Hyaluronic acid is not an exfoliating kind of acid, but it turns out you can still overdo it
Photo: NikiLitov/Getty Images/iStockphoto We’re not supposed to have a favorite child, but everyone does, right? I have no human spawn but bear a motherly affection for my skin-care children nestled in their protective glass bottles.
I’d been using HA to hydrate my cheeks, which are red and irritated — one of my longest-standing skin-care issues. Lately, I’d been cocktailing HA with ceramides, oils, and panthenol, all of which repair a compromised skin barrier. I’d cut out irritating actives like retinol, acids, and vitamin C, as well as unnecessary additives like fragrance. I’d toiled for months and made a little progress, but this zone was always on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
HA’s immense capacity to hold water can have a Mr. Hyde side. It needs moisture to work, so when applied to skin in dry conditions where humidity is low, it will pull moisture from wherever it can; that’s just the nature of the beast. If there’s no humidity to be obtained from the air, it draws moisture from the deeper layers of skin and brings it to the surface of the epidermis, whence it evaporates, leaving skin drier than it was.
After I spoke to Schook, some Sherlocking turned up research that suggests that what separates the benign, do-gooder HA from its inflammatory cousin might be its molecular size. Some years ago, scientists figured out how to break down larger HA molecules that sat on top of the skin into smaller pieces that penetrated better, thus increasing hydration in the deeper layers of skin.
If you suspect you might be having a reaction to HA and are wondering how to scan ingredient lists for the low-molecular-weight version, here’s a clue: Brands will typically declare it on the packaging, because the high cost of low-molecular-weight HA makes it a point of advertising. It’s in products from brands like the Ordinary that are known for providing top-grade ingredients at a lower cost, as well as in luxe skin-care products like those from Dr. Barbara Sturm.
If you haven’t observed any reactions to HA, here’s some intel from the pros to safely use it. While HA is great at drawing moisture into skin, it needs some help keeping it there. Typically, products containing HA are formulated with occlusive or emollient ingredients that will help lock it in. You’re golden if the ingredient list of your HA product includes an occlusive ingredient; look for olive, avocado, or castor oils, shea or cocoa butter, or allantoin and lecithin.
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