Can I use Hyaluronic Acid with Vitamin C Oil?

Not only are hyaluronic acid and vitamin C powerful skin ingredients that each deliver impressive benefits, when teamed together they are a force to be reckoned with. Unlike previous blog post about these ingredients that have been more serum based, today we will be looking at how a vitamin C oil and hyaluronic acid work together and the best way of using them in your daily skincare routine. 

Does vitamin C go on before hyaluronic acid?

If you are using vitamin C and hyaluronic acid in separate formulations it is considered best to apply vitamin C first. Follow this with HA to ensure the skin barrier maintains the correct levels of water and can protect itself from damage caused by exposure to free radicals.

Having said that, this changes when the vitamin C is blended into a face oil formulation. You’ll find that hyaluronic acid is usually formulated into products such as water or gel-based serums or moisturisers. Its best to keep this in mind when applying your products to remember how the order of your skincare routine effects how the active ingredients can deliver results. Starting with the thinnest consistency and moving up to the thickest (such as cleansers, toners, serums, face oils, moisturisers, and SPF) will ensure you do not create any barrier on the skin that would prevent your skincare products from working.

Can I use oil with hyaluronic acid?

The short answer is, yes. The longer, more detailed answer is yes, but make sure you apply them in the correct order.

Hyaluronic acid can hold 1,000 times its weight in water, it also contains humectant traits meaning it is able to draw water from the area surrounding the skin and other product formulations locking it into the lower layers. So, as you can see HA loves water which is why you should not apply it over oil. With the fact hyaluronic acid isn’t oil soluble it is unable to penetrate any oil meaning it can’t reach the area of the skin that it needs to treat. To prevent the hyaluronic acid from simply sitting on top of the oil its best to apply hyaluronic acid serum first followed by layering facial oils and moisturisers.

As for oil-based cleansers, these should not have the same results as the following steps of your routine, such as toners, will wipe away any remaining residue leaving the skin clear and ready to absorb hyaluronic acid and other active ingredients.

Do you need moisturiser after hyaluronic acid?

You don’t necessarily need moisturiser after hyaluronic acid as your skin will reap the hydrating benefits of HA. However, if you are wanting to gain an added boost in hydration applying a moisturiser will not only form a protective layer on the outer surface, but you will provide the hyaluronic acid more water to draw into the skin resulting in the barrier remaining at its healthiest state.

Is too much hyaluronic acid bad?

Yes, though it’s hard to believe. It’s one of the main roles of hyaluronic acid to draw moisture from the area surrounding the face, such as humidity, or laying on the surface of the skin. By applying too much hyaluronic acid can in fact leave the skin feeling thirstier resulting in fine lines, and dehydration lines becoming more noticeable. This is because the humectant traits of HA will result in the acid trying to absorb so much moisture it’ll begin drawing water up from the bottom layers of the skin. You’ll find your skin begins to feel dry, tight, and uncomfortable so it is best to ensure you follow the instructions of your product.

Can I use face oil instead of moisturiser?

You can use both! I would suggest leaving the face oil for the last step in your routine. Especially if it is an evening routine as oil can sometimes affect how your makeup stays in place. If you are really wanting to ramp up the moisture for the skin applying oil over moisturiser whilst it is still tacky on the skin. This will lock in moisture and give the barrier a helping hand at combating exposure to free radicals, such as pollution, UV rays and environmental aggressors.

Although face oil may feel as though its consistency is lighter than moisturisers or face creams, it is in fact denser. By applying it in the final step of your routine will allow the oil to penetrate through the moisturiser, reaching the lower layers of the skin. You’ll find the barrier remains plumped, hydrated, and full of youthful bounce.

Should you use vitamin C serum every day?

Absolutely, your skin will love you using vitamin C serum every day. Only after you have ensured you and your skin type will benefit from introducing vitamin C into your daily routine. It is considered the best idea to start by using it every other day and build the skin tolerance, once the skin has got used to the potency you can use three to five drops over the entire face.

After applying a serum enriched in vitamin C, you’ll find the skin can combat free radical damage throughout the day whilst targeting areas of discolouration such as hyperpigmentation and dark spots. With these being targeted and other concerns such as signs of ageing and lack lustre complexion you are left with a luminous finish to the skin. Therefore, I suggest using vitamin C during your morning routine to gain the optimal results as well as glowing all day long.

Should I use hyaluronic acid in the morning or night?

Yes, you should use hyaluronic acid for the morning and night. This will deliver the optimal results for the skin surface to remain fully functioning and hydrated for the whole day. This will not only keep the complexion looking plumped and dewy, but any other products applied to the skin after would be able to absorb into the skin quickly allowing them to deliver faster results.

So, there you have it, some of your questions answered about how you can use hyaluronic acid with vitamin C oil. Don’t forget if you have any questions don’t hesitate to follow us on Instagram!