What is Hyaluronic Acid?

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

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And why am I reading about it everywhere? Hyaluronic Acid has been trending lately within the beauty and skincare world. But we have known about its incredible skin benefits for years. It’s become the gold standard in hydrating skin and improving visible signs of aging. But what is Hyaluronic Acid anyway? Don’t be scared away by the hard-to-pronounce name! This ingredient is, in fact, produced naturally within our own bodies.

What is Hyaluronic Acid, and how does it help skin?

Hyaluronic Acid is a natural substance produced by our body to bind water to keep tissues well balanced, moist, and hydrated. It exists in our skin and joints. Hyaluronic Acid is essential because it’s one of the main substances that help our skin look fresh, plump, and youthful.

Applying HA is like giving your skin a heaping glass of water. In fact, HA not only provides immediate benefits to the skin, it also helps the skincare products layered on top work more effectively to deliver even better results you can see and feel.

When should I start using Hyaluronic Acid?

Typically, the body’s own production of HA starts to decrease in your late twenties. Which makes then a good time to start adding Hyaluronic Acid (HA) into your skincare routine for its anti-aging benefits. But HA is great for all skin types and ages. It’s beneficial for people who experience dry skin because of its hydrating powers. And it can also help to calm sensitive and blemish-prone skin.

It’s never too early to start hydrating your skin regularly. As the skin loses its moisture, ingredients like HA work to help the skin stay happily hydrated. It works like a sponge to retain water and keep your skin’s moisture levels high.

Other than aging, your lifestyle may affect your skins’ health. Environmental factors like pollution, smoke, the sun’s rays, and more may decrease the amount of HA in your body. This is why it’s essential to add Hyaluronic Acid to your daily skincare regimen to boost the effectiveness of your other skincare products.

Whether you’re interested in HA for its anti-aging benefits like visibly improving fine lines and wrinkles or you’re experiencing dryness, this universal ingredient can help boost the results of any routine.

I understand HA has lots of benefits for the skin, but how exactly does it work?

Hyaluronic Acid is mostly known for benefits like alleviating dry skin and reducing visible signs of aging, like those pesky fine lines and wrinkles that start to appear as we age. When is skin is dry, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles can become more prominent. Hydrated skin helps reduce the visibility of these visible signs of aging

HA can be used in the form of a topical treatment (applied directly on the skin), a supplement, or through injections. Topical applications, like through a serum, are less invasive and deliver immediate visible results. It can take much longer to see visible results from supplements. Adding a serum like Rodan + Fields Active Hydration Serum into your Regimen is an easy way to work HA into your skincare routine and experience its benefits. HA transforms dry skin into younger-looking, younger-acting skin. You can typically start to see results in a week after first use. Remember, results also vary based on your skin condition, age, gender, lifestyle, etc.

Can I use Hyaluronic Acid in place of a moisturizer?

Let’s start by learning about the difference between hydration and moisturization when it comes to skincare.

Simply put, we can say that a hydrator equates to water, whereas a moisturizer has more to do with oil. Dryness in your skin comes from a lack of oils. Dehydration comes from lack of water. All skin types need hydration. Dry or dehydrated skin can lead to visible dullness and flakiness. Hyaluronic Acid is a perfect hydrator because it helps bring water to the skin’s surface using humectants. Moisturizers, on the other hand, lock the moisture in and work to protect the skin’s natural oil barrier. Keeping skin hydrated can help boost radiance, improve texture and overall smoothness.

Since hydrators and moisturizers work to address differing skincare needs, it can be beneficial to use both HA and a moisturizer separately as two different steps in your skincare routine. For best results, we recommend that you apply anHA serum after toner and before any moisturizers.

Should I use Hyaluronic Acid in the AM, PM or both?

When you first start to use it, it’s better to do so at night. For best results, apply daily after your cleanser and toner. You can also use it during your morning routine if you have dry skin.

How long after I apply an HA product, like a serum, should I apply moisturizer or other products?

With any routine, it’s recommended to let your skin dry between each step before layering on the next product. Formulations are made for layering. And layering in the correct order is more important than timing. However, some prefer to wait 30 to 60 seconds between steps. Your skincare routine should center around your preferences.

Is it too much to use a serum with HA and then apply a moisturizer with HA afterward?

No, it’s not harmful to use HA in multiple products. What’s most important is applying products in the right order to ensure ingredients and formulas can work in tandem to provide the best visible results.

Can Hyaluronic Acid cause acne?

If you are worried about adding a new ingredient to your skincare routine, it never hurts to reach out to your doctor to make sure it is right for you. Everyone’s skin needs are different.

Is it true that too much HA can lead to drying out my skin?

Hyaluronic Acid is a hydrating ingredient. Using HA once or twice a day shouldn’t be an issue. If you experience any drying, it never hurts to reach out to your doctor.

Learn more about Rodan + Fields and how you can get your most radiant skin yet. Trust your skin’s glow to the Doctors and your consultant who know how to help you get your skin glowing.

Results may vary depending on multiple factors: age, gender, skin type and condition, concomitant products used, health history, location, lifestyle and diet.

Share this with friends or family members. It will save their skin — and boost their confidence.

PM me for the best options to suit your budget 🙂

*information is taken from The Skincare Source.

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Glycerin vs. Hyaluronic Acid – Which Should You Use?

Glycerin vs. Hyaluronic Acid – Which Should You Use?

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WHEN IT COMES TO GLYCERIN AND HYALURONIC ACID, WHICH SHOULD YOU BE USING? YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT THE ANSWER!

