Is My Hyaluronic Acid Actually Making My Skin More Dry?

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of hyaluronic acid. I’ve extolled the virtues of this product many times before in the pages of Stylebook. Hyaluronic acid is a complex sugar found in between the collagen in your skin. It provides amazing hydration and plumpness to the skin due to its ability to bind to water. The protein occurs naturally in the body and decreases as we age. By applying it topically, we can reduce wrinkles by keeping the skin plump.But proper usage is critical, or you could find yourself with drier, more dehydrated skin than before you started using it. Hyaluronic acid is a large molecule and doesn’t penetrate the layers of skin. It’s best applied over a serum or damp skin and should be locked in with a moisturizer. If your skin is dehydrated to begin with, and the air around you is dry, then the product can actually suck water from deeper in the skin. It acts like a sponge, so when applied to dry skin in a dry climate, it absorbs moisture from the skin instead of drawing moisture toward it. When this happens, hyaluronic acid has the opposite effect of its intended purpose, leaving skin drier, more dehydrated, and more prone to show signs of aging.  Using hyaluronic acid over a serum or damp skin in humid environments like ours in the summer can yield great results. It can draw humidity from the air to the skin, binding it to itself and hydrating the skin. But in drier environments on dry skin, it can have the completely opposite effect.Now that the heaters have turned on, if you find your skin drier than it should be, try locking your hyaluronic acid serum in with a richer, more occlusive moisturizer. Alternatively, you may consider giving it a rest until spring and swapping it out for a face oil.