For non-chemists, reading an ingredient label on a skincare product can be overwhelming, to say the least. As if it weren’t difficult enough to keep track of every controversial ingredient to avoid or good-for-you ingredient to look out for, sometimes brands use different names for essentially the same ingredient. For instance, you might be more than familiar with the extremely popular skin hydrator hyaluronic acid, but how much do you know about sodium hyaluronate? You might be shocked to find out that the hyaluronic acid serum you’ve been applying to your skin actually contains sodium hyaluronate instead. As it turns out, aside from a few differences, the two ingredients are basically the same thing and serve a similar purpose in skincare. To find out why brands use the terms interchangeably, what exactly the difference is between the two, and why sodium hyaluronate should be on your radar, please the fellow .

Hyaluronic Acid (HA), also known as Hyaluronic Acid, is a natural straight-chain polysaccharide found in human and animal tissues. Hyaluronic acid is widely distributed in connective tissue, epithelial tissue and nerve tissue of human body. It has good water retention, lubricity, viscoelasticity, biodegradability and biocompatibility, etc. It is widely used in medical treatment, cosmetics and functional food.

Hyaluronic acid, also referred to in skincare as hyaluronate or HA, is a water-loving polysaccharide already present in the skin. With age, hyaluronic acid in the skin decreases quite sharply, resulting in a loss of hydration, volume and plumpness. Lines and wrinkles also appear, and skin is left looking dull and lackluster. Usually, when hyaluronic acid is added to skincare products, its humectant properties draw moisture into the skin, helping to combat dryness and dullness. What many people don’t realize is that hyaluronic acid comes in various molecular sizes. Larger molecules stay on the surface and give the skin a ‘dewy’ look, while smaller molecules penetrate deeper into the skin to deliver their hydration benefits.