Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

Dear Friends and Readers!

Recently I read an article published last year by a 50 plus blogger named Melissa Meyers of The Glow Girl who wrote about what she used to keep her skin looking youthful and elastic; and said that much of her glow had to do with: hyaluronic acid.

I had heard about hyaluronic acid or HA in the past - but had never really fully investigated what this product can do for your skin….so I decided to check it out!

Now many of you may ask: What actually is hyaluronic acid? Hydration is the key to maintaining a radiant complexion, but some skin types can't tolerate the harsh chemicals found in many over-the-counter anti-wrinkle creams. Hyaluronic acid can effectively deliver the moisturizing benefits your skin needs without causing irritation. It's a common ingredient in moisturizers, cleansers and makeup products. It's also found naturally in your skin! Using hyaluronic acid topically can help to smooth out wrinkles and help skin retain moisture deep below its barrier — it works best when applied right after cleansing and right before moisturizing. - Neutrogena.com

Capable of retaining 1,000 times its own weight in water, hyaluronic acid replenishes the skin’s moisture levels for up to 24 hours and has an instant plumping and radiance-enhancing effect. So I thought: sign me up!

Hyaluronic acid has also been used to combat acne : For some combination skin sufferers, blemishes are a result of lipid overproduction. But for those suffering with low HA levels, blemishes can actually be the result of a buildup of dead skin cells which can lead to blocked pores. Without adequate hydration, skin cells are unable to move through the cycle of dead skin cell removal. This results in clogged hair follicles, in which dead skin cells mingle with cosmetics, dirt, and bacteria, causing chronic breakouts. When this happens, supplementing with a plant based acid can help improve skin tone and texture and can be a key prong in treating the development of cysts and blemishes. To put it simply: dry skin is damaged skin, and damaged skin is more prone to breaking out. - 100Percentpure.com

Ms. Meyers product of choice was Vered’s Hydration Booster with HA (hyaluronic acid) - but after doing some internet research I decided to try a different approach. I looked up the best hyaluronic acids on the market today using both dermatolgist recommendations as well as reviews by consumers and decided to sink my money into two different products on the market. My products of choice: The Ordinary…Hyaluronic Acid and Vichy V Mineral 8 . And I was pleasantly surprised by both! Please see my comments below and if you have an HA product that you love and would like to share - please do so in the comments!

The Ordinary hyaluronic Acid……$6.80 The price point doesn’t get better than this on this lovely little bottle of youth! This product was consistently found on a number of the top HA products that are on the market today - so I had to check it out!

A little about The Ordinary Company: The Ordinary company is part of Deciem an umbrella company of brands and products. All products are free from: parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone. DECIEM does not test on animals and does not pay others to do so. — The Ordinary Website

My Thoughts: The directions on the website say to use this product morning and night after cleansing and before creams. This serum is on the thicker side - so I have only been using it at night. Two to three drops is plenty. Some reviews express that the item is sticky - I haven’t found that to be the case - but it does have a thick consistency. But most importantly I feel that I do wake up looking a little more youthful - is this wishful thinking? - I don’t think so, but I am still waiting for someone to card me when buying liquor!!

Overall benefits: I like this product and for the price point it can’t be beat. But it may take more than my dabbling a bit here and there to see any real difference. They say the best time to use these products is when the air is humid as HA’s pull moisture from the atmosphere - does that mean I can only apply when the weather is foggy? Ahhh….not sure, but with the subtle affects of using the product I think with consistent use, it could make a difference to my appearance. Will keep trying it, and let you know if I see more improvements.

Vichy - V Mineral 89, Hyaluronic Acid Face Moisturizer…..$29.50 was also a consistant high ranking entry in the lists that I perused on HA products that are currently on the market. And the price point made it an obvious choice to join in with the rest of my beauty arsenal.

A little about Vichy: Vichy is a company owned by Loreal Cosmetics with 80 years of history to back up their skincare products. Founded in Vichy France, in 1931, the cornerstone of this company and most of their products is their world famous thermal water that comes from the Vichy region in France. As listed on their website: Our products are allergy-tested, non-comedogenic, formulated with soothing and fortifying Vichy Thermal Water.

My thoughts: This product is mainly Vichy’s famous thermal water that I have raved about in a previous post, along with HA, and glycerin which are the main ingredients in this 11 ingredient product. This serum is great for people with either redness or rosacea and people with dry skin to add calmness and moisture back into your pores. Also beneficial for those with normal skin who want to plump up their skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines. I really like this serum, though it did take me a bit of time to figure out where in my routine this product goes: after cleansing with oil and before other serums and moisturizers add this in to give your skin the maximum boost of moisture that it needs. I like how this goes on and how I look after using it. And possibly because this product was less thick and had more of ‘fluid’ quality it made me like it better than The Ordinary HA product.

Overall Benefits: HA’s are a great product to add into your routine. I did see on the internet from an esthetician that you may want avoid HA’s if you live in dryer climates such as California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico because this product works best in moist and humid environments by pulling moisture from the atmosphere (as well as your skincare products) to hydrate your skin. I do live in a dryer climate and did see results - though they were subtle - and I am not using an HA everyday - so maybe it was harder for me to tell if the results were really all that the internet says. It’s your choice. If you want to try these products and you live in a dryer climate let me know how your skin has reacted.

*And as always before starting a new skincare product please consult a professional.