As you get older, your skin undergoes changes at every level. The top layer (the epidermis) thins and loses protective fatty substances called lipids, making skin drier and less able to fight off infection. Arid climates or the dry air in winter can aggravate parched skin even more. Dry skin can feel tight and uncomfortable, accentuate wrinkles, and look flaky and ashy. Also as you age, the inner layer (the dermis)—the collagen and elastic tissues that keep your skin firm and plump—begins to break down, leading to wrinkles. These changes mean your skin doesn’t bounce back from injury as quickly.
Enter moisturizers, which can help calm itchiness and irritation, plump and smooth skin, and restore a youthful, dewy look. One hydrating hero is hyaluronic acid (aka sodium hyaluronate), which is naturally found in skin. A 2004 study in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology noted that hyaluronic acid boosts production of cells that make and secrete collagen, at the same time shoring up skin’s structure.
Hyaluronic acid moisturizes skin from the inside, increases elasticity, calms inflammation, and scavenges skin-damaging free radicals. As you get older, you produce less hyaluronic acid, which can lead to dry skin and wrinkles. The good news? Applying it topically seems to restore some of those benefits, plumping and firming skin almost immediately. It can hold up to one thousand times its weight in water and helps attract and bind moisture to your skin, even in concentrations as low as 1 percent (although you may see more noticeable results with higher concentrations). It’s easily absorbed and may also help other skin-saving ingredients penetrate the skin better, making combination products more effective.
You can find topical hyaluronic acid in moisturizers at all price points (starting at under $10) in serums, creams, gels, and so on, often alongside other anti-aging ingredients to give you multiple benefits in one bottle.
Researchers at Cambridge University in England note that injectable hyaluronic acid works best for deep wrinkles caused by sun damage, creases around the nose and mouth, and adding volume to hollowed cheeks and thin lips (areas that Botox, which works best on forehead wrinkles, can’t help). Manufacturers chemically modify it so that skin doesn’t absorb it as quickly, which means results can last up to six months. Using it repeatedly in the same area may lead to a longer-lasting result, possibly by stimulating new collagen production. Injectable hyaluronic acid is available in heavier and lighter gels with different molecule sizes, which translates to more flexibility for where on your face you can use it. Another plus is that most people tolerate it well; irritation and allergic reactions are rare.
All the potions and anti-agers in the world can’t undo the damage from poor skin care habits. Even if you have a good regimen in place, as you get older your routine might need some tweaks. If your skin is still dry even though you use a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, start washing your face only at night. Make sure you use a mild, soap-free cleanser (one study rated Dove, Aveeno, and Purpose as the least irritating) and lukewarm water to avoid stripping skin of its natural oils. In the morning, simply wet your skin and pat it dry with a towel. The other two crucial components to younger-looking skin? Don’t skimp on sunscreen (
2) and stop smoking (93).