Hydration revolution: formulator’s guide to hyaluronic acid

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Hyaluronic acid is among the most in-demand beauty substances at this time. An extended-time favorite in skincare, hyaluronic acid is now marketed for its high-performance, hydrating properties in bodycare – and now even in haircare. It’s a darling of the cosmetics trade and sweetness customers alike.

You might be stunned to be taught that it was found within the early 1930s and has been a beauty ingredient because the 1960s. However it’s sported on so many beauty labels, you’d suppose it’s a new-found ingredient. In a method it’s “new” as it’s produced very otherwise at this time – as you’ll quickly uncover.

This superhero of hydration definitely deserves our consideration.

Why it’s so feted and what beauty advantages does it convey? Importantly, does it stay as much as the hype?

Right here, we unravel the secrets and techniques of hyaluronic acid – a powerhouse of hydration – trying past its fame to discover why it’s a game-changer for indie beauty formulators.

Spoiler alert: hyaluronic acid’s high-performance potentialities are properly inside attain of the brand new beauty formulator!

What’s hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide discovered naturally within the pores and skin in its extra-cellular matrix, and can be a part of the pores and skin’s pure moisturising issue (NMF) together with different compounds comparable to urea, lactic acid, fatty acids (ceramides). It due to this fact contributes to sustaining the pores and skin barrier.

The pores and skin holds round 50 % of our physique’s hyaluronic acid content material, so you’ll be able to sense already why it could have a key function to play in our pores and skin’s functioning.

Hyaluronic acid in cosmetics – its origins
Within the 1960s, animal-sourced types of hyaluronic acid have been utilized in cosmetics. The most typical supply for each beauty and medical makes use of in that period was derived from rooster combs. Use of animal-derived hyaluronic acid has decreased over time because of moral issues, potential allergenic reactions, and the event of extra sustainable and cruelty-free manufacturing strategies.

In the present day, hyaluronic acid is produced via bio-fermentation processes utilizing micro organism in an effort to present moral and constant sources for the cosmetics trade. Nonetheless, do test together with your provider about its origins.

How does hyaluronic acid hydrate our pores and skin?

Hyaluronic acid’s magic lies in its potential to carry as much as 1000 instances its weight in water, making it the last word hydrating hero. It is a superb humectant and in contrast to different hygroscopic cosmetic ingredients, its potential to draw and maintain water is much less depending on the surroundings round us; meaning it performs excellently no matter the extent of humidity.

A beauty humectant is a useful, hygroscopic ingredient that hydrates the pores and skin because of its potential to draw and bind to water. The water supply can fluctuate: humectants can entice water from the humidity within the surroundings round them, and even from the pores and skin itself by pulling water from deeper layers to extra superficial layers.

Different humectants widespread in pure cosmetics are glycerine, sorbitol (a sugar alcohol), honey, propanediol (pure model), sodium lactate, and hyaluronic acid. See our information:

The formulator’s guide to natural humectants

However there’s a draw back. As we age, our pores and skin’s pure manufacturing of hyaluronic acid reduces and degradation of the hyaluronic acid additionally will increase, leading to pores and skin dryness and dehydration. Together with hyaluronic acid in formulations may also help revitalise the pores and skin’s moisture ranges, resulting in a extra luminous, plump complexion.

First, we have to discover the types of hyaluronic acid – together with, unusually you may suppose, its molecular weight – in an effort to perceive the way it works its magic in our formulations.

Molecular magic: low- vs high-weight

For formulators, the excellence between high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid is essential to the artwork of formulating a super-hydrating beauty. On beauty ingredient provider websites, you might have seen low molecular weight (LMW-HA) and excessive molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA) talked about and questioned what they have been.

In short, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid penetrates deeper into the pores and skin – staying on the epidermic degree – providing extra lasting hydration, whereas excessive molecular weight creates a topical, protecting barrier on the pores and skin’s floor providing short-term hydration and visual plumping of the pores and skin.

This dynamic duo of molecular weights ship each quick and longer-term hydration, and you need to use each in the identical formulation. There may be some debate concerning the effectiveness of utilizing both weight of hyaluronic acid in rinse-off haircare preparations, however some beauty corporations are offering proof of its hydrating powers even on this use.

We study the molecular distinction in depth on our devoted “Mini-Lab” on hyaluronic acid over in our membership website, The Lab at Formula Botanica. Register to be first to know when The Lab opens its doorways, so you’ll be able to benefit from the hyaluronic coaching module together with over 35 different in-depth matters.

Methods to formulate with hyaluronic acid

Now you already know concerning the significance of its molecular weight, let’s take a look at the types of hyaluronic acid obtainable to the beauty formulator.

