Must-Haves: 5 Hyaluronic Acids for the Season

Me, watching Strictly.

So the cold weather is definitely here (in the UK). We've had a gas leak this week (my house, not the UK), meaning the authorities came out and literally capped us off. We have no heating. hot water or cooker, and won't for a few more days. As much as I am giving myself a daily heart attack with ice showers, I am sadistically enjoying the cold cleansing. A wiser person would boil the kettle and fill the sink, alas, yours truly is cleansing with ice-cold water, acid'ing and then going to town with hyaluronic acids.

My skin is traditionally dehydrated at this time of year anyway, and this week it has honestly felt a tad 'prune-ish', so I've been digging out all of my HA products, which reminded me that I meant to do this post before it got deep into winter... Hyaluronic Acid is present in our skin, but sadly our ability to both produce it and hold on to it decreases as we age. Its function in the skin however, isn't to simply 'moisturise'. It's much more important than that. HA is a great ingredient when used correctly. Although it does hydrate by holding moisture on the skin, it can also help to work as an antioxidant, prevent loss of elasticity, stimulate collagen and plump the appearance of the skin. There are numerous HA products on the market, and in the case of most of them, you do get what you pay for. Hyaluronic acid comes in all sizes, and in general, the smaller, the more able to penetrate, the more expensive. One size literally does not fit all. I would be wary however, of using HA at every stage of your skincare. And if your skin barrier is compromised, a multi-sized hyaluronic product may be best avoided as it can contribute to inflammation if a smaller molecule is used on broken skin

. Adding to that is the difference between hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate. One is hyaluronic acid, while SH is a salt derived from HA. Sodium hyaluronate is cheaper to produce, so is used more widely, but it's more easily absorbed than HA, so it's good to have both options if you can. In truth there are so many differing options for HA and SH that it's best to test if you can, or go on recommendations, whether from a blogger, or a friend.

Not all HA products are created equally. With that in mind, some of my picks of hyaluronic acid products are below - and I've listed them in chronological order, for fun:

Hylamide. £18.00 for 30ml from Boots. First out of the trap from Deciem, Hylamide is in a dropper form, contains five forms of hyaluronic compounds, all in sodium form. Good, softeneing and smoothing.
Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum. £36.00 for 30ml from PestleandMortar.com A simple serum, you need the teeniest amount under a moisturiser to feel the benefits. Spreads easily, absorbs beautifully. Healed my skin in two days this week.
Jordan Samuel Hydrate Serum. $29.00 for 30ml This one is hyaluronic acid and works a dream. Jordan's range is small but packs a punch. Like 80s guitar bands, I've never met a product of his that I didn't like. Note: Jordan is in the middle of repackaging his line so this will be back in stock by mid-December. Worth the wait.
NIOD Multi Molecular Hyaluronic Complex. £38.00 for 30ml 12 forms of hyaluronic compounds so at the higher end price-wise. The most complicated formula with a great result. Hard to fault.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 New from Brandon, the man who also makes Hylamide and NIOD, The Ordinary has understandably taken the beauty world by storm because of its pricing structure. This HA contains sodium hyaluronate and in comparison to the elder NIOD MMHC is nowhere near as effective. However, it's still as effective as a lot of other, more expensive HA serums on the market so if budget is your main concern, better with than without. Just make sure you apply your moisturiser quickly after it to help maximise the benefits.

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The views expressed on this site are the author's own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.