From Cosmopolitan · Mary Honkus · · 1m 30s
Hyaluronic Acid: Apply Correctly for Best Results
Hyaluronic acid serum works best on damp skin with moisturizer to avoid dryness.
In brief
Hyaluronic acid serum works best on damp skin with moisturizer to avoid dryness. Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin best when applied to damp skin and locked in with moisturizer. Originally reported by Cosmopolitan.
Quick answers
- What is hyaluronic acid?
- Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that pulls water from the environment to the upper layers of skin like a sponge.
- How much water can it hold?
- The molecule can hold up to 1000 times its weight of water for intense hydration.
- What is the key takeaway from Hyaluronic Acid: Apply Correctly for Best Results?
- Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin best when applied to damp skin and locked in with moisturizer.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that pulls water from the environment to the upper layers of skin like a sponge.
“It's a humectant, meaning it pulls water from the environment to the upper layers of skin like a sponge”
How much water can it hold?
The molecule can hold up to 1000 times its weight of water for intense hydration.
“It can hold a lot of water: up to 1000 times its weight”
Hyaluronic acid plumps skin
By increasing water content, it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
“By increasing water content in the skin, hyaluronic acid also helps plump the look of fine lines and wrinkles”
Hyaluronic acid in fillers
Dermatologists use cross-linked hyaluronic acid in fillers for lip injections to create volume.
“It works similarly when injected as it does when applied topically, binding to water in your body”
Daily use is safe
Dermatologists confirm hyaluronic acid is safe for daily use to maintain skin hydration.
“Hyaluronic acid is safe and beneficial to use everyday for maintaining skin hydration”
Application order matters
Apply hyaluronic acid on damp skin and finish with moisturizer to lock in moisture.
“If you put hyaluronic acid on top of sunscreen or a moisturizer, it’s not going to work”
Wrong application causes dryness
Hyaluronic acid pulls moisture from skin in dry rooms, causing dryness and skin irritation.
“If your skin is hydrated and you’re in a dry room (like during winter), the hyaluronic acid sitting on top of your face will pull water out of your skin”
Damp skin is key
Apply hyaluronic acid to damp skin to provide a water source for the molecule to draw moisture from.
“The key to getting the most hydrating benefits out of hyaluronic acid is to apply your product on damp skin”
Lock in moisture with cream
Use a moisturizer after hyaluronic acid to prevent moisture from evaporating from the skin barrier.
“It needs to sit directly on that top layer of your skin to hold the moisture in so it doesn’t evaporate from your skin barrier”
Expert recommendations
Dermatologists recommend applying hyaluronic acid to damp skin and using a moisturizer to avoid dryness.
“Hyaluronic acid is one of the best hydrating and plumping ingredients, as long as you apply it to clean, damp skin and lock it in with a moisturizer”
What to remember
Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin best when applied to damp skin and locked in with moisturizer.
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