Hyaluronic acid: not all hyaluronic acids are created equal
Why does our skin need hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule naturally present in our skin. Capable of retaining large quantities of water, it plays an essential role in its hydration, suppleness, and plump appearance.
But its presence in the skin changes with age. This decrease gradually contributes to the loss of skin hydration and suppleness, while dehydration fine lines and wrinkles become more visible.
Providing hyaluronic acid to the skin therefore makes perfect sense. But you still have to choose the right one: not all hyaluronic acids act in the same way.
Their molecular weight, their concentration, and the way they are combined with the other active ingredients in the formula are decisive.
Why is molecular weight important?
The size of a hyaluronic acid molecule influences its behavior within the skin.
High molecular weight hyaluronic acid: Composed of large molecules, it acts mainly on the surface of the skin. It helps to retain water, limit dehydration, and immediately provide comfort, suppleness, and a smoothing effect.
Low molecular weight hyaluronic acid: Its molecules, which are much smaller, have different properties and allow for complementary action.
This is why at DEMAIN Beauty, we don’t just look to put "a lot" of hyaluronic acid in our formulas: we select the molecular weight, the concentration, and the combination of active ingredients based on the desired action.
In formulation, more is not always better. What matters is the right dosage, the right molecular weight, and the right combination of active ingredients.
Hyaluronic acid at DEMAIN Beauty
True to our formulation standards, the hyaluronic acids selected by DEMAIN Beauty are part of our 100% naturally derived formulas.
We use different molecular weights according to the needs of the formula and, when we select an active ingredient whose effectiveness has been objectively demonstrated at a specific concentration or dose, we ensure we use it at that documented effective dose.
Our goal is therefore not to display the highest possible percentage, but to build a coherent formula in which each active ingredient has its rightful place.
Discover the Demain Beauty products that contain hyaluronic acid:
GO FOR PROTECTION
High molecular weight hyaluronic acid for surface hydration.
In Go For Protection, our day cream, we use 0.1% high molecular weight hyaluronic acid.
Its large molecules act mainly on the skin's surface, where they help retain water and limit dehydration.
Result: skin that is better hydrated, suppler, and more comfortable throughout the day.
TIME TO REPAIR
A low molecular weight hyaluronic acid for night care.
In Time To Repair, we have chosen 0.1% low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to complement the moisturizing and anti-aging action of our night cream.
We notably use RENOVHYAL®, a patented low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Its value lies not just in its size: this active ingredient has been the subject of objective studies focusing on markers involved in the cohesion of the skin barrier and the synthesis of collagen I.
RENOVHYAL® is used in our formula at the concentration at which its effectiveness was objectively demonstrated.
Results derived from objective studies of RENOVHYAL® at the concentration used in the formula; they do not constitute results of a test conducted on the finished product.
ANTI-AGING SERUM
Two molecular weights for complementary action.
In our Anti-Aging Serum, we have chosen to combine two hyaluronic acids with very different molecular weights to benefit from their complementary actions.
The formula contains:
- 0.1% low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (20–50 kDa)
- 0.3% high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (1,800–2,200 kDa)
- Totaling 0.4% hyaluronic acid.
The high molecular weight acts mainly on the skin's surface to help maintain its hydration. The low molecular weight provides a complementary action.
Two molecular sizes, two complementary actions, united in a single formula to act on hydration and the appearance of signs of aging.
And what about hyaluronic acid from the inside?
At DEMAIN Beauty, taking care of the skin doesn't stop at what you apply to its surface.
Our Inside/Out approach also leads us to integrate hyaluronic acid into Age With Grace, our food supplement designed to support skin beauty from within.AGE WITH GRACE
200 mg of hyaluronic acid per daily dose.
Age With Grace provides 200 mg of ExceptionHYAL® Star each day, a Full Spectrum hyaluronic acid covering a wide range of molecular weights.
And this dosage was not chosen by chance: the 200 mg provided daily corresponds to the dose clinically studied for this active ingredient.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted on 60 women over 28 days, 200 mg per day of ExceptionHYAL® Star showed:
- +10.6% hydration
- –18.8% wrinkle depth
- –17.6% wrinkle volume
- +5.1% elasticity/firmness
Results derived from a clinical study performed on the active ingredient ExceptionHYAL® Star at 200 mg/day, the dose provided by Age With Grace; they do not constitute the results of a clinical test performed on the finished product.
The same molecule, several approaches
Hyaluronic acid perfectly illustrates our Inside/Out vision of beauty.
In our skincare, we select different molecular weights depending on the desired action. In Age With Grace, we also integrate it from the inside, at the dose clinically studied for the active ingredient.
- Go For Protection: 0.1% — high molecular weight
- Time To Repair: 0.1% — low molecular weight
- Anti-Aging Serum: 0.4% — combination of low + high molecular weights
- Age With Grace: 200 mg/day — Inside approach
The same family of active ingredients, several complementary approaches, with the same requirement: efficacy, science, and simplicity.
FAQ
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule naturally present in our body and particularly in the skin. Its ability to retain water contributes to its hydration, suppleness, and plump appearance.
What is the origin of the hyaluronic acid used by DEMAIN Beauty?
The hyaluronic acids selected by DEMAIN Beauty are naturally derived and obtained through biotechnology/fermentation, with no animal origin.
High or low molecular weight: what is the difference?
High molecular weight acts mainly on the skin's surface and helps maintain its hydration. Molecules of lower molecular weight have different properties and allow for complementary action. This is why DEMAIN Beauty selects and combines different molecular weights depending on the objective of each formula.
What percentage of hyaluronic acid do DEMAIN Beauty products contain?
Percentage alone is not enough to judge the effectiveness of a skincare product. Molecular weight, concentration, the quality of the active ingredient, and its combination with the rest of the formula also count. Go For Protection contains 0.1% hyaluronic acid, Time To Repair 0.1%, and our Anti-Aging Serum 0.4% in total, combining 0.1% low molecular weight and 0.3% high molecular weight. In our Inside/Out approach, Age With Grace provides 200 mg of hyaluronic acid per daily dose, corresponding to the dose clinically studied for the active ingredient used.
Does a cosmetic contain more hyaluronic acid mean it is more effective?
No. A high percentage alone is not a guarantee of effectiveness. In formulation, the objective is to find the right balance between concentration, molecular weights, texture, and association with other active ingredients. It is the entire formula that counts.
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