Welcome to Ingredient 101 with Volition Beauty! Where we break down some of your favorite skincare ingredients, give you the facts and figures, and answer commonly asked questions.
Today, let's talk hyaluronic acid (or HA). First off, did you know hyaluronic acid isn't even an acid...?
Rather than an acid, it’s a polysaccharide. Polysaccharide is just a fancy way of saying complex sugar molecules that are bonded together. Polysaccharides' main functions are to: store energy in organisms, influence the uptake of nutrients and water by the cells, and provide support to the cells. That being said, some polysaccharides are naturally found in the human body. Hyaluronic acid being one of them is found in connective tissues and skin.
💧 So all of us naturally have hyaluronic acid present in our bodies and our skin – but when we age it becomes depleted.
💧 There are 3 sources of hyaluronic acid: animals, plants, or synthesized in a laboratory. It goes without saying that Volition Beauty only uses vegan hyaluronic acid in its formulas.
💧Ever heard of hydrophilic? It means “loving water” and hyaluronic acid is hydrophilic. It can retain up to 1000x its weight in water.
💧 Hyaluronic acid pulls in water from the air around you to rehydrate, smooth the appearance of lines & wrinkles, and provide a plumping effect. If there is not enough moisture in the air and/on your skin, hyaluronic acid can leave your skin more dehydrated than before. It's recommended to apply hyaluronic acid to damp skin to seal in the moisture.
Q&A
Q: Can you take HA supplements?
A: As a beauty brand, we cannot speak to any purported medical benefits from taking HA supplements orally. However, some studies do say that taking HA supplements may give your body extra amounts of HA to incorporate into the skin. In all cases we recommend that you consult your pharmacist or physician beforehand.
Q: When should I use hyaluronic acid in my routine?
A: We recommend a serum with hyaluronic acid. A moisturizer will seal in the serum and provide the moisture for the HA to pull in - especially important in dry climates when there isn't enough moisture in the air. Of course a HA moisturizer can also be sealed in by a primer and/or foundation.
Looking for hyaluronic acid skincare? We got you covered. Check out the Volition Beauty products that use hyaluronic acid in the formula!
