Driu Beauty shares the whole truth about the much-vaunted hyaluronic acid. The article seeks to answer the most pressing questions. Is hyaluronic acid really good for the skin? How much and what kind of hyaluronic acid should be in a cream? Is cosmetic packaging important? What alternatives are worth trying for skin hydration?
Hyaluronic acid. Currently, this is practically a code word when women are looking for products to moisturize their skin. Moisturizing gels, emulsions, suspensions with hyaluronic acid are simply swept off store shelves. Why? Because it's the cold season, the skin lacks moisture, and we are all looking for ways to better moisturize our skin, and the beautiful tale about the moisturizing effect of hyaluronic acid only increases belief and sales. Is hyaluron good for the skin?
Don't get me wrong, I definitely don't want to say that hyaluronic acid is not worthy of praise! It really is! However, there are other effective moisturizing and moisture-retaining substances in cosmetics that have other beneficial properties for the skin. As for hyaluronic acid, it's good when it is included in the composition, but even better when there are other beneficial substances next to it. I often repeat the saying "A man alone is not a warrior", so it is perfect for this situation. Hyaluronic acid alone will not solve the problem, but if it has helpers, hydration and skin protection will be much more effective.
Skin moisturizers
So, what are these other substances with moisturizing properties? I would like to single out an effective trio that seems to copy the structure of our skin's protective barrier, which prevents the skin from losing moisture. These are ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Ceramides are the most effective in this trio. The ceramides in our skin are responsible for the healthy condition of the skin - they form a protective barrier, thus maintaining the moisture balance, the skin looks firmer, smoother, wrinkles are less visible. The ceramides used in cosmetics do not compensate for those in the skin, but they strengthen the skin's protective properties, optimize the moisture balance, and certain ceramide particles even stimulate the production of ceramides. Cholesterol and fatty acids in cosmetics increase the effectiveness of ceramides, beautify the skin's texture, improve its condition and reduce sensitivity. And if I had to choose between a product with hyaluronic acid or this trio, I would definitely choose the latter, but the most optimal option is when you don't have to choose and all of these substances are included in the composition.
The ideal moisturizer
The ideal option for a moisture-replenishing product, which probably only exists in my imagination, would contain hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and as many other moisture-retaining substances as possible - glycerin, proteins, amino acids, linolenic and linoleic acids, urea, vitamin B3, triglycerides, phospholipids, saccharides, elastin, collagen, xylitol, mannitol, and many others. And if, in addition to these substances, we also found antioxidants and active anti-aging substances, it would be simply unrealistic.
Cosmetic packaging is very important
Another tip when choosing an active facial product is that the packaging of the product is very important. First of all, it should be opaque and preferably dosed or airless. Active ingredients love the dark, and a significant part of them, having reacted with light, sunlight and air, lose their active properties. This is the rule that should be followed when choosing a beauty product if you want a long-lasting
cosmetic product .
How much and what kind of hyaluronic acid should be in the cream?
And I want to briefly return to hyaluronic acid and its forms. Studies show that all its forms are effective, perhaps only hyaluronic acid with smaller particles can penetrate into deeper layers. This is a substance that, even at a low concentration in a product, increases the quality of skin hydration. However, products with a concentration of 1.5-2% hyaluronic acid or other forms of it raise some doubts. I have not seen studies proving that 2% hyaluronic acid is more effective than 1%. Products with a high concentration of this moisturizer have one big drawback - it is often difficult to use them during the day or under other products, because when rubbed over the skin, small “balls” begin to form. And again I come back to the same conclusion that perhaps a lower concentration of hyaluronic acid and more other moisturizers and skin-beneficial substances are better. And when choosing a product intended for hydration, as always, we read the label and pay less attention to advertising claims and fashionable trends.
