Many clients of mine have come looking for the heaviest cream they can find to treat their concerns of dehydration and aging.
While emollient creams and oils will help seal in moisture and prevent water from over-evaporating from your skin, it does not actually replenish hydration.
What you need is something that will increase and infuse water-content in your skin tissue, which is where hyaluronic acid (HA) comes in. You've probably heard about it because everyone and their best friend are raving about it....and they have reason to.
Don't be put off by the word "acid" - there is nothing peeling or drying about this natural cosmeceutical - in fact, HA is said to be able to retain up to 1000x its own weight in water.
With this, it is an antioxidant that helps stimulate collagen synthesis and promotes cell reproduction.
Our Holistic Vanity Brightening Hyaluronic Lotion from our Damage Care Line (with a 15% HA fluid in the formulation) includes it because skin heals best (and fastest) in moisture-rich environments.
This is why HA has been used to treat skin burns, wounds and ulcers.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in your connective tissue, but levels decrease as you age.
However, there are also some dietary actions you can do to support HA in your body.
First, Zinc deficiency has been linked to low Hyaluronic Acid, so eating Zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, brown rice and other whole grains may help.
Magnesium is also needed in HA synthesis, so boning up on Magnesium is an excellent start to maintaining HA levels.
Lastly, estrogen and Hyaluronic Acid may be related. Decreased estrogen can lead to decreased HA. This is why it's important to examine hormonal balance in holistic beauty but is also why soy, edamame etc. have been found to be beneficial for HA levels. Though, eating a ton of soy isn't for everyone.
When in doubt, you can get a healthy dose of it in your skincare regime.
Image by Ian Dooley via Unsplash
Citations:
Desmawati D, Sulastri D. Phytoestrogens and their health effect. Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences. 2019 Feb 15;7(3):495.
Manuskiatti W, Maibach HI. Hyaluronic acid and skin: wound healing and aging. International journal of dermatology. 1996 Aug;35(8):539-44.
Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermato-endocrinology. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):253-8.
Rzepecki AK, Murase JE, Juran R, Fabi SG, McLellan BN. Estrogen-deficient skin: The role of topical therapy. International journal of women's dermatology. 2019 Jun 1;5(2):85-90.
Weindl G, Schaller M, Schäfer-Korting M, Korting HC. Hyaluronic acid in the treatment and prevention of skin diseases: molecular biological, pharmaceutical and clinical aspects. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2004;17(5):207-13.