What is Hyaluronic Acid & Should You Use It?

By: Margaux Reese
December 21, 2022

We all dream of having bouncy, moisturized skin that always looks like you just got a facial. But with all the different skincare products out there, figuring out what’s best for your skin can be tough.

There’s serums, face oils, under eye creams, moisturizers— and that’s just naming a few. What’s right for your skin ultimately depends on what your skin texture is like and what your skin goals are, like if you’re trying to minimize wrinkles or reduce acne. However, if you’re struggling with dull skin that seems impossible to fix, you may want to consider giving hyaluronic acid a try.

Hyaluronic acid is key to achieving the healthy, supple, and wrinkle-free skin that you’ve been dreaming of. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in your body, but you can also find it in the form of a skincare serum that you can use on your skin for up to twice a day. With hyaluronic acid, achieving your dream skin might not be as far out reach as you may think.

To help you decide if it’s right for you, we’ll go over how hyaluronic acid works, what to look for when purchasing a hyaluronic serum for your skin, and more. Keep reading to learn more about hyaluronic acid benefits and the importance of skin care, or use the links below.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a clear substance that your body naturally produces, but it can also be used in skincare. Hyaluronic acid is found in bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, but it’s most present in the skin. There are many skin-related benefits of hyaluronic acid. It hydrates your skin, promotes faster healing, and overall gives you that moisturized, youthful glow.

Hyaluronic acid serves a lot of more benefits than just skin care. There are many different forms of hyaluronic acid that can be used to soothe acid reflux, relieve dry eye, persevere bone strength, and more, but we’ll be focusing on topical hyaluronic acid and all the benefits it has on your skin.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

So we know what hyaluronic acid is, but what does hyaluronic acid do? Hyaluronic acid increases hydration in the skin, which can make your skin appear more bouncy and supple.

Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the skin and it binds water to collagen, which is why your skin looks more bouncy and plump when you regularly use it. It also can help your skin stretch and can reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Because hyaluronic acid makes your skin more flexible, it can also be used to reduce scarring on the skin.

Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid serum is good for your skin for many reasons. There are countless products that you can add to your skincare routine, but hyaluronic acid is hands-down one of the best. Not only does it hydrate your skin, but it also reduces fine lines and wrinkles and smooths skin texture.

If you’re not already sold on incorporating a hyaluronic acid serum into your skincare routine, here are just some of the many hyaluronic acid benefits.

Image of young woman touching her crow’s feet next to a list that reads, “5 Benefits of Using Hyaluronic Acid: 1. Hydrates your skin; 2. Reduces fine lines and wrinkles; 3. Helps with pigmentation; 4. Smooths skin texture; 5. Tightens the skin

Hydrates your skin

Hyaluronic acid is most commonly found in your skin, and it naturally binds to water to help your skin retain moisture. Using hyaluronic acid on your face is essentially like giving your skin a big glass of water.

A hyaluronic acid serum will hydrate your skin, which can help give your skin an overall glowy and supple appearance. Hydrated skin naturally appears more youthful, so if you feel like your skin has been looking dull recently, it might be time to add a hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine.

Reduces fine lines and wrinkles

If you struggle with fine lines and wrinkles, no matter how many “anti-aging” products you may use, you may want to try skin care with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles by adding more moisture to the skin.

If your skin is properly hydrated, that means that more skin cell production can occur, which will cause smoother skin cells. Smoother skin cells mean less visible fine lines and wrinkles and more youthful-looking glow. You can use a hyaluronic acid serum on your entire face to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, or around your eyes if you suffer from under eye lines and crow's feet.

White woman with one hand on her forehead and the other tugging the skin next to her eye.

Helps with pigmentation

Pigmentation is something we all deal with, especially after a pesky breakout that left scars. Fortunately, hyaluronic acid is great for reducing pigmentation, too. Since hyaluronic acid increases cell turnover, it can also reduce age spots and pigmentation that’s leftover from acne. However, if you really want to reduce and prevent that pigmentation, you may want to pair your hyaluronic acid serum with a vitamin c skincare product for extra healing benefits.

Smooths skin texture

Bumpy, textured skin can be frustrating. Makeup doesn’t go on as well and it can feel like it’s all you notice when you look at yourself in the mirror. Hyaluronic acid can also help smooth your skin texture, giving you that glowy and youthful complexion.

Tightens the skin

Saggy skin is something that often happens with age, but hyaluronic acid is one way to combat that. Hyaluronic acid can help make your skin tone look tighter because your skin will be more moisturized. The more hydrated your skin is, the more supple and bouncy it will appear. It won’t just replace the elastin in your skin, but it can help reduce the appearance of sagging.

Are there any side effects of hyaluronic acid?

Before adding any new product into your skincare routine, it’s important to make sure it doesn’t have potential side effects. Different skin types may react differently to products. For example, if you have signs of sensitive skin, you should be extra cautious when introducing a new product into your skincare routine so as to make sure it doesn’t cause a reaction.

However, since hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in your body, side effects are typically rare unless you have an allergy to it. If you’re still hesitant, you can always test hyaluronic acid on a small patch of your skin first before trying it on your whole face.

How Often Should You Use Hyaluronic Acid?

How often you should use hyaluronic acid depends on the specific product that you buy, but generally speaking, it is safe to use on your skin twice a day at morning and at night. However, it’s typically recommended that you start off using it only once a day and then gradually go up to two if needed to see the results you desire.

Graphic titled: “Ways to Use Hyaluronic Acid:” featuring icons with text that read “Supplements”, “Topical”, and “Injections”.

There are generally three ways to use hyaluronic acid: supplements, topical treatments, and injections. For topical treatments, which are most commonly used at home, you’ll likely be looking at moisturizers and serums.

If you use a hyaluronic acid moisturizer, you can use this on your skin in the morning and night after washing your face with a cleanser. If you use a hyaluronic serum, you should apply it to your skin after cleansing and before moisturizing.

What to Look for When Purchasing a Topical Hyaluronic Acid

When looking for a topical hyaluronic acid, there are a few key things you should look for to make sure you choose the best type for your skin. First, you should choose a topical hyaluronic acid that is made with safe ingredients. If your hyaluronic acid treatment is combined with other ingredients, make sure those won’t irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction.

Graphic showing an image of serum dripping from a dropper with text next to it that reads, “Hyaluronic Acid Can Be Found In: Anti-aging treatments; Eye creams; Sunscreens; And more!”.

You should also look for a topical hyaluronic acid that combines other skincare ingredients that will benefit your skin even more, like niacinamide or vitamin c. Niacinamide is great for helping to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation, and vitamin c increases collagen production, which helps your skin look more plump.

If you’re not sure which topical hyaluronic acid products to add to your skincare routine, consider Colorescience. We’ve created several skin care treatments that include hyaluronic acid like the:

Add Hyaluronic Acid to Your Skin Care Routine

If you’re tired of your skin aging you and want to know how to look younger, a hyaluronic acid serum is a great step in the right direction. Hyaluronic acid can elevate your skin care routine and help you achieve that supple, luscious skin you’ve always wanted. And you can find the best skin care products with hyaluronic acid in them at Colorescience.

All Colorescience products are formulated with high quality ingredients that will take your skin to the next level. Whether you’re looking for a full coverage sunscreen or a collagen serum, we have a variety of skincare products that can target different skin care needs. With our skin treatments, you can say goodbye to dull skin, and hello to a glowing complexion. We’ll help you get the bouncy and youthful skin you’ve always dreamed of.