Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium hyaluronate

HydratingPlumpingBarrier support

Hyaluronic acid is a moisture-binding molecule the body makes naturally, able to hold many times its weight in water. In skincare it draws water into the upper layers of skin so the surface looks plumper, smoother, and more comfortable. It suits every skin type, especially dry or dehydrated skin.

Ingredient type

Humectant (glycosaminoglycan)

Best for

All skin types, especially dehydrated

Key actions

Hydrates, plumps, softens fine lines

Also known as

Hyaluronan, sodium hyaluronate

Found naturally in

Skin, where levels fall with age

A natural history

Hyaluronic acid is not an ancient botanical but a modern discovery with a tidy origin story. It was first isolated in 1934 by the American scientists Karl Meyer and John Palmer, from the vitreous fluid of the eye, and named for that glassy, gel-like material (hyalos is Greek for glass). What began as a laboratory curiosity is now one of the most studied hydrating ingredients in skincare.

What it does for your skin

Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, a molecule that attracts and holds water, able to bind many times its own weight in it. Your skin already makes hyaluronic acid, but the amount falls with age, which is part of why mature skin can look and feel drier.^[1]

A 2022 review in Dermatologic Therapy focused on topical hyaluronic acid and found it well tolerated and effective at improving skin hydration, with the look of plumper, smoother skin tied to its remarkable water-binding nature.^[1] A broader 2018 review reached the same conclusion about its role in hydration and the appearance of rejuvenation.^[2] On the surface, that shows up as skin that looks plumper and more cushioned, and fine lines that look softened.

References

[1] Bravo B, et al. Benefits of topical hyaluronic acid for skin quality and signs of skin aging. Dermatol Ther. 2022;35(12):e15903. doi.org/10.1111/dth.15903

[2] Bukhari SNA, et al. Hyaluronic acid, a promising skin rejuvenating biomedicine. Int J Biol Macromol. 2018;120:1682-1695. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.188

Found in these formulas

Vitamin B Intensive Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum, 1oz→8% Polypeptide Collagen Revitalizing Toning Serum, 1oz→

Questions, answered

It is a humectant, which means it binds water. On skin it pulls moisture into the upper layers so the surface looks plumper and fine lines look softened, and skin feels more cushioned.

Yes, it is one of the best-known hydrators for dry and dehydrated skin, drawing in moisture and helping skin hold onto it.

Yes. Hyaluronic acid is lightweight and oil-free, so it hydrates without heaviness, which makes it friendly to oily and combination skin too.

We pair hyaluronic acid with nourishing actives like vitamin B5 and peptides in our serums.