Moisturisers, I believe, are one of the most common skincare item that almost everyone has in their routine. Every skincare brand carries some sort of moisturisers in their line. It's just a basic necessity. That being said, I'm not going to discuss about moisturisers in itself, because that would be pretty general. I'm going to discuss about the king of all moisturisers - Hyaluronic acid.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance produced by the body. It can be found as a lubricant in eyes and joints. That aside, it has received a lot of attention in recent years as a moisturiser. This is because of it's ability to retain up to 1000 times its weight in water! It is even said to prevent moisture loss from the skin.
Where you can find it:
It usually exists as a salt of hyaluronic acid. Look at the ingredient's list on your products and find Sodium Hyaluronate. You'd be surprised to know how many products that now contain this ingredient. I'm talking about your foundations, lipsticks, masks and so on.
Here's an interesting list of some unrelated products that contain Hyaluronic acid:
- Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
- Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation and Concealer
- EOS Visibly Soft Lip Balm in Vanilla Mint (strangely, only this particular flavour)
- Benefit Lip Hydrators
- bareMinerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation
- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen
- Paula's Choice RESIST Daily Pore Refining Treatment 2% BHA Gel, RESIST Ultra Light Super Anti-Oxidant Concentrate Serum, 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant
What you need to know:
Even though you naturally produce some hyaluronic acid, its production levels start to drop with age.Also, according to many dermatologists, hyaluronic acid molecules are too big to pass through the skin's epidermal surface. (source) Thus they are only effective in moisturising the surface of the skin.
Fret not ladies, for there is hope.
There is this patent-pending blend that consists of three types of hyaluronic acid called Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA). It is said that they have an additional two types of hyaluronic acid, small enough to penetrate through the top layer of the skin's epidermis. Thus providing skin deep hydration.
This brings me on to my all-time favourite brand of moisturisers:
HADA LABO (US: HADA LABO Tokyo)
HADA LABO is a Japanese skincare brand. Personally I think that they are the Japanese equivalent to the French pharmaceutical skincare brands. They make such great quality products that are not only effective, but pH balanced as well. An added bonus is that the price range is so affordable! They are also the only ones that makes products with SHA and they are one of Japan's best selling skincare brand.
Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Lotion ( US: Replenishing Hydrator)
Their best-seller and one of my all-time favourite product is this lotion right here. It is said that one bottle is sold every 4 seconds in Japan. In Singapore alone, this little guy already have four awards from Watsons, Woman's Weekly, Her World and Cleo!
Why it's such a crowd favourite:
- Texture:
It has an incredibly light watery texture. It may look like a toner or even a make-up remover, but don't let it fool you though. Albeit lightweight, it has three types of hyaluronic acid that would deliver moisture through the deeper layers of the skin.
( Update: from 4th december, the lotion now contains four types of hyaluronic acid)
- Control:
I love that it's such a versatile product. You can control the moisture level per use, according to your skin's current needs. Directions recommended using 2 drops, which would offer light hydration suitable for daytime. I typically use 3 - 5 drops of the lotion at night, where 5 drops is the equivalent to the level of a night cream.
It would take longer for it to be fully absorbed into the skin, but a little patience would do the trick. Just keep massaging it into the skin until all of the lotion is absorbed, when skin feels dry.
- The Finish:
No greasy aftermath and unlike some moisturisers, this does not form a transparent layer over the skin as well.
Absorbs readily into the skin (when 2-3 drops are used)
- Increases absorption of other products ( Similar to the L'Oréal Youth Code pre-essence)
- pH balanced
- Free from irritants like alcohol and mineral oil
- You get a whooping amount of product: 5.7 fl. oz/ 170 ml for SGD 21.90. One bottle lasts me for more than a year.
This is one of those products that I feel that every woman should know about. It's one that really works great with all skin types. Those with oily skin (like me) would love the lightweight texture whereas those with dry skin would love its deep hydration. It's truly a great product with a great value. I really wouldn't know what I would be doing without it.
Even my mother, who has dry skin, switched over from her very pricey hyaluronic acid serum after recommending this to her. Since then, she have tried out almost the entire moisture and anti-aging line. Yes, my mother is like that.
Also, if you're residing in Singapore and you're interested in trying this, they do mail samples to your doorstep! Link for samples here.
If however, you're residing overseas, and you can't get a hold of this product, they do sell the line at a very affordable price on ebay.
Thanks for letting me share my favourite moisturiser and if you found this post helpful, don't forget to share this on Google+, Facebook and Twitter! I also shared my favourite AHA and BHA chemical exfoliator, also from this brand, in my post: Clear Skin & Anti-aging: Exfoliation Is Key ( AHAs)
-C
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