What is Hyaluronic Acid, and How Does it Benefit Your Skin?

We all have our individual skin concerns but the one that unites us is the need for hydration. From dry skin to oily skin and everything in between, there’s one ingredient that truly does it all when it comes to hydrating dehydrated skin: hyaluronic acid. Formulated in serums, moisturisers, cleansers, and even makeup, this ingredient is renowned for its hydrating prowess – but what does hyaluronic acid do? In this comprehensive guide, we’re lifting the veil on this ubiquitous ingredient to find out how hyaluronic acid benefits the skin.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful humectant and water-binding molecule. Thanks to this humectant (meaning the ability to retain or preserve moisture) status, hyaluronic acid can attract moisture to the skin surface and hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water.

Our bodies produce hyaluronic acid naturally in the eyes, joints and skin, which makes it highly compatible with all skin types – even sensitive – along with other skincare ingredients. This is just one reason why you’ll see it formulated in so many of your daily skincare and makeup products.

This is just one reason why you’ll see it formulated in so many of your daily skincare and makeup products.

6 hyaluronic acid benefits for skin

With such potent hydrating abilities, incorporating hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine has a number of advantages:

• Binds water to the skin to boost hydration at the surface.
• Smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Improves skin elasticity for plumper, bouncier skin.
• Supports the skin moisture barrier – your skin’s first line of defence against stressors.
• Complements other skincare ingredients, which helps with layering products.
• Adds hydration to makeup products to keep the skin from drying out.

Continue reading as we unpack these six key hyaluronic acid benefits.

Hydrates the skin surface

As a water-attracting ingredient, hyaluronic acid works by drawing moisture into the top layers of the skin. This is especially important for dry skin (which has fewer natural oils to keep it lubricated) or dehydrated skin (which is lacking in water). This added hydrated at the skin surface gives the complexion a supple, dewy quality.

Hyaluronic acid benefits go hand in hand with dry skin types, but how does hyaluronic acid work for oily skin types? If you have excess sebum – whether as an oily or combination skin type – it’s important to maintain adequate hydration levels. If we deprive even oily skin types of moisture, the skin overcompensates by producing more oil. Hyaluronic acid can step in to keep your sebum levels regulated.

Helps smooth the appearance of fine lines

When the skin is dehydrated, it can emphasise visible signs of ageing like fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles under eyes. Dehydration is also a common concern in mature skin, which retains less moisture over time.

Applying hyaluronic acid benefits the skin by binding more water to the skin. This creates a sort of ‘filling’ effect, diminishing the depth of textural concerns. In turn, this reduces fine lines and wrinkles and can help improve the appearance of dark circles.

Boosts skin elasticity

Collagen and hyaluronic acid have a symbiotic relationship: working together to keep skin plump and youthful looking. But as we age, the body’s production of hyaluronic acid and collagen begins to slow. In addition to more prominent fine lines and wrinkles, this results in a loss of skin elasticity. When applied topically, hyaluronic acid benefits ageing skin by drawing in moisture to give the skin a dewy, visibly plumper appearance.

Supports the skin moisture barrier

One of the most significant hyaluronic acid benefits for skin is its ability to support the skin moisture barrier. Housed in the skin’s outermost layer, the skin moisture barrier functions as a protective shield for deeper layers of the skin. Its primary role? Seal in moisture and keep out harmful pollutants.

When the skin moisture barrier is compromised or damaged, it can result in transepidermal water loss. This can lead to skin sensitisation: meaning redness, dryness, rough patches, flaking, dullness and itching sensations. Hyaluronic acid benefits the skin moisture barrier by supplementing this water loss – allowing the natural healing process to continue.

Complements a range of skincare ingredients

If you’ve ever wondered what hyaluronic acid is like with other ingredients, rest assured that it is one of the most compatible skincare ingredients. Due to its hydrating properties, hyaluronic acid can bolster the efficacy of certain ingredients, as well as minimise the negative side effects of others. Some of hyaluronic acid’s most harmonious pairings include:

• Retinol and hyaluronic acid – retinol is very potent, but hyaluronic acid helps mitigate dryness and sensitivity while your skin acclimatises.
• Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid – this anti-ageing duo brightens and hydrates the complexion.
• Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid – with both supporting the skin moisture barrier function, this pair is a dream for dry or sensitive skin.
• Salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid – chemical exfoliants can dry out the skin so hyaluronic acid is the perfect follow-up ingredient.

Complements a range of skincare ingredients

We talk endlessly about hyaluronic acid benefits in skincare, but what is hyaluronic acid used for in makeup? All the qualities that make hyaluronic acid so useful as a skincare ingredient also make it effective as a cosmetic ingredient – especially for dry skin types.

Makeup has a tendency to draw moisture from the skin surface in dry or dehydrated skin, resulting in flaky, crumbly patches. However, a hyaluronic-infused foundation – like our All Hours Liquid Foundation – can help keep the complexion dewy and supple, even while wearing a full face. Traditional lipsticks can dry out the lips but the YSL Loveshine Candy Glaze delivers a surge of hyaluronic acid to keep your pout nourished without sacrificing your finished look.

How to use hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine

To reap the benefits of hyaluronic acid, you can pepper this power hydrator throughout your routine as required.

If you have oily skin, you may only need a dose of hyaluronic acid in your moisturiser. In this case, we recommend the Pure Shots Perfect Plumper Nutri-Cream, which is formulated with sodium hyaluronate – the salt form of hyaluronic acid. Delivering the same category of hyaluronic acid benefits, sodium hyaluronate has a smaller molecular structure, allowing it to penetrate even deeper into the skin for maximum hydration.

If you have naturally dry skin, sensitive skin, or ageing concerns, you may opt for hyaluronic acid-infused products through each stage of your skincare routine. In addition to a hydrating cleanser and moisturiser, your hero product will be a serum for targeted hydration. We suggest the Pure Shots Lines Away Serum, which imbues the skin with hyaluronic acid to increase suppleness, smooth fine lines and promote elasticity.

You’ve discovered the major hyaluronic acid benefits for skin – next, learn how to embrace a minimalist makeup routine and let your dewy, supple skin speak for itself.