Why Hyaluronic Acid Should be a Part of Your Skin Care

Every so often a new discovery rocks the skincare world and becomes THE THING everyone must have.  In the case of hyaluronic acid – it’s actually true!

What is hyaluronic acid?

Your skin needs moisture – even if it tends to be oily.

Your body is 70-80% water.  Hydration is a serious matter for your body and your skin! It helps your body maintain lubrication (think joints).  Hyaluronic acid is an amazing compound that can be used by absolutely any skin type: it helps skin maintain its hydration without being oily or heavy.  In fact, it’s extremely lightweight and absorbs very quickly into the skin.   Let’s just say that hyaluronic acid will do for your skin surface what water does for your skin from the inside.

Hyaluronic acid, AKA hyaluronan,  is made in your body, found in the eyes, and joints, which depend heavily on hydration in order to function well. 50% of the hyaluronic acid in your body is found in your skin!

Hyaluronic acid keeps skin moisturized and attracts moisture – but not in the oily or sweating way you may be thinking about. Hyaluronic acid breaks down very fast (its half-life is about 5 minutes in your blood) and lasts about a day on your face and which is why you need to use it every day.

HA is a type of sugar (polysaccharide) molecule.  Sugar molecules are often hydrating which is why you see them in many skin care products.  Nope: it’s not the kind of sugar you eat, but it may be why honey has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for the skin.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, ¼ tsp of hyaluronic acid holds 1 ½ gal of water!!!  It can be found in personal lubrication products, medications for dry eyes, and injections for joints, among other things.

How does it help my skin?

Just a few of the benefits of hyaluronic acid for your SKIN

• Helps unclog pores of the skin (buh-bye blackheads)
• Helps support collagen structure in skin less sagging
• Reduces skin inflammation and irritation – less redness and puffiness
• Fights free radical damage that promotes aging and skin damage (like sun spots)
• Because it helps skin hold moisture better, protects skin integrity and reduces lines and wrinkles.

Can I eat it?

Yes, hyaluronic acid is a component of many foods.  With a half-life of about 5 minutes in your blood, eating in sufficient amounts to impact your skin may not be easy.  That doesn’t mean you don’t incorporate hyaluronic-rich foods into your diet, it just means that there are more efficient ways to get it to your skin. 

Pump up the power of hyaluronic acid in your skin by:

Water!  Sometimes I use a full electrolyte blend as well.

Collagen– I use a full collagen-9 product from clean grass-fed bovine that includes extra biotin for skin and hair.  As of now, all collagen sources are animal-based – there are not any viable alternatives in the plant world.

Bone – broth – if you take good daily collagen, may not need the bone broth. Bone broth can be expensive and hard to get these days, but you can make your own.  Traditional cooking or heritage recipes often included broth made with the whole animal – e.g. chicken bones and skin – which is why it was rich in nutrients.

Organ meats: Heart, liver, kidneys.  Popular in heritage cooking or no-waste cooking.

Supporting players:  vegetables, greens, and beans contain important minerals that support the manufacture of hyaluronic acid and resist its breakdown of it.

Soy protein  – in my soy protein breakfast shake every day.  We occasionally eat tofu too when I can sneak it into our diet 😊  Hubby is a tempeh fan! The soy isoflavones help support estrogen levels which in turn promote hyaluronic acid.  BTW – the phytoestrogens in soy are a fraction of the strength of human estrogens.  And yes, men have a small amount of estrogen-like women have a small amount of testosterone.  (More on this another day!)

Citrus foods and foods with high vitamin C content – bonus – vitamin C helps cells fight stress and supports the development of collagen.

Red Wine!  Unfortunately, too much ages the skin, and can slow down your metabolism by as much as 75%!  Resveratrol is the wonder compound in red wine that is important. I have an excellent alternative that is a powerhouse of anti-aging goodness….

Magnesium  – is an important nutrient in helping your body maintain good levels of hyaluronic acid.

Foods high in magnesium: nuts, leafy greens, avocado, salmon, yogurt, beans, and hello! Dark chocolate (16% of your daily magnesium requirement).  Make sure that your multi-vitamin and your calcium supplement contain magnesium.

Nutrition hack: Every morning I drink a soy Life Shake smoothie with my favorite collagen-9 product, berries, and organic and clean greens powder.  BAM! All in one shot!

So how do you use it? 

I use a natural anti-aging line (scientists hate that word BTW, but I love it!) that is free of 2,500 questionable ingredients, is completely plant-based, beyond organic, and formed to work with the cell structure of your skin- so that it gets the most benefit.

They also contain a proprietary resveratrol blend (think super powerful red wine) and that increases the effectiveness.

I live in a humid area, so I use hyaluronic acid at night in the summer, and more in the winter.  That’s just me.  I have sensitive eyes from allergies, and even though this isn’t formulated for the eye area, I do it anyway. It increases the moisture content of my skin by 212% and can last up to 24 hours.  So, you can see how using it once or twice a day is fantastic for your skin.   Because it is weightless and instantly absorbed, it works with my other products and doesn’t feel heavy at all.

My skincare routine:

1) Cleanse with the lightweight, exfoliating cleanser

2) Use the toner – blocks the damage from iron in the water and then the 

3) Hyaluronic acid serum or activated anti-aging serum.

4) Day or evening moisturizer.

I used it on my face, decolletage (neck and chest) – where a deep scoop neck shirt would show, and on my hands.  Hands age FASTER than your face, so whatever you do to your face, do for your hands.

About 3-4x week I use a high vitamin C & E capsule with raspberry oil before the serum.

Let me know if you try it and how you like it! Use my contact form or email me at Karen@womanwize.com.

• This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase through these links, I receive a commission, at no cost to you. (You’ll get excellent service!) The information in this article is for educational purposes and not to diagnose nor treat disease.