Ingredient Spotlight: Hyaluronic Acid
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Estimated Read Time: 4.5 minutes
Summary: In this blog we learn all about hyaluronic acid for hair. We’ll discover what hyaluronic acid does for hair, whether it’s good for it, what the benefits are and how to use hyaluronic acid for hair. Read on to discover more about hyaluronic acid for hair…
What Is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a humectant substance that is naturally found in the body; our skin produces it. However, it can also be made synthetically. Being a humectant means that hyaluronic acid is able to draw moisture from the air and hold up to 1000x its weight in water.
Hyaluronic acid’s ability to do this has made it incredibly popular in skin care ranges, as it can help lock in essential hydration in the skin keeping it plump and soft. So, surely this means it can do the same for your hair…?
What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do For Your Hair?
The benefits of hyaluronic acid for hair include;
Hydrates the scalp; The humectant molecules present in hyaluronic acid help retain moisture within the skin, which allows collagen (the protein that keeps the skin supple) to thrive. In turn this can reduce the likelihood of an itchy, dry scalp.
Hydrates the hair; The way the humectant properties of hyaluronic acid bind to skin, work similarly on the hair strands which allows them to retain and hold on to moisture from the air and from the products you use.
Helps reduce frizz; When applied to hair, hyaluronic acid can help seal the cuticles on the hair strands which can prevent frizziness in all hair types and additionally shrinking in curly hair. It also won’t weight down curls!
Helps plump the hair; Dry, damaged hair? Hyaluronic acid is thought to also help with the plumping up of hair strands and providing volume to the roots of limp, lacklustre looking hair.
Suitable for all hair types; That’s right! Curly, damaged, straight, fine, coloured, chemically processed or textured hair, hyaluronic acid can be used by every hair type and can benefit each type’s overall strength, elasticity and thus appearance. It won’t leave the hair feeling greasy either!
How To Use Hyaluronic Acid For Hair
So, how does one reap the benefits of hyaluronic acid for hair? Well, there are actually many ways of utilising hyaluronic acid for hair…
Apply it directly to the scalp; Before you shampoo you can apply hyaluronic acid all over your scalp and massage it in with your fingers. Then, brush the serum through your hair, spreading it down the hair shaft. Leave it for several minutes, or sleep in it over night (but put a towel on your pillow first!), before washing your hair as normal.
Smooth it onto freshly washed hair; Alternatively, you can apply hyaluronic acid to hair after a wash. Remember, it won’t leave it feeling greasy! When your hair is still wet after a shampoo and condition, smooth your HA through the hair ends like you would an oil or hair serum. Comb through, and then continue your routine and styling as normal.
Read the ingredient labels; Many hair care brands have started putting hyaluronic acid in their products! So, look for a shampoo that boasts hyaluronic acid on its ingredient list. HA comes in many forms so if the label reads “sodium hyaluronate”, this is the same thing and the most common form of hyaluronic acid in hair care.
Pair HA with a hair oil; Yes, hyaluronic acid is touted as being great for plumping up hair strands, but to actually help damaged hair in conjunction with supporting it via HA, don’t replace it for your hair oils. Argan oil and Jojoba hair oils can help strengthen the hair, fight frizz and seal the cuticle alongside hyaluronic acid. So, follow your HA application with your hair oil of choice and reap the benefits from pairing the two!
