Hyaluronic Acid (“HA”) is a natural substance found in the human connective tissue whose function is to cushion and lubricate. It is also a humectant, meaning that it draws water from the environment into the skin, helping to keep it hydrated. It plays a critical role in the maintenance of moisture levels, nourishment of the skin’s matrix and improvement in the appearance of firmness, plumpness and smoothness. In short, HA is responsible for keeping the skin looking youthful and healthy, and if you want to look your best for as long as possible, I would recommend introducing this ingredient immediately.
The issue with HA is that it depletes as we age, with reserves starting to dip from as early as our twenties. Coupled with that is the fact that HA has a short life cycle in the skin, with 30%-50% degrading every 24 hours. Maintaining these reserves at a deeper cellular level is a real challenge, and unfortunately the size of the HA molecules in many serums and moisturisers are simply too large to penetrate the skin for optimal hydration.
The latest corrective serum from SkinCeuticals, the H.A. Intensifier, aims to combat the aforementioned issues by combining their proprietary HA ingredient, Proxylane, with licorice and purple rice extracts to facilitate effective absorption, and to bolster the retention of HA reserves. Proxylane contains a high concentration of pure HA, and has been clinically proven to penetrate the dermis (other HA counterparts only work in the superficial layers of the skin, so this is quite a monumental breakthrough). Proxylane has the ability to reach the extra cellular matrix and once it’s there, it can support the skin’s structure and restore overall health and HA levels. The purple rice and licorice extracts work synergistically to disable the enzyme which catalyses the degradation of HA, thereby increasing the preservation of HA in the skin. This means that, with continued use, the skin’s store of HA increases, resulting in plumper, firmer, smoother skin.
SkinCeuticals claims that the H.A. Intensifier will amplify the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels by up to 30%, and will deliver long lasting hydration to visibly improve the skin’s texture. It also aims to reduce the look of crow’s feet, nasolabial folds and marionette lines, resulting in a more youthful appearance. The H.A. Intensifier has also been designed to work in conjunction with dermal fillers (you can watch our video of me getting dermal fillers here) as part of an at-home regimen to help address loss of volume.
In terms of where the H.A. Intensifier slots into your routine:
Morning: Antioxidant, H.A. Intensifier, moisuriser, sunscreen.
Evening: Retinol, H.A. Intensifier, moisturiser.
If, after reading this post, you’re desperate to get your hands the H.A. Intensifier, then I’ve got some good news for you: the lovely Dr Alek Nikolic and his SkinMiles team have a bottle to give away to one lucky All Dolled Up reader! Entering couldn’t be easier: simply click on this link, pop in your details, and then keep your fingers crossed. Good luck to everyone who enters!
The SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier retails for R1,550.00/30ml and is available from SkinMiles here.
This post is kindly sponsored by SkinCeuticals South Africa.