It’s not Magic, It’s Hyaluronic Acid

The numbers are stunning: the global hylaluronic acid market size in 2022 was valued at 9.4 billion US dollars.¹ The market is expected to grow as technologically advanced products continue to be introduced. So, what is hyaluronic acid and why is it trending?

Hyaluronic acid is a gooey, slippery substance that is found throughout the body, especially in eyes, joints and skin.² In scientific terms, hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan found throughout the body’s connective tissue. Glycosaminoglycans are simply long unbranched carbohydrates, or sugars, called polysaccharides.³ HA is the main element that gives skin its structure, and is therefore responsible for creating the appearance of plump, hydrated skin.

The natural aging process, tobacco smoking, and pollution can reduce the amount of hyaluronic acid present in human skin. Since hyaluronic acid is produced naturally by the skin but production slows down due to multiple reasons, using hyaluronic acid-based supplements and serums helps boost the skin’s natural processes.

Here are a few benefits of hyaluronic acid: ⁴

• Helps things move smoothly. Hyaluronic acid helps your joints work like a well-oiled machine. It helps prevent pain and injury from bones grinding against each other.
• Helps keep things hydrated. Good at retaining water, a quarter-teaspoon of hyaluronic acid holds about one and a half gallons of water. That’s why hyaluronic acid is often used for treating dry eyes. It’s also used in moisturizing creams, lotions, ointments and serums.
• Makes skin flexible. Hyaluronic acid helps skin stretch and flex to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid is also proven to help wounds heal faster and can reduce scarring.

Hyaluronic acid belongs to a type of long, complicated chain-like molecules called polymers. The chain has plenty of spots on it where other chemical compounds (like water, for example) can latch on. That’s why a quarter-teaspoon of hyaluronic acid can hold about one and a half gallons of water, making it the best polymer — natural or artificial — for absorbing water (and a key ingredient in moisturizing products). Hyaluronic acid’s chain-like structure also means it can act like a scaffold structure, allowing tissues to grow.⁵

Put another way, HA can bind up to 1000 times its weight in water!⁶ It functions as a humectant and holds water molecules onto skin’s surface to keep it hydrated and counteract the effects of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which is the scientific term for measuring how much water evaporates from the skin. When a product prevents TEWL, it keeps skin hydrated by making sure that water doesn’t escape from skin’s surface. Hyaluronic acid does exactly that by slowing the rate at which the water evaporates.⁷

Three Kenzen True Elements® Marine Organic Skin Care products are formulated with hyaluronic acid in the form of sodium hyaluronate.

• True Elements® Youth Activ Serum contains low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Molecules with lower molecular weight are smaller, so they reach the deeper layers of skin. There, they help sustain skin’s moisture content, while stimulating collagen synthesis to leave skin feeling firmer and smoother.

• True Elements® Revitalizing Serum is the complement to Youth Activ Serum. It contains high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which acts to help retain moisture on the surface of the epidermis rather than at depth. Keeping the skin’s surface hydrated gives it a healthy, glowing appearance.

• True Elements® Moisturizing Face Cream contains high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, similar to Revitalizing Serum. Together with the other ingredients in the formula, the hyaluronic acid helps skin maintain hydration by forming a protective veil on its surface.

All TRUE elements^® skin care products are EcoCert COSMOS Organic certified, pH balanced and naturally fragranced. There are no parabens, synthetic colors or fragrances.

1 https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hyaluronic-acid-market#:~:text=The%20global%20hyaluronic%20acid%20market,introduction%20of%20technologically%20advanced%20products.

2, 4, 5 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22915-hyaluronic-acid#:~:text=Hyaluronic%20acid%20helps%20skin%20stretch,faster%20and%20can%20reduce%20scarring.

3, 6, 7 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/hyaluronic-acid