Do I need Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body. It’s primarily found in our skin and connective tissues, playing a vital role in keeping them lubricated.

In skincare, hyaluronic acid is widely celebrated for its hydrating and plumping effect. It’s made it an extremely popular ingredient in serums, moisturizers, masks and cosmetics. It’s also water soluble, making it easily absorbable and is about as non-comedogenic as an ingredient could ever be.

It holds up to 1000xs its weight in water, taking moisture out of the air and forcing it back into your skin. It improves skin elasticity, reduces the appearance of fine lines, and creates a smoother complexion. It’s also a way of keeping the skin hydrated that’s suitable for all skin types - and very rarely is something truly suitable for everyone.

But do you really need it?

The short answer is yes, but you’re likely already using this ingredient. If you use a facial serum of any kind, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be on the ingredients list. Look for Sodium Hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hyaluronan, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, or potassium hyaluronate. All of which are forms of hyaluronic acid.

It’s always great to have a high quality hydrating serum on hand, but by no means do you need a hyaluronic acid-only serum. It’s pretty much a waste of your money and your counter space. Even in my spa practice, I don’t retail a single hyaluronic acid-only serum. Yet the ingredient is in nearly every serum I have on the shelf.

We’ve been using this ingredient in products since the 70’s, but the term was popularized in 2010 after skincare companies started using it in commercials. Once one brand coined the term, the next brand needed to get on board too. Before we knew it, hyaluronic acid was the next skincare buzz word and people were convinced they needed a hyaluronic acid serum.

It’s an incredible ingredient, but it’s nothing new and it’s already in most of your daily skincare products.

Get yourself a wonderful corrective serum, with some additional ingredients that will help you target other concerns. Whether it’s pigmentation, breakouts, or anti-aging - your serum is bound to have hyaluronic in it too.

You will have a much better result going with a serum that hydrates and corrects. So spend that $70+ on a quality serum, and not on a hyaluronic-acid only serum.