Realizing that you need hyaluronic acid(HA) in your skin care routine is a good first step. But then comes the question of how to best avail it to your skin. It’s important that you get this right. Not all HA-containing products will be equally effective for everyone, every time. Here’s why.
The big question….
What’s your goal – Moisturizing or anti-aging?
What’s the main reason you need the Hyaluronic acid? Well, it all begins here. Between being an anti-aging agent and a moisturizer, HA will be whatever you want it to be. While both roles depend on its ability to draw and hold water molecules, the result will depend on where this moisture ends up – whether on the surface(moisturizer) or inside your skin (anti-aging). This is where the choice between a hyaluronic acid cream/lotion vs serum/gel will be based, the next time you go shopping.
More on hyaluronic acid creams/lotions vs serums/gels …….
In general, creams and lotions as skin care product preparations are aimed at moisturizing. This, you may call their primary role. This ‘base’ role can be further extended with added active ingredients. Serums and gels on the other hand, are primarily formulated for anti-aging effects targeting wrinkles, blemishes, scars and the like.
More on Hyaluronic acid creams & lotions
Consequently, HA in most creams and lotions is added for skin surface moisturizing. Due to its great ‘humectant’ properties, it will help keep you skin surface moist and dewy. In spite of this similarity of purpose, Hyaluronic acid creams are generally more oily and heavier on the skin than Hyaluronic acid lotions. The creams form a coating on the skin, as they are poorly absorbed compared to the lotions – which ‘locks in’ the moisture in your skin, protecting it against drying by evaporation. This effect comes in really handy for those with dry skin. HA lotions are best for normal and mixed skin types, as they are better absorbed, leaving the skin supple and not too oily
What about hyaluronic acid serums and gels
If your goal is beyond the mere look of moisturized skin, and you want to address some deeper long-term age-related changes, then Hyaluronic acid serums and gels are what you’re looking for. Serums are generally formulated to provide a very high concentration of the active ingredient, in the most absorbable form. They are built to deliver their contents deep into the inner layer of the skin. Hyaluronic acid serums and gels contain a high concentration of HA per ml and are usually made of small sized HA molecules, to ensure good absorption.