Being in your 30s is great on so many levels.
I love the confidence and calmness and sense of being who I was meant to be all along that comes with being a fully-fledged grown-up.
However, let's be honest, it is also when the majority of us start noticing certain changes to our bodies and complexions that we admit we could really do without.
For me, the major one now – officially being in my late 30s – is my skin. And specifically, who much dryer it feels and how it often seems to have lost its glow and lustre.
If this sounds like you too, I have two words for you: Hyaluronic Acid (HA).
Tricky to pronounce, I know, but if you are looking for skincare products to help with dry, lacklustre skin, this is what you should be looking for on the ingredients list.
Why? Because Hyaluronic acid is a type of sugar that naturally occurs in the skin’s connective tissue – and while we have lots of it when we are younger, it sadly naturally decreases in our skin with age. Hyaluronic acid's main function is to retain water, in fact – it can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water, and helps seal in moisture in your skin – meaning, it is super-hydrating and basically draws moisture deep down into the lower layers of your dermis (skin).
As we get older, we need to replace the Hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally in our connective tissue with products that help do the same job. It can benefit all types of skin and is safe to use, even if your skin is really sensitive, or oily and prone to breakouts.
You can have Hyaluronic Acid injected into your skin in the form of for instance Restylane, in which it will probably have the most dramatic effect on your complexion. However, if you are looking for the benefits, but are less keen on something so invasive (as I know I am), here are three seriously amazing products to test out – and guess what? They are actually all affordable too!
1. Pestle & Mortar
Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum hydrates and soothes even the most sensitive skin while smoothing fine lines and restoring youthful elasticity. I love how this gorgeous, Irish-made serum feels so silky on my skin, sinks in within seconds and really makes a difference to both how my skin looks and feels.
Skin that feels smooth, youthful and dewy on top of your wish-list? This is for you:
€43, Meagher's Pharmacy
2. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Total bargain – and yet it works!
I love the completely vegan and cruelty-free products from The Ordinary, and this Hyaluronic Acid is such a great buy. It brings multi-depth hydration to your skin due to the unique and highly concentrated formula, and is also supported with the addition of Vitamin B5, adding to the surface hydration.
€6.80, Arnotts
3. La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum 30ml
An intensely hydrating serum that is clinically proven to re-plump and repair skin in just days, I was so pleasantly surprised when testing out La Roche-Posay's Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum.
This formula contains two different sized molecules of Hyaluronic Acid, with the larger molecule working on the surface of the skin to reduce wrinkles and re-plump the skin and the smaller molecule being able to penetrate more deeply into the skin to increase skin volume.
My face seriously looked more dewy and plump after just a few days of use.
€38, Boots
