well as smooth fine lines and target the signs of aging.
Ultrarich body cream – A deeply moisturising body cream ideal for the most sensitive skin conditions. It helps provide long-lasting hydration and moisture to the skin.
Sheer tint spf20 – A lightly-tinted SPF moisturiser that hydrates the skin as well as containing natural, light-diffusing Iron Oxides and Broad Spectrum sunscreens.
Pure light spf50 – A medium-weight daytime treatment to protect the skin from hyperpigmentation such as brown spots, discoloration and uneven skin tone. Oleosome technology, which uses natural plant spheres filled with sunscreens to increase SPF performance and hydration.
Quote of the day
” Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. “
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