Hyaluronic Acid
A humectant the skin makes itself, which draws in and holds water to plump and smooth; serums combine several molecular weights.
hyaluronan, HA, sodium hyaluronate, L sodium hyaluronate, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer
Dry & dehydrated skin · Ageing skin · Sensitive skin · All skin types
What it does
Hyaluronic acid is the key to smooth, super-soft, pillowy skin. Environmental aggressors (such as UV exposure and pollution), plus free radicals and ageing can deplete hyaluronic acid levels, leaving skin drier and duller, with more visible fine lines and uneven texture. Hyaluronic acid, like collagen, diminishes as we age, and applying it topically is one of the simplest ways to top up surface hydration. On labels it usually appears as sodium hyaluronate, its more stable salt form.
How it works
This wonderfully hydrating ingredient is a glycosaminoglycan, a long chain of sugar molecules, and a humectant that occurs naturally within the human body as a structural component of skin. Hyaluronic acid’s ability to bind many times its own weight in water means it can help bolster hydration in the skin’s upper layers, making it a very common and popular ingredient in moisturisers or serums for dry skin. Light and gel-like, hyaluronic acid gives the skin an immediate dose of moisture, which can then pad out the skin’s texture and improve the overall appearance and quality.
Molecular size decides where it works: high-molecular-weight forms stay on the surface as a moisture-holding film, while low-molecular-weight and hydrolysed forms reach a little deeper but hold less water, which is why MG's Notes recommend serums with several weights.
MG says
In the studio, we infuse low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid in the Power Facial, finish the Hydrating Glow Facial with a cocooning hyaluronic mask, and offer Biologique Recherche's Second Skin treatment, built around patches made mostly of hyaluronic acid. At home, apply it morning and evening to damp skin, then seal it in with a moisturiser. As it plumps the skin’s surface, it’s ideal under makeup to create a smooth canvas.
Cautions
Hyaluronic acid is very well tolerated and suits all skin types, including sensitive skin; MG's Notes recommend it during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In very dry air, such as a plane cabin, a humectant can draw water up from deeper in the skin, so always seal it in with a moisturiser or oil. Injectable hyaluronic acid fillers are a separate, in-clinic medical procedure.
