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Hyaluronic acid
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid doesn't sound like a natural beauty product but actually it occurs naturally in your skin, and is a common ingredient in a lot of natural products, particularly anti-ageing treatments and moisturisers.
You're born with hyaluronic acid in your skin, and then it gradually depletes as you get older; as it depletes, you get wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid makes up more than 80% of your eye too!
What does hyaluronic acid do?
Hyaluronic acid is believed to improve the health of your joints and your skin, where it reduces wrinkles. It makes up around 80% of your eye, where it acts like a shock absorber for your retina.
How does it work?
Hyaluronic acid holds a lot of water (between 500-1000 times its own weight!), so it keeps your skin "plumped" and smooth, and helps your skin to repair itself as well.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that inclusion of hyaluronic acid in your diet may well extend your life, and keep you wrinkle free (or freer) for the duration of it. It also seems to help maintain the collagen levels in your skin - another thing that is known to boost your skin's health, tone and texture.
Hyaluronic acid is injected into joints to relieve pain and pressure. It is believed to be most effective though when applied to the skin.
What products contain hyaluronic acid?
So many skincare brands still make it too hard to find out the ingredients in their products. But natural and organic ranges are only too keen to tell you what's inside their products... which of course makes you wonder whether the others have something to hide! Lots of anti-ageing treatments and moisturisers do contain hyaluronic acid, particularly those in natural or organic ranges. Here are a few to look into:
See also:
* Labels and chemicals - what's in your face-cream?
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