INCI: Sodium hyaluronate

Hyaluronic powder: You’ll find hyaluronic acid as a white powder or as a gel. We usually use hyaluronic acid between 0.01 and 1 %. You’ll need to hydrate the powder in water for some time (in a single day is right to make sure it’s totally dissolved).

Simply as we dissolve gums in glycerine, we are able to additionally decide to make use of glycerine as a wetting agent to assist make the hydration of hyaluronic powder simpler; or use emollients and humectants like propanediol for the job. There is no such thing as a purpose you’ll be able to’t mix humectants. Guarantee you already know the burden of the diluent (water or glycerine) so you’ll be able to work out the maths so as to add the specified quantity of hyaluronic acid to your formulation.

Hyaluronic acid gel: If utilizing the gel type, be certain that it’s safely preserved as you could want so as to add one other preservative. Test your provider’s data. Discover out extra about pure preservation in our Certificate in Natural Cosmetic Preservation, or within the weblog posts under:

Everything you wanted to know about natural preservatives

Working with hyaluronic acid in cosmetics

Hyaluronic acid is a superb ingredient to formulate with, as you’ll be able to add it to mild emulsions comparable to lotions and serums. Mix it with different humectants or energetic substances for a synergistic impact.

There are just a few essential issues to notice about working with hyaluronic acid in cosmetics:

Storage: The powdered type must be saved dry, so retailer it fastidiously in an air-tight container away from humidity.
Weighing: If you happen to make small batches of your formulation, you will have precision scales as you might be including very minute quantities of hyaluronic acid. It helps to make use of it in diluted and dissolved first to resolve this challenge.
Processing: Hyaluronic acid shouldn’t be processed on excessive shear, which suggests with a high-shear homogeniser. Ideally, use a hand whisk or overhead stirrer.
Cool-down part: Add hyaluronic acid powder or gel to the cool-down part of your formulations.
Gel formulations: Keep in mind that low molecular weight hyaluronic acid received’t type a gel.
pH vary: Hyaluronic acid is greatest used within the decrease pH ranges of round 5- 5.5.

Try these formulations for inspiration on tips on how to embody hyaluronic acid:

How to make a rose hydrating facial serum
How to formulate a bakuchiol beauty concentrate
Formulate a hydrating body mist with tropical extracts
How to make a scented natural body yoghurt

Greatest Pure Alternate options to Hyaluronic Acid

As most types of hyaluronic acid to be used in cosmetics are produced via bio-fermentation, you could want to search pure, plant-derived alternate options that supply the same hydration-boosting properties to hyaluronic acid. Listed here are just a few pure alternate options to discover:

1. Aloe Vera

INCI: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

One of the widespread substances in skincare, aloe vera is a soothing and hydrating ingredient, with a water content material starting from 99 to 99.5%. Since aloe vera powder is 200 instances extra concentrated than the gel, it supplies a thirst-quenching impact. Use 0.1-1% aloe vera powder in your toners or moisturisers, or in gel-like merchandise by including a gelling agent. Discover out extra about aloe vera:

The formulator’s guide to aloe vera
How to make an aloe vera repairing mist
How to formulate a soothing after-sun gel
How to make a jasmine and aloe micellar water

2. Snow Mushroom

INCI: Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide

Usually labelled because the “plant-based various” to hyaluronic acid, snow mushroom has distinctive water-retaining properties. (Observe: funghi usually are not crops, nevertheless, however their very own distinctive organism class.) Because of their polysaccharides, snow mushrooms retains the pores and skin hydrated and supple, and in addition reduces indicators of pores and skin ageing indicators.

Use snow mushroom in lotions and serums by diluting the powder in water earlier than including it to your cool-down part. Discover out extra about this energetic ingredient within the Mini-Lab on Mushroom Components.

3. Panthenol

INCI: Panthenol

Pure panthenol is one other humectant that retains the pores and skin moisturised. Additionally referred to as pro-vitamin B5, it promotes pores and skin regeneration and strengthens the pores and skin barrier. It penetrates the pores and skin and is transformed to D-pantothenic acid. It’s obtainable as a water-soluble powder (L-Panthenol) or a water-soluble liquid (D-Panthenol) so as to add within the cool-down part.

Different alternate options

There are a lot of extra hyaluronic acid alternate options you might formulate with, comparable to birch sap, vegetable collagen, and oat silk, which give the pores and skin with as a lot hydration as hyaluronic acid. As a pure formulator, it’s vital to maintain updated with ingredient developments and be taught to formulate with new substances.