Hyaluronic acid (HA) has become a staple of our skincare routines. Produced naturally by our bodies, it’s something of a wonder ingredient. “Hyaluronic acid is the MVP of moisture and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water,” says Young LDN’s head aesthetician, Sara Waterman. “If you experience dry skin, it isn’t up for debate.” The sugar molecule attracts and absorbs moisture to plump the complexion, combat oiliness, reduce the appearance of fine lines and strengthen the skin barrier.
However, the amount of HA our bodies produce declines as we age, which is why it’s such a key ingredient in our beauty bags. But it’s not just our complexions that are crying out for a little extra H2O. Here’s how beauty experts are harnessing its hydrating powers from head to toe.
It can tame frizz and flyaways
“It’s not surprising that ingredients traditionally used in skincare are now appearing in haircare products,” says consultant dermatologist Dr Derrick Phillips. “Your scalp regime has to be as good as your facial skincare routine, as it needs to provide nourishment for your hair and the skin beneath.” Used in haircare, hyaluronic acid (HA) helps hydrate the scalp, tames flyaways, plumps strands, revitalises dry, damaged hair and adds shine. Even better, it can be used on all hair types and textures.
So, how can HA slide into your haircare routine? According to Dr Philips, it can be used in treatments before washing “to hydrate the scalp and hair and protect against the drying effect of some shampoos”, in leave-in conditioners, and in hair oils combined with proteins such as collagen or keratin to strengthen locks.
Try Living Proof’s Scalp Care Dry Scalp Treatment, which uses HA to soothe a dry, flaky scalp, bring dull hair back to life with Phyto Phytodensia Plumping Shampoo, or apply the Inkey List’s leave-in Hyaluronic Acid Hair Treatment to wet or dry hair to smooth and maximise shine.
It supercharges your skincare
Okay, we’ve been there and bought the serums. HA is a key part of our skincare routines. But, the industry continues to revolutionise how it uses its star ingredient. Take inspiration from J Beauty and Hada Labo Tokyo, Japan’s no. 1 skincare brand, which has brought its bestselling hydrator lotion to the UK.
In J Beauty, “watery” hydrator lotions are used after cleansing and before moisturiser to penetrate deep into the skin and boost moisture levels. Hada Labo Tokyo’s Premium Lotion contains five types of HA for multi-level hydration and is basically like a long glass of water for your skin. Use with the range’s premium day and night creams for the ultimate HA hit.
You can also now add the ingredient’s skin-boosting properties to your make-up kit, with brands such as Charlotte Tilbury launching hybrid skincare/make-up products that offer the best of both worlds: foundations, powders and concealers blended with HA to combine instant coverage with long-term hydration.
It gives you a full body glow-up
Whole body skincare is being hyped as one of the biggest beauty trends of 2022, with ingredients and products we’re used to applying on our faces popping up in our bath oils and shower gels. Aesthetic practitioner Natali Kelly believes it’s about time: “The skin on your body can have many of the same concerns as that on your face, such as dryness, signs of ageing and irritation. Whole body care is as important as your facial skincare routine,” she says.
Using body creams and serums containing HA will, she adds, provide deeper hydration, enhance skin firmness and elasticity, and maintain skin moisture, which helps with tissue regeneration.
Achieve super-soft skin from décolletage to derrière with Hada Labo Tokyo’s new body care range. It includes a moisturising body essence with a HA-rich formula for a silky smooth finish. Massage into clean, dry skin morning and night. There’s also a night body serum, which boasts four types of HA, along with retinol and collagen, to restore your skin as you sleep.
Shop the Hada Lado Tokyo range at superdrug.com
Alison is head of content for the Good Housekeeping Institute, responsible for product reviews across homes, beauty, wellness, family and food & drink. She lives by the William Morris quote that you should “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Alison has over 15 years' experience as a lifestyle editor and has written features on everything from misophonia to how to dress like Claudia on The Traitors. She has also interviewed everyone from Dame Joanna Lumley to the Kardashians.
In her spare time, you'll find her hanging out with Monty the cocker spaniel and refreshing the Sezane website every five seconds.
