As a self proclaimed hybrid-minimalist when it comes to skin care, hyaluronic acid is one ingredient that actually lives up to my impossible standards. Hyaluronic acid is found throughout the body, typically in the skin, tendons, eyes and joints, *  this makes it a preferable ingredient for people who value skin care that is bioidentical in nature.

On the skin, hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant, this means it is able to draw moisture from the area surrounding it and retain it, HA is able to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. When applied to the skin, it provides immediate moisturizing effects, resulting in a plump and smooth appearance. Over time, HA helps with fine lines and wrinkles with no known adverse effects, making it an exceptional ingredient for the prevention and treatment of aging skin.

When looking for topical HA, molecular weight is important, larger molecules will stay within the skin’s surface, causing immediate visual results, while smaller weights penetrate deeper, resulting in sustained moisturizing effects. For this reason, it’s best to purchase a product that contains multiple molecular weights, this will ensure that the HA is affecting each layer of skin. A range of 80,000 to 1,000,000 daltons is most beneficial, a lower weight may result in irritation, while a larger weight may sit on top of the skin and actually draw moisture out of the skin. This can happen when using too much HA—a cautionary when using any humectant—as well as when there is not enough humidity in the air, and for this reason it is suggested to use a serum that contains about 1% HA.