If you follow beauty and skincare trends, you may be wondering: "What is hyaluronic acid?"

Let’s face it, the climate makes our skin thirsty – and desert and polar climates make it extra dehydrated thanks to an extreme lack of water in the air. Add to that man-made indoor conditions like both heat and air conditioning and you’ve got a skin recipe for a dry, parched, vulnerable complexion. This is where Pour Moi Skincare comes in. The world’s first climate-smart skincare line is designed to hydrate skin with light-weight formulations, and protect it from environmental conditions based on the climate you’re encountering. The secret ingredient that’s the key to keeping skin moist and supple? Hyaluronic acid! But what IS hyaluronic acid anyway? We’ll break it down for you.

What is hyaluronic acid? Don’t be put off by its harsh-sounding name.

Hyaluronic acid is not a type of acid—it’s actually a sugar—and it’s often referred to as sodium hyaluronate on product ingredient lists. Gel-like in texture, it’s found naturally in the body, keeping areas like eye sockets and joints lubricated. When applied topically in creams and serums, it attracts moisture to the skin, and traps it in there (each hyaluronic acid molecule can hold 1,000 times its own weight in water—pretty amazing!), keeping skin hydrated, supple, and young-looking. But when used incorrectly, it can backfire—causing skin damage.

How Hyaluronic Acid Hydrates – and Can Hurt – Your Skin.

Large hyaluronic acid molecules grab water from the atmosphere, while small and medium size ones steal H2O from the beverages we drink and the high water-content foods (like fruit and certain veggies) we eat. (The smaller the molecule, the deeper it can penetrate into the epidermis to snag moisture—which is why smaller molecules are especially effective for keeping skin hydrated.) So in a perfectly temperate climate, you have all three weights of hyaluronic acid molecules working in unison to keep your skin soft and dewy. But when there’s less than 50 percent moisture in the atmosphere—which is commonly the case in dry, hot climates and cold weather, as well as indoors—large molecules get restless and start trying to pull water up from deep within the skin because they’re no longer able to snatch water from the air. Unlike small and medium molecules, which are diminutive enough to nimbly delve deep down into the epidermis, large molecules are big, awkward, and aggressive, causing cracks in the skin barrier as they enter it. (Imagine an elephant trying to squeeze through your front door.) These cracks rob the skin of its natural moisturizing (and anti-aging) agents like collagen, leaving skin dry and damaged. Now that we've answered your burning question - "What IS hyaluronic acid!?" - keep reading to learn how Pour Moi Skincare uses it to deliver all the benefits to your complexion, with none of the potential harm.

Why Pour Moi’s Multi-Weight Molecule Philosophy is so Important

Ninety-nine percent of skincare products only contain one size of hyaluronic acid molecule—the large ones, because they’re the cheapest—and this can wind up doing more harm than good. (And because ingredient lists don’t specify hyaluronic acid molecule size, it’s hard to know what you’re getting.) Pour Moi’s Day Creams are so advanced because they’re formulated with a unique—and expensive to produce—combination of all-three molecule sizes. Small and medium weight molecules penetrate deeply into the skin to pull in hydration, and they tell the large ones to back off when humidity dips, preventing damage. (In other words, if you’re outside on a hot, humid summer day like in a Tropical Climate, and then come into a dry, air-conditioned room, the small and medium molecules switch off the large ones.) What’s more, a study that appeared in the journal Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology shows that small molecules are potent wrinkle plumpers and skin firmers are well as serious hydrators. The researchers studied the effects of topical nano-hyaluronic acid (that’s study-speak for very small molecules) on thirty-three women with an average age of 45. After eight weeks of use, the study subjects’ wrinkle depth decreased by up to 40 percent, skin elasticity and firmness was enhanced by up to 55 percent, and skin hydration improved by up to 96 percent, Another thing that sets Pour Moi apart from other skincare brands is that all Pour Moi products combine the three sizes of hyaluronic acid molecules with 100% natural White Truffle extract from France to nourish and hydrate the skin—and adjust to climate changes. This proprietary combo is called HyalurTruf+. HyalurTruf+ also acts as a sophisticated delivery system, shuttling antioxidants, peptides, and other essential ingredients deep within the skin’s surface to help reverse the signs of aging. And even though Pour Moi Day Creams impart incredible moisture, they are remarkably lightweight—no heaviness, greasiness, or pore-clogging! So whether you’re surfing in the Hawaii, skiing in Aspen, or lounging by the pool in Palm Desert—or simply cruising through the mall or sitting on your couch at home, with the heat or A/C blasting, Pour Moi’s HyalurTruf+ will ensure that your skin never gets dehydrated, and stays fresh and radiant.