When choosing the best skincare routine for you, it’s easy to get tripped up about the right ingredients. There are so many formulations available on the market that are targeted to different skin concerns — from anti-aging to acne to hydration to addressing fine lines and wrinkles. Things get especially confusing when it comes to hydrating versus moisturizing. To that end, in this post, we’ll talk about two common moisturizing and hydration ingredients, Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid, respectively. You’ve likely heard about both of these, as each is a common skincare ingredient see on product ingredient lists.

How do these two skincare component powerhouses measure up in terms of efficacy?

What are the differences between the two of them?

Can these two ingredients be used individually or in combination?

Read on and find out more.

Glycerin & hyaluronic acid in skincare 

To put it simply, Glycerin is a humectant. That means that it is a type of moisturizing agent. Glycerin works by drawing water from the air and making it available to the outer layer of your skin. If you look on skincare ingredient lists, Glycerin comes up a lot.  It can be used with more occlusive ingredients too, to help the skin retain moisture by preventing water loss.

So what is hyaluronic acid?

When considering glycerin vs hyaluronic acid, it’s important to know the similarities and differences to choose what’s best for your skin at any given time.

Benefits of glycerin 

Moisture-attracting Glycerin is a star ingredient for soothing and moisturizing creating smoother, more comfortable skin. Glycerin is used to hydrate the outer layer of the skin and by its nature of being semi-occlusive may improve the skin’s ability to retain water. In this way, it may also help provide protection against various skin irritants, in addition to helping speed up the wound-healing process. It replenishes and restores skin so that the natural moisture barrier is strengthened and revitalized. Glycerin also has benefits of softening the skin to improve overall texture. Scaly skin and even psoriasis have been known to be soothed by glycerin.

Hyaluronic acid benefits 

Hyaluronic acid is an absolute hero for hydration! It is a naturally occurring humectant that draws moisture from its surroundings. Applying HA is like letting your skin have a restorative, super hydrating drink of water. Hyaluronic acid has immediate benefits for the skin and also supports skincare products to be layered more effectively. It essentially preps skin to better receive the ingredients that follow. Hyaluronic acid helps skin achieve its self-repairing potential, too.

Glycerin vs hyaluronic acid – do you really need to choose? 

There are benefits of both ingredients individually, and you may find you have a preference for one over the other sometimes. Examine your usual skin type and needs, and note how using glycerin and hyaluronic acid together or apart will have unique qualities. There’s no need to choose one over the other if both serve your skin well, and it’s often recommended to use both together. Hyaluronic acid retains moisture on the surface of the skin, while glycerin has the ability to pull moisture deep from the skin.

Common questions about glycerin & hyaluronic acid 

There are a lot of questions and conversations buzzing around in regards to the difference between glycerin and hyaluronic acid, and how to know when to use each one. Here are some of the top questions we receive.

What is better – glycerin or hyaluronic acid? 

Go for glycerin if you are looking to add moisture, bounce, and balance. To lock in the hydration you have, hyaluronic acid is the best go-to. HA is more likely to stop dry skin from getting worse, making it a great dry skin treatment, while glycerin adds moisture.

Can I use glycerin instead of hyaluronic acid?  

It’s always up to your skin to see how to build up your moisturizing routine. It depends on the results you want and finding the moisturizing formulas that suit lifestyle and texture preferences. Both glycerin and hyaluronic acid are humectants

Does Glycerin contain Hyaluronic Acid? 

No, Glycerin does not contain Hyaluronic Acid. Glycerin is actually an alcohol, and can be derived from animal products, plants, or petroleum. Vegetable glycerin is a variant that is made from plant oils.

Is glycerin a good moisturizer? 

Yes, glycerin is known to be a moisturizing agent due to its ability to drawing out moisture from the deep layers of the skin and also from the air. It’s a common ingredient listed in many moisturizing skincare products.

Should I use glycerin or hyaluronic acid first? 

Hyaluronic acid can be found in hydrating serums and moisturizers and can be used in the form of a topical treatment (applied directly on the skin), a supplement, or through injections. Topical applications, like through a serum, are less invasive and deliver immediate visible results. It can take much longer to see visible results from supplements.

Glycerin is found in moisturizers, masks, cleansers, facial sprays, essences, and serums.

Think of Hyaluronic acid as a base that locks in any moisturizing ingredient that follows. Apply your HA, then always follow with moisturizers (like glycerin) that you want to sink into your skin.

Can I mix the two ingredients? 

Yes, glycerin and hyaluronic acid serum are commonly used together! Here’s why. The science is important here. Glycerin is a small molecule that is capable of absorbing at the skin’s surface. Conversely, Hyaluronic Acid is a very large molecule that sits on top of the skin when applied, creating a hydrating cushion. Combining both Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid provides a superior capacity for binding water and boosting your skin’s hydration.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid are amazing skincare ingredients that bind water and boost hydration levels in your skin. Embrace that dewy, hydrated, moisturized effect that these two ingredients provide.

                              xxx

Learn more about Rodan + Fields  and how you can get your most radiant skin yet. Trust your skin’s glow to the Doctors and your consultant who know how to help you get your skin glowing.

Results may vary depending on multiple factors: age, gender, skin type and condition, concomitant products used, health history, location, lifestyle, and diet.

Share this with friends or family members. It will save their skin — and boost their confidence.

PM me for the best options to suit your budget 🙂

*information is taken from The Skincare Source.

Send Me a Message