How Hyaluronic Acid Supplements Lead To Dewy Skin

Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission.

October 8, 2022 — 9:00 AM

I never thought I’d look at a cup of Jell-O or a glossy Krispy Kreme and think, Wow, I want my face to look like that. But, alas, here we are. “Glazed donut skin” and “Jell-O skin” have taken the beauty space by storm—no matter which food group you’d like to resemble, it requires skin that looks delectably plump and dewy.

How do you achieve this dreamy skin state, you ask? Well, in addition to layering on humectant serums and rich, buttery creams, experts advise going internal. Namely: If you don’t have a hyaluronic acid supplement in your arsenal, you’re doing your skin a disservice.

You may be familiar with hyaluronic acid in serum form—the buzzy humectant draws water into your skin and makes it noticeably more plump. However, your body contains natural stores of HA as well. “Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring type of sugar that is produced by the body and found in the highest concentrations in our skin, connective tissues, and eyes,” says board-certified dermatologist Jennifer Chwalek, M.D., about the ingredient. “It functions to retain water, keep our tissues well lubricated and our skin looking firm and youthful.” 

So in addition to slathering on a pillowy hyaluronic acid serum, you might want to think about ingesting the ingredient, too. In fact, oral forms of HA have been shown to support skin hydration and appearance: In fact, one study found that people who took 120 milligrams of hyaluronic acid a day for eight to 12 weeks experienced better skin aging (fewer wrinkles and more supple skin) compared with those who took a placebo.* 

What’s more, hyaluronic acid can be found in some innovative multi-ingredient formulas, so you don’t necessarily have to add a stand-alone HA supplement to your routine. It’s an especially complementary active to other ingredients like collagen, which elevates its skin-loving benefits even further.* mindbodygreen’s beauty & gut collagen, for example, contains 100 mg of hyaluronic acid along with 17.7 grams of grass-fed hydrolyzed collagen peptides to promote skin elasticity and hydration.* Essentially, it lays the groundwork for “glazed donut” skin.

Even Hailey Bieber—who many consider responsible for the glazed skin trend—is a fan of hyaluronic acid supplements: In her skin-loving smoothie collab with luxury health market Erewhon (which is famously tagged at $17), she included both hyaluronic acid and vanilla-flavored collagen in the blend. If you’d like to create a dupe recipe at home, mbg’s collagen powder helps you consume both ingredients in one fell swoop. Here’s the full recipe, if you’re curious.