TIL my whole 'hydrating' step was actually drying out skin in my winter facials

I was using a hyaluronic acid serum on dry skin in my heated treatment room for months, but a client in Boise mentioned her face felt tight right after. I looked it up and realized HA pulls moisture from the air, and if the air is dry, it pulls it from the skin instead. Do you guys apply HA to damp skin or skip it in low humidity?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.elizabeth1mo ago

Check the science, HA literally can't work without pulling water from somewhere.

henry6041mo ago

That whole "damp skin" thing is just a fad that got out of hand. Hyaluronic acid is a workhorse ingredient that does its job regardless of humidity. The real issue is people using weak formulas or not sealing it in with a proper moisturizer. I've used it on dry skin for years with zero problems.

taylor_hayes251mo ago

Exactly, it's about the formula and what you put on top of it. A good HA serum has different molecule sizes to work at different skin levels, and a moisturizer locks it all in. If you just slap on a basic gel and call it a day, of course it might not work. The damp skin trick just gives it immediate water to hold, but a solid routine makes that step unnecessary.