Everyone experienced moments as a kid that stand out in time—memories that are now firmly pressed into our subconscious and help mold our perceptions of the world. One of those moments for me is the time that I learned plants were good for our skin. I was playing in my room trying to give one of my dolls stud earrings with a marker and accidentally ended up “piercing” her right on her eyelid. Panicked, I ran to my mom’s room hoping she could somehow undo this surgical malpractice. She was in the middle of curling her hair, so she said in the meantime to go rub some flowers on it. Irritated by her lack of urgency, I asked her how in the world flowers would help this emergency. She turned to me and smiled, “Anything your skin needs, plants have.”
As it turns out, it’s true! Plants, and even plant-derived extracts (like hyaluronic acid supplements and natural dyes, like indigo) have all of the magical powers we wish for—beauty, grace, timelessness. My mom proved this to be true over and over again. Whenever I had a cut, she rubbed fresh aloe vera on it. If my nerves about a big test were keeping me up at night, she brewed me lavender bud tea. As for my doll, when the four-leaf clovers I picked in the backyard weren’t doing the trick, my mom rubbed witch hazel leaf extract on the mark, and poof! The mark was gone.
Having been raised by the flower lady herself, I was trained to pay attention to natural sources of beauty products. “Forget the chemicals, and stick to the real stuff,” mom advised. So when a friend of mine wanted to start making her own cosmetic products, I suggested she invest in some high-quality hyaluronic acid supplements to start. Her first reaction was confusion, “What is hyaluronic acid? Isn’t it a chemical?” Realizing that it does indeed sound like a “bad” or fake ingredient, I thought it may be helpful to write a blog post about it for anyone else who doesn’t know exactly what hyaluronic acid supplements do, or what hyaluronic acid is.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid supplements and how they can improve skin…
Article At A Glance
- What is hyaluronic acid?
- Benefits
- Uses
- Best hyaluronic acid supplements
What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Turn over just about any beauty product and you’ll find some form of hyaluronic acid. It’s in serums, face creams, sunscreen, nearly everything face-related. With good reason! (We’ll get to that soon.) It also comes in a few different forms, so you may find it labeled as sodium hyaluronate, acetylated hyaluronate, or even just H.A. instead of hyaluronic acid.
So, what is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is actually a naturally occurring compound in the human body. It’s found in skin cells, fluid and tissue, and is responsible for keeping our cells hydrated, repairing cells, and different metabolic processes. When found in cosmetics and health supplements, hyaluronic acid is derived from either fermented plants or wheat. This process is relatively pure, as it just extracts the hyaluronic acid already naturally present in the wheat or plant.
After the extraction process, the hyaluronic acid supplement dries and is processed into either an oil or powder form, depending on its final destination. It can go into something as simple as a face moisturizer, directly into a capsulated medication, or even a botanical supplement.
Hyaluronic Acid Benefits
Hyaluronic acid supplements are meant to mimic our natural hyaluronic acid benefits. So, the first order of business for a hyaluronic acid supplement is to moisturize the skin. Working to regulate our natural sebum secretion, hyaluronic acid helps our body either amp up its natural oils or slow them down, depending on our personal imbalance. Hydrated skin is the key to healthy, glowy skin. It could even be argued that keeping skin hydrated is the #1 way to prevent rapid aging. Think about it simply. If we leave lettuce out in the sun, it can wilt within a day or two. When we keep lettuce in a crisper in the fridge, we can have delicious, crisp salad all week long! How we take care of our skin determines how our skin will look and how it will age.
Benefits of hyaluronic acid
- Hydrates and moisturizes skin
- Increases natural collagen production
- Boosts immunity
- Lubricates joints via synovial fluid production
Most people seek hyaluronic acid for anti-aging. This is because it helps to boost our natural collagen production, which also helps to reverse and slow the signs of aging. However, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: anti-aging isn’t really a thing. *Gasp* I know. Let me explain. Aging happens when we are dehydrated, when our natural oil supply is low, when our joints lack proper fluids, and more. So really, anti-aging is just a fun perk of rebalancing our body to a healthy state so that we don’t look like we’re aging. So, while hyaluronic acid is definitely a powerhouse ingredient for all of this amazing skin rejuvenation, it is also helpful for joint lubrication and immunity. (1) This is because, as mentioned earlier, it helps to boost our natural collagen production. Collagen aids in joint and muscle repair, boosts our skin’s natural sebum production, grows longer, stronger hair, and so much more. So not only does hyaluronic acid directly benefit skin, but it also has a trickle down effect, improving and increasing collagen production.
Best Hyaluronic Acid Supplements
Everyone has their own favorite way to get their hyaluronic acid. For me, it’s in juice form. That’s right, I take my hyaluronic acid the same way I get in fruits and vegetables: naturally. I take a superfood juice powder every single day called Beauty Juice. It tastes delicious, which, let’s be real, is half the battle of taking supplements!
Hyaluronic acid aside for a moment, Beauty Juice has so many daily benefits that I love. It contains four incredible blends—Antioxidant Superfood Blend, Pure Vitality Energy Blend, Power Probiotic Blend, and Anti-Aging Beauty Blend. The antioxidant blend is full of superfood fruits and root vegetables to help with oxidative stress, an aging culprit. The vitality blend contains adaptogens and anti-inflammatory ingredients for overall optimum health. The probiotic blend is pretty straightforward. It offers all the good bacteria we need to properly digest our food and absorb its nutrients. Last, but certainly not least, is the beauty blend.
Drumroll, please.
The Anti-Aging Beauty Blend in Beauty Juice is packed with beautifying ingredients like ginseng, holy basil, and of course, hyaluronic acid. I love that SkinnyFit included this ingredient into their superfood juice powder, because it is sometimes forgotten in the nutrition realm. It’s coined a beauty product, but really, it is so much more. If you’re wondering how Beauty Juice tastes, it tastes AH-MAZING. If you love fruity, açai bowls, you’ll love this easy superfood juice powder.
When choosing a hyaluronic acid supplement, make sure it’s one that you know you’re going to take. For me, I know better than to buy anything in capsule form, because I hate swallowing pills! Still, I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on fix-it pills that someone, somewhere swore would work. They’re all still sitting in my pantry, now that I think about it. Point is, find a supplement that fits your lifestyle. For me, having a delicious juice in the morning or with lunch is my fun and easy way to get in my dose of hyaluronic acid. Whatever works for you!
Mentioned In This Post
Beauty Juice Red Superfood Powder
Beauty Juice is a delicious adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory superfood blend containing all of your essential daily nutrients in one simple, açai-flavored scoop!
The Bottom Line On Hyaluronic Acid Supplements
Along with all of the beautifying, anti-aging benefits, hyaluronic acid is a great overall health ingredient to add to your daily regimen. Who knows, maybe you’ll start to take it for the skin perks, and then end up feeling better inside, and out! Whether you get your hyaluronic supplement from Beauty Juice or elsewhere, remember that true beauty begins with you. Make sure that you’re eating well, exercising regularly, drinking LOTS of water, and showing gratitude everyday. Thank your lucky stars for your health and happiness, and hug your friends and family whenever you have the chance. Self-love is the real beauty juice.