BeautyStat.com founder and Cosmetic Chemist Ron Robinson recently appeared on a news segment to discuss the ingredient Hyaluronic Acid. Learn more about the ingredient with his informative Q & A below! See video here.

What is hyaluronic acid exactly?

HA is a naturally occurring substance that is found in the skin. Together with collagen and elastin, HA forms the foundation for skin’s structure, texture and tone.

What kind of benefits can it have for our skin?

When applied topically, HA can hydrate the skin like no other ingredient. It works like a moisture magnet that can hold up to 1000 times it’s weight in water. It does this by pulling moisture from the air and trapping it on skin’s surface.

As we age, our skin stops producing HA, so our skin gets drier. This accentuates fine lines and wrinkles, and can make skin look dull and rough.

How long have skincare companies been using hyaluronic acid in products?

Skincare companies have been using HA for a long time now.

Where once it was reserved for high-end brands, it now seems to becoming more mainstream. Why do you think this is the case?

HA was once reserved for just high-end brands and now has become more mainstream because of it’s unique ability to hydrate the skin.

What are some of the products we are surprisingly seeing hyaluronic acid in?

HA can be found in many different types of products from facial moisturizers, serums, masks even foundations and makeup primers.

What are some brands with products that contain hyaluronic acid nowadays? (Preferably on the less expensive end.)

Drugstore brands that contain HA include Olay, CeraVe, Neutrogena and Eucerin.

What are some of the pros of using products containing hyaluronic acid?

The pros to using it is that it can deliver great hydration benefits.

What are some of the cons to using it?

There are no real cons to using products that contain HA.

Can it cause unnecessary dryness?

If formulated correctly, HA does not cause any unnecessary dryness.

Are certain people better suited for using these products than others?

Any consumer with dry skin can benefit from a product that contains HA.

Do all products that claim to contain this ingredient actually have it in the formula? Or can this be a marketing gimmick?

Most products that claim to have this ingredient really do have it in the formula. And note that HA can also be delivered using its derivative form called Sodium Hyaluronate. Both work very similarly.

What do you see for the future of skincare products containing hyaluronic acid?

In the future, I see more products that will contain this key ingredient.

Anything else you’d like to add?

HA is a very large molecule. So it does not penetrate the skin when applied topically. So it basically works on the surface of the skin to keep it hydrated. However, dermatologists use it as a filler where it is injected into the skin to fill out wrinkles and expression lines.