Creating pure, organic, highly functional skincare products that are free of harmful chemicals and preservatives is our jam. Today we want to spotlight one of two ingredients in our bestselling Hella Hydrating Serum: hyaluronic acid. Now, when you hear “acid” you may flashback to high school chemistry and your teacher’s warning to put on gloves so that you don’t burn yourself. But you don’t have to worry about skin burns! Hyaluronic acid (HA) actually helps to hydrate and plump up your skin for a glowing complexion. 

HA is a potent beauty booster! It’s a naturally occurring substance found throughout the body that lubricates connective tissue, helps to maintain skin elasticity and regulates cell renewal. It’s so abundant that someone who weighs 155 pounds will have roughly 15 grams of HA throughout their body, half of which is found in their skin. 

When applied directly to the skin, it helps to create a moisture barrier that makes the skin more smooth and soft while hydrating skin cells. A healthy skin barrier function is everything when it comes to healthy skin. 

HA is an “it girl” of ingredients in beauty and skincare products so we wanted to dig into all of the incredible skin nourishing benefits of this simple, all-natural compound. 

The Inside Scoop on Hyaluronic Acid 

Technically, HA is a large sugar molecule called a polysaccharide naturally found within the skin and connective tissue of the body. Texturally, it is gooey, slippery, and sticky. It’s classified as a humectant, meaning it attracts and holds water, which is great news for your skin. In fact, HA can bind up to 1000 times its weight in water! 

Within the body, HA acts like a cushion, lubricating agent, and sponge for everything from our joints to our skin, hair, eyes and nerves. Remember, that over half of the HA found in the body is located within the skin–that’s why it’s such an important ingredient in natural serums and moisturizers! 

One of the coolest things about hyaluronic acid is that it comes in different molecular weight sizes and each of these weights has specific benefits within the layers of the skin. You’ll want to use a product that contains multiple molecular weights since it will be better absorbed, target all the layers, and give you the best skin-loving results. 

Hyaluronic acid has two main molecular weights (high and low) that work on different layers of the skin: 

• High-molecular-weight-HA (>500 kDa): works best on the surface layer of the skin (we’ll get into more detail below!). 
• Low-molecular-weight-HA (<500 kDa): mostly stays in the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, but can penetrate slightly deeper than high-molecular-weight HA since it is slightly smaller. 
• Low-molecular-weight-HA (~ 200 kDa): may have increased skin benefits such as increasing skin defense and repair. 

There is another ultra-low-molecular-weight- hyaluronic acid (<50kDa), but the current data doesn’t support this form as a beneficial ingredient for skincare. 

Now that we’ve nerded out on the technical aspects of hyaluronic acid, let's take a look at the specific skin-loving benefits of this hydrating ingredient. 

7 Amazing Beauty Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid

When shopping for skincare products, you want to purchase one that contains multiple weights for best absorption and skin benefits. Our Hella Hydrating Serum contains the perfect balance of multiple molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to ensure a plump, dewy glow!

1. A Non-Irritating Skincare Ingredient

As an all-natural ingredient that locks in moisture, hyaluronic acid is a wonderful compound that doesn’t irritate sensitive skin. If you struggle with acne, eczema, or rosacea, it can make a soothing and healing addition to your skincare routine, without causing any harmful reactions. 

2. Creates A Moisture Barrier 

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful addition to your skincare routine because it actually helps to create a moisture barrier by trapping and holding water on the surface of your skin. Having a healthy moisture barrier on the skin is an important component to a vibrant glow. 

A strong moisture barrier can also help protect your skin from environmental toxins, chemicals, and other skin irritants in our daily lives. Having skin that is moisturized and protected can help us maintain a healthy glow. This is key in preventing skin conditions like rosacea and eczema.

3. Hydrates The Skin

As we know, hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it attracts and holds onto water molecules. Remember that it can hold 1000 times its weight in water, which provides tons of hydration for your skin when you apply it topically. 

Depending on the molecular size it can hydrate either the top layer, or epidermis of the skin, or it can penetrate deeper and hydrate those lower layers. It can also act as an osmotic pump, which means it can help water soluble actives from skincare products penetrate into those deeper skin layers. 

Hydrated skin looks smooth, soft, supple, and plump! Many people find their skin looks more youthful when they use a product with HA regularly. Hint hint: check out the reviews on our bestselling skincare product, Hella Hydrating Serum.

