Ask a skin care pro for the three most important steps in keeping your skin looking healthy and youthful and her response will likely be, “Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!” And one of the most highly touted ingredients in skin care products that can help with that is the unfortunately named hyaluronic acid. Not to be confused with other acids like alpha hydroxy which works by exfoliating the upper layers of your skin, hyaluronic acid is a moisture monster with the uncanny ability to retain up to 1,000 times its weight in moisture.
Even better, hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring protein produced by your body, so rather than being a foreign chemical compound that tried to force your body into doing something it wasn’t designed for, hyaluronic acid works as a powerful hydrator which attracts and holds moisture, helping to plump up the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines. It also provides necessary moisture that allows the body to heal itself after an injury.
The icing on the cake is that hyaluronic acid can be beneficial to any type of skin and for people of all ages—even for people with very sensitive skin. Of course the devil is always in the details. Just because a product boasts containing hyaluronic acid doesn’t mean it will work wonders. Always check the label carefully to make sure the hyaluronic acid ingredient, typically sodium hyaluronate, is listed early, and avoid products that include paraben, propylene glycol or fragrances that can irritate your skin.