Why It Works and How to Use

Nothing sells quite like a skincare product with hyaluronic acid topping its ingredient list. Dermatologists and skincare gurus alike taut hyaluronic’s hydrating properties as a type of miracle tonic for everything from reducing the appearance of wrinkles to wound healing. And now, we can add trichologists and hair experts to the ingredient’s growing fan base. Turns out, using hyaluronic acid for your hair can overdeliver, improving the condition and appearance of hair as well as skin.

If you have yet to use hyaluronic acid in your hair care products, this is one ingredient you’ll want to start seeking out. To learn even more about how to use this skincare favorite on your hair, we turned to experts Ginger King, Dr. Sheila Farhang, and Bridgette Hill.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a substance found naturally in the body—specifically within fluid in our eyes, joints, and skin—although it can also be made synthetically. As a humectant, it can retain moisture and bind approximately 1000 times its weight in water. And while hyaluronic acid is more popular in skincare, it’s a powerful ingredient to look for in your haircare products as well. Just know it might not show up as “hyaluronic acid” on a product label: “Hyaluronic acid comes in different forms, and the least expensive version is sodium hyaluronate, more commonly seen for haircare,” explains cosmetic chemist Ginger King.

Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid for Hair

To be clear, hyaluronic acid is not a moisturizer—it’s a humectant. It works by retaining water and drawing moisture to the skin’s surface, which makes it hydrating, opposed to moisturizing. This benefits the hair and scalp in several ways:

• Hydrates the hair: According to Hill, the humectant-binding properties of hyaluronic acid perform similarly on hair fibers as it does on the skin, allowing the hair fibers to retain and seal moisture from products.
• Reduces frizziness: Hyaluronic acid also helps to seal the cuticle, which prevents unwanted moisture that causes frizzy hair and curl shrinkage from entering it, explains Hill.
• Plumps the hair: Farhang says that although more studies are needed, theoretically, hyaluronic acid could help plump up dry, damaged hair. This plumping effect could be used for added volume at the roots, but additional ingredients would be needed to actually repair the damage, she adds.
• Hydrates the scalp: Not only does hyaluronic acid benefit the hair strands, but both Hill and King highlight its benefits for the scalp, as well. “Humectant molecules attract and bind moisture to the skin, allowing collagen to thrive in the skin and scalp,” Hill explains. King adds that it can keep the scalp hydrated and prevent dry scalp.
• Revitalizes high porosity hair: Dry, damaged hair does not easily retain water but hyaluronic acid helps to fill in the cracks of the porous hair shaft and moisturize, explains King.

Hair Type Considerations

All hair types and textures could benefit from using any hyaluronic acid-based products on their hair fibers, says Hill. She explains that the ingredient’s ability to bind to moisture helps hair retain the proper balance of lipids, humectants, and proteins required for hair strength and elasticity.

More specifically, Farhang says hyaluronic acid would most benefit those with dry, brittle, and perhaps damaged hair as well as frizzy hair. She notes that the ingredient is particularly great for not weighing down curls and not leaving a greasy feel on the hair. King adds that even color-treated and chemically processed strands can benefit from hyaluronic acid; in fact, the more damaged the hair, the better, she stresses.

How to Use Hyaluronic Acid for Hair

• Apply it to your scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment: Before shampooing, Hill suggests applying hyaluronic acid liberally all over your scalp and massaging it in with your fingers in circular motions, focusing on areas that are more problematic than others.
• Use it on wet or damp hair: Farhang recommends applying hyaluronic acid post-shower while your strands are still wet. Not only is this when the hair is most receptive to products, but water is also key when using hyaluronic acid. Because hyaluronic acid absorbs water, King says using the ingredient on damp hair can accelerate the effect. “Hyaluronic acid thrives when there is moisture, so make sure whenever you use hyaluronic acid, you mist plenty of water or tonic so hyaluronic acid can bind it and form a coating to keep the moisture in for maximum effect,” she explains.
• Choose products formulated with hyaluronic acid: Instead of experimenting with your own hair concoction made with your hyaluronic acid skincare products, Hill suggests using a formula specifically designed for the hair.
• Use it as a leave-in conditioner: Farhang adds that hyaluronic acid hair serums could be helpful as styling treatments on damp hair or as a part of a hair mask. Hill recommends applying hyaluronic acid to damp hair as the first layer to your styling product. Apply it from root to ends, comb through for even distribution, then layer your preferred styling product on top.
• Combine it with oils: Although hyaluronic acid could be beneficial in plumping the hair, Farhang suggests using the ingredient in conjunction with other ingredients to help repair the damaged hair. Farhang’s top picks: jojoba and argan oils for dry hair and collagen and proteins, like keratin, for strengthening the hair.

Potential Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid for Hair

Generally speaking, topical versions of hyaluronic acid (HA) do not have any known side effects or potential risks. However, it’s worth noting that in an environment where there is low humidity, HA can actually draw moisture away from hair, and into the air. If that’s the case, it’s best to apply with a mix of oils and other moisturizing agents to trap the moisture in place.

The Final Takeaway

While treating strands to skincare-worthy ingredients may sound bougie, it pays off big time when it comes to hair health. Incorporating hyaluronic acid into your haircare routine, whether as a pre-shampoo treatment, leave-in conditioner, or in conjunction with oils can return the investment in hydrated strands and scalp.