Maybe you’ve already noticed that many creams contain hyaluronic acid. Some even feature it prominently on their packaging, so it must be something special. You’ll mostly find it in hydrating and anti-ageing products. In this blog post, I’ll tell you everything about hyaluronic acid and how it works.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a large biomolecule produced by organisms, including humans, from smaller connected biomolecules. All mammals naturally produce hyaluronic acid. It was first described in 1934 and has long been used in healthcare.
This acid plays a role in brain surgery and helps promote wound healing. It’s also used by plastic surgeons as a filler to give the skin a more youthful appearance, where it is injected [1].
One reason hyaluronic acid is so popular among surgeons is that it prevents bacterial growth in wounds [2], reducing the risk of infection.
So, it’s clear that this substance is valuable in healthcare for improving skin regeneration after injury — but why is it in your face cream?
What does hyaluronic acid do for your skin?
Plastic surgeons inject hyaluronic acid into the skin because it helps slow down visible ageing. As you get older, your skin finds it harder to retain moisture. Hyaluronic acid, however, can hold an incredible amount of water, making it essential for youthful, plump-looking skin.
Between your skin cells are molecules that hold everything together and retain moisture — and hyaluronic acid is the most important of these. It’s produced inside the cell and then released outside it.
Unlike other molecules, hyaluronic acid doesn’t have a protein core but binds to proteoglycans, which in turn attach to proteins.
This acid is found throughout the body, but about 50% is located in the skin. It also acts as a filler in empty spaces and helps cells move from one place to another. When you get a wound, your body produces more hyaluronic acid. It aids wound healing by activating immune cells for a stronger immune response when fibroblasts (important connective tissue cells) or skin cells are damaged. It’s also important for new blood vessel formation and fibroblast migration, which can even influence tumour development.
Hyaluronic acid has a short lifespan — around five minutes in the bloodstream and about half a day on or in the skin. The body therefore produces it constantly. However, it can last longer when combined with other substances — which is likely what happens in skincare products.
Most hyaluronic acid in the skin is found in the dermis, with less in the epidermis. When applied via a cream, it reaches the epidermis.
In the dermis, it regulates moisture balance, supports the lymphatic system, and stabilises the skin’s structure — essentially the layer beneath the surface.
Skin ageing occurs mainly because the amount of natural hyaluronic acid in the epidermis decreases over time compared to the dermis. This reduction triggers other genetic processes in the skin influenced by hyaluronic acid [3].
This explains why hyaluronic acid is so common in face creams — they aim to restore the acid to the epidermis, improving moisture balance and water retention.
UV light can also affect the activation of hyaluronic acid and reduce the processes that keep skin moist and supple. Additionally, a decline in collagen production plays a major role in ageing, which unfortunately hyaluronic acid alone cannot fix.
Hyaluronic acid in your cream
The idea behind adding hyaluronic acid to your daily cream makes sense, but how effective is it really? In 2014, researchers studied whether hyaluronic acid could reduce wrinkles in women with an average age of 45.2 years. They also measured skin elasticity. After 2, 4, and 8 weeks, significant improvements were observed — wrinkles became 40% less deep, skin elasticity improved by 96%, and firmness increased by 55% [4].
Participants applied the hyaluronic acid twice a day — logical, given its short lifespan in the skin.
Although this study was done on women, it’s likely that men using creams containing hyaluronic acid can experience similar benefits.
When hyaluronic acid is combined with glycerine, it works best to retain moisture on and in the skin [5].
Anti-ageing products with hyaluronic acid for men
There are several interesting categories of anti-ageing products for men. Since hyaluronic acid appears in many (anti-ageing) skincare products, here are some product categories that can help men take their skincare routine to the next level.
Hyaluronic acid serums
Serums are highly concentrated products designed to tackle signs of ageing. They help reduce fine lines and wrinkles while nourishing the skin with key extracts. Due to its hydrating properties, hyaluronic acid is an ideal addition to serums. Many men find serums a powerful complement to their regular anti-ageing skincare routine.
Day cream with hyaluronic acid
A day cream is, of course, meant to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day, which is why you’ll often find hyaluronic acid in high-quality day creams for men. It helps keep your skin well-nourished and reduces the appearance of fine lines. Especially after showering or washing your face, it’s recommended to use a day cream or moisturiser. When your skin becomes too dry, it overcompensates — resulting in an oily skin instead.
Day creams with hyaluronic acid:
Night cream with hyaluronic acid
The best anti-ageing products containing hyaluronic acid are night creams, as they can work throughout the night while you sleep. During the day, your skin is exposed to various external factors or you may need sunscreen, meaning it’s never completely clean. If you cleanse your skin properly before bed and then apply a night cream with hyaluronic acid, your skin will absorb important nutrients while you rest.
The same goes for eye cream with hyaluronic acid. Apply it before bedtime so that the delicate skin under your eyes and around your cheekbones can recover overnight. This helps reduce the appearance of crow’s feet and ensures you look much more refreshed in the morning.
Night creams and eye cream with hyaluronic acid:
Conclusion
Now you know a lot more about hyaluronic acid and its function. It’s a wonderful ingredient to have in your skincare products because of its many beneficial properties. Especially from an anti-ageing perspective, it’s worth using products that contain hyaluronic acid. It helps to rebalance your epidermis and dermis, making your skin smoother and more supple.
In the Moquer shop, you can find plenty of products with hyaluronic acid. In fact, when it comes to men’s skincare in general, you’ll find a wide selection of quality options. We carefully select only the best and most premium brands — so you’re always in good hands.