It’s been a while since I wrote about skincare ingredients and because it’s winter and your skin may need a moisture boost, today seems a good time to cover hyaluronic acid.

This ingredient when perfect when skin is dehydrated. Skin tells you it's dehydrated when it feels tight, looks dull and make-up becomes patchy.  This all indicates your skin needs more water content to keep it plump and supple.  Hyaluronic acid will help skin look fresh and appear more youthful.

Able to hold 1,000 time its weight in water, hyaluronic acid boosts your skin with an immediate moisture shot to the surface and also acts as a humectant, pulling water from the air.

For me, hyaluronic acid is great to supplement my skincare routine when the air is dry, which makes it a go-to in the winter and also during or after a flight.  A shot of hyaluronic acid from a capsule, serum or sheet mask give my skin an instant refresh. It’s also perfect after a day in the sun or if skin is feeling sensitive.

And while hyaluronic acid is great at hydrating, if your winter skin has moved beyond dehydrated to dry, a facial oil may be a better help to you thanks to its emollient properties.  It will bolster dry skin and provide a better barrier to lock in moisture and keep it from getting drier.

What do you do for your skin when it needs hydration?