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Hyaluronic Acid
Though you might not have heard of it before, hyaluronic acid is an ingredient included in many skincare products, most commonly moisturisers, serums and face masks. But what is it, and what exactly does it do for your skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that naturally exists on our skin already. It keeps skin hydrated by acting as a humectant, meaning it binds to water to give a plumping effect.
See all products containing hyaluronic acid.
Use hyaluronic acid for…
- Hydrating your skin
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Softening fine lines by plumping skin
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Balancing skin to reduce acne breakouts
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Hydrate oily skin without clogging pores or causing breakouts
Where do I use hyaluronic acid in my routine?
Hyaluronic acid is a fairly easy ingredient to introduce into your skincare routine. Although it has ‘acid’ in its name, don’t be put off by this — it acts very differently on skin to the acids we use to exfoliate. This ingredient is suitable for sensitive skin and can in fact help hydrate it.
Those with oily and combination skin types might find that hyaluronic acid is useful in the form of a light moisturiser, as it can keep skin plump without causing more oiliness. Those with dehydrated skin might find a serum useful for maximum concentration of the acid to make an impact with this skin problem.
What to look for on product labels…
Hyaluronic acid is fairly easy to find when shopping for skincare, as it is generally listed as ‘hyaluronic acid’, although keep an eye out for ‘sodium hyaluronate’, which is chemically almost identical.
If it’s important to you to have a high concentration of the ingredient (for example, if you’re trying to target damaged skin that needs plumping back up) then look for products where hyaluronic acid is listed as one of the first ingredients.