I can’t rave about the AQUAMOIST Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Cream enough; it is so, so hydrating. I mean it’s not rich or buttery — it wouldn’t sort out dryness that makes you want to slather your face with Vaseline — but it’s an excellent cream if you’re dehydrated. Its texture is a lot lighter in the pot than I would have expected — it has been formulated for dry, dehydrated skin — but actually heavy-duty on the skin. It glides over the skin and absorbs quickly to become a part of your skin rather than coating it and making you feel like your face is basted and ready for the oven! The finish isn’t at all shiny, oily, or sticky.
Nothing complicated going on here — its formula is free from oil, alcohol (ethanol), fragrance, and herbal extracts. It uses 3 forms of hyaluronic acid; helping the skin to hold on to water, so it stays more hydrated, looks plumper, and feels softer. Its hero ingredient, which you may have already guessed, is Juju Cosmetics’ proprietary fermented hyaluronic acid. The special fermentation process makes the hyaluronic acid 1nm in diameter (ultra-tiny!), which allows the molecules to penetrate into deep inner layers of the skin, giving skin a mega moisture boost.
There’re many articles on the importance of molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, but the diameter is also just as important — though seldom mentioned. According to a recent study published in PubMed, hyaluronic acid can significantly improve skin hydration, firmness, elasticity, and wrinkles. The big caveat here is that skin’s intercellular space is only 15 to 50nm (at the membrane is just 6 to 10 nm!), but most conventional hyaluronic acid in skincare products are found to be 3,000nm in diameter, making it impossible for them to penetrate into deep layers of the dermis to work their magic.
If you’re now more confused than ever, choosing products that combine various hyaluronic acid molecules is surely a safe bet. I’d say that out of all the hyaluronic acid creams out there, the AQUAMOIST Fermented Hyaluronic Acid Cream is one of the most adaptable, suit-all formula. It doesn’t sit heavily on the skin, but hits the spot perfectly when it comes to hydration. Its effect lasts for a good day on me — my skin is plumper, dewier, and more bouncy. You can find it online at Amazon Japan — it’s ¥852 for 50ml (international shipping via AmazonGlobal). It’s also available at YesStyle for US$13.82.
