Hyaluronic Acid! (We'll call it HA for the rest of this blog) What is it and what can it do for our skin?
Until recent years many people haven't heard of this wonderful ingredient. One mainstream drugstore brand is actually promoting it now with a careful pronunciation of it! It's a bit of a tongue twister (per Webster's Dictionary: hī(-ə)l-yu̇-ˈrä-nik). Finally-- It's becoming a well known ingredient, as it should be! There are so many reasons we should embrace it in our skincare products. For purposes of this blog, we are not referring to filler injections. We're just talking about HA contained in skin products which are applied topically (onto) the skin.
Because we hear "acid"--we think it must be harsh on the skin. Quite the opposite! Actually, HA serums started their popularity after dermatologists performed laser procedures. They are also encouraged after professional peels to soothe the skin. HA is a natural polysaccharide (a large sugar molecule). The HA molecule holds water. A LOT of water! 1,000 times its weight in water! Actually, it's a substance naturally found in our skin. And that is why our skin appears plump and smooth when we are very young. Unfortunately, as we reach our 30's the natural HA in our skin starts to decrease and our skin simply doesn't bounce back the way it 'used to'. Well, HA is now in many skin care products--and while it can't replenish what we had when we were kids--it sure can help make a plumping difference in the appearance of our skin!
As I described in my "About Us" section--an HA serum is what prompted me into skincare chemistry! I purchased an HA serum from a dermatologist over 9 years ago. At that time, it cost almost $100 for a little 1oz bottle. Well, that little bottle lasted only about 45 days. I thought, at this rate, this one little skincare product would cost me over $800 per year! I loved it--but certainly needed to find another option. Into a research rabbit hole I entered until I found a formula for HA Serum from a chemistry website. Ordered the materials. Yep. I think I can do this. Well, I did it a little TOO well the first time. I made 2 gallons of it instead of 200 grams! My friends and family sure loved my HA serum gifts that year! That's what spurred me into thinking--quality skincare doesn't need to be so darned unaffordable! But, I'm off topic...back to HA...
Back to HA and what it can do for you! As a skincare ingredient--it helps work wonders to maintain hydration. It is gel-like and actually feels quite soothing (the opposite of what we think when we hear 'acid'). It helps reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles, retain hydration on the skin, and create a beautiful plumping effect. As the skin is protected and hydrated, this leads to the appearance of smoother, refreshed skin. We certainly like that!
HA serums are applied after cleansing/toning and allowed to "dry down" before applying creamy serums, lotions and moisturizers. We know that lives are busy and we all have plenty to do besides fussing in front of our bathroom mirrors. If you really don't have time for allowing for a 'dry down' you can add a few drops of the serum right into your moisturizer. The exception to this little short-cut is Vitamin C serums which can lose their effectiveness if not given time to dry down.
Char's Effectives uses HA in many of products. All of our water-based serums contain HA . The water-based serums are meant to be applied after cleansing to provide the best "plumping" effect. The Plain and Simple Hyaluronic Acid Serum is the most basic HA serum with no other actives included. Our favorite is the Drench and Quench which is HA basic plus the B Vitamins (Panthenol and Niacinamide) and wonderful skin-strengthening Ceramides! Both of our Vitamin C Serums and our Youth Anti Aging (Oil Free) Serum are HA based with additional antioxidant benefits. We've recently introduced our 10% Niacinamide Serum which combines the benefits of HA with a super dose of Vitamin B3! Most of Char's Effectives facial creams and lotions have some HA in them but not in the same concentration as the serums.
Enjoy the benefits of HA. And, you don't need to spend $100 on a tiny 1oz bottle!
Char's Effectives Skin Care is committed to help reveal the best you!