4. Can Speed Up Wound Healing

When we’re injured, the body naturally sends higher levels of hyaluronic acid to the area to help speed up the healing process. In fact, studies have shown that applying HA topically to wounds can help reduce their size and decrease pain. As a bonus, some studies have also found that higher weight hyaluronic acid may also have antibacterial effects, which makes it great for people who struggle with acne. 

5. Regulates Cell Renewal 

Another key to healthy, happy skin are cells that are able to renew and repair themselves and hyaluronic acid helps support this process. It is a main component of the extracellular matrix (the liquid between our cells) and studies have found it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. These studies found that it plays a key role in the tissue regeneration process. That makes it a great addition to your skincare routine to help keep your cells and skin healthy, happy, and thriving. 

6. Reduces Appearance of Fine Lines & Wrinkles 

As a humectant that attracts and holds water, hyaluronic acid increases the hydration of the skin. Hydrated skin naturally looks plumper and smoother, helping to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. For best results, pair with other clinically proven wrinkle-fighting ingredients such as organic cold-pressed rosehip oil like you’ll find in our Hella Hydrating Serum. 

7. Improves Skin Elasticity

You might notice a theme within all these skin-loving benefits of hyaluronic acid- hydration and moisture! Thanks to the incredibly hydrating power of this little molecule, it helps maintain skin elasticity for a supple, smooth appearance. If you want to add a little synergy to your skincare routine, try supporting your skin elasticity from the inside by taking a collagen supplement - we love adding collagen to our wellness teas.

Hyaluronic Acid: Great For All Skin Types!

As we age our bodies stop producing certain compounds, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, which help keep our skin looking plump and hydrated. That’s why most people would benefit from adding this skincare ingredient to their routine. The sooner you start using hyaluronic acid, the better. It’s much harder to repair damage that has already been done than it is to maintain your skin health and hydration. But don’t worry if you haven’t used this magic molecule yet–the best time to get started is today! Once you get started with hyaluronic acid it won’t take too long to keep skin hydrated all day long. 

By giving your skin a little helping hand by applying products that contain hyaluronic acid, you can prevent some of the signs of aging and keep your skin looking happy, hydrated, and glowing! 

Joyous Tips for Best Results When Using Hyaluronic Acid

In order to achieve the best results from your skincare products, we have a couple of suggestions. These steps will help you to get the most benefits from hyaluronic acid: 

• Avoid using face washes that strip the skin’s natural moisture barrier. For a dewy glow and soft skin you want to add moisture to the skin, not strip it away! You’ll love our Fresh Face Cleanser made with oil-balancing golden jojoba and anti-inflammatory comfrey root. 
• Always apply hyaluronic acid products to damp skin. Damp skin helps the product penetrate deeper within the skin’s layers for better results while activating the HA in serums. You can add some water to your Hella Hydrating Serum or try spritzing your face with an anti-inflammatory, pH balancing toner like our alcohol-free Magical Mist Toner! 
• When using natural products that contain hyaluronic acid, always shake them before pumping. Sometimes the products can separate if they don’t contain fillers and binders. 
• You can use your hyaluronic acid product twice a day since it is so gentle and hydrating. 
• Avoid products that have long lists of ingredients since this can sometimes mean the amount of HA isn’t within a beneficial range. More HA isn’t necessarily better and it should be between 1 and 2% of the total product, just like you’ll find in our bestselling Hella Hydrating Serum!

As you can see, this tiny little molecule has some super-powered skin benefits! And luckily, you don’t have to break the bank to find high quality products that contain it. We formulated our Hella Hydrating Serum using only 2 ingredients: hyaluronic acid and organic cold-pressed rosehip oil. 

This power duo helps to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, provides ultra hydration to the skin, and seals in moisture for smoother, softer skin. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich nutrients in this serum will calm irritation, reduce fine lines and help your skin glow, not to mention, make your skin feel hella hydrated! Hydrated skin is skin that looks naturally youthful, healthy and vibrant. 

Combined with HA, the cold-pressed rosehip oil boosts the beautifying benefits of our Hella Hydrating Serum. Research has shown after 8 weeks of using rosehip oil, the skin's moisture level and elasticity is increased, reducing fine lines around the eyes. It’s also an amazing source of vitamin E and anthocyanins, two ingredients that soothe and calm irritation, making it beneficial for those dealing with rosacea, eczema and acne-prone skin.

We hope this information inspires you to turn to natural, functional beauty products made with active ingredients and zero fillers!