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If you're waking up this morning, looking in the mirror and thinking to yourself that the person looking back at you looks kind of like a zombie, it's probably not a hangover. It's probably parenthood.
You don't know complete and utter exhaustion until you're a parent.
The first few weeks with newborn twins are tremendously tiring. The next few months are downright depleting. And the years that follow are exceptionally exhausting.
As your twins grow and you fall into a steady routine, things get easier. But they don't ever get less busy.
As a parent, you're so preoccupied taking care of your twins that you forget (read: don't ever have time) to take care of yourself.
Raise your hand if you're raising multiples and have gone days without looking in a mirror during the two-and-a-half minutes you had to get ready before scooting everybody out the door.
Raise another hand if you've gotten your kids to bed and then immediately fallen into your own bed to knock out until you're awoken by the double alarm clock that is your children to do it all over again?
It's easy to stop paying attention to yourself, until one day, you actually have a moment to really look at your reflection.
We always talk about how time flies by, and we often ask where the time's gone, but the answer, if you take the time to look, is on your face. At least, it was for me.
Realizing that time wasn't going to slow down as I chased my twins around, I decided to take back my time and invested in a hyaluronic acid serum that would become part of my few-seconds-here, few-seconds-there daily routine.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polymer found in connective tissue, epithelial tissue, and neural tissue.
It helps the skin stretch, allows joints to move freely and without pain, and supports quicker healing of wounds. It can even reduce scarring.
About half of our body's supply of hyaluronic acid shows up in our skin.
As we get older, the production of this substance slows, and you may start to notice subtle changes as time goes by, from skin aging to the loss of joint cushioning.
As we get older, the production of this substance slows, and you may start to notice subtle changes as time goes by, from skin aging to the loss of joint cushioning.
Because hyaluronic acid is great at attracting and retaining moisture, it's used in skincare products to help hydrate and plump the skin.
It's able to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which means that only a few drops of a specially formulated serum applied to damp skin can lock in moisture to significantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving you better and brighter-looking skin.
A couple of things to consider when shopping around for hyaluronic acid serums:
- While naturally occuring hyaluronic acid is clear, if serums have added vitamin C (which can help with luminosity and even out skin tone), they may have a light yellow tint to them.
- Thicker serums may mean it's made up of larger molecules that will sit on top of the skin instead of being absorbed.
As with anything, you should consult with your doctor before adding anything new to your daily regimen, especially if you're pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have a history of severe allergies.
Here are five of the best hyaluronic acids for better and brighter skin
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1. Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Complex, 100 ml, by Lancôme
Strengthen Your Skin
This is a 100-ml bottle of the Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Complex by Lancôme. It's a lightweight radiance-boosting hyaluronic acid serum that's enriched with 10 percent bifidus prebiotic and vitamin C to brighten your complexion, strengthen your skin moisture barrier, and improve elasticity and visible signs of aging. This serum is suitable for all skin types and can visibly hydrate, plump, and even-out tones to restore younger-looking skin in as little as seven days.
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2. Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, 60 ml, by The Ordinary
Recharge & Rehydrate
This is a 60-ml bottle of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. It's a serum that's specially formulated to recharge and rehydrate your complexion. It provides long-lasting hydration to plump the skin and smooth out fine lines, imperfections, and wrinkles. This vegan serum is also free of alcohol, gluten, silicone, and oil.
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3. Protect Antioxidant Face Serum, 30 ml & Prevent Anti-Aging Face Oil, 35 ml, by Naked & Thriving
To Protect & Prevent
This two bottle set of specially formulated serums by Naked & Thriving is designed to fortify, plump, and shield against the signs of premature visible aging. The Protect Antioxidant Face Serum (30 ml) is designed to boost hydration and fortify your skin barrier, while the Prevent Anti-Aging Face Oil (35 ml) moisturizes skin. It features ingredients like hyaluronic acid to support deep hydration, pea peptides to contribute to firmness, shitake mushrooms to offer deep nourishment, and argan and sea buckthorn oils to give your skin a healthy glow.
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4. Advanced Night Repair, 30 ml, by Estée Lauder
Wake Up Radiant
This is a 30-ml bottle of Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair face serum. it's a deep- and fast-penetrating formula that visibly reduces the signs of aging, leaving your skin renewed, firmed, and hydrated. Designed for all skin tones and types, its mix of peptides and hyaluronic acid leaves skin smoother, more radiant, and even-toned.
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5. B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum, 50 ml, by Drunk Elephant
Peptide-Packed & Luminous
This two-piece hydration set by Drunk Elephant includes a 50-ml peptide-packed moisturizer and a 50-ml antioxidant-rich, intensive hydration serum. The peptide cream is formulated to improve the look of your skin's tone, texture, and firmness, while the hyaluronic serum is designed to support your skin's natural defenses and improve elasticity. They work together to keep your skin soothed, firm, luminous, and hydrated.
Ramp up your regimen
In order to put their best foot (or face) forward, parents have to take care of themselves, too.
If you're feeling (and looking) extra tired as of late, you may want to ramp up your regimen, even if you only have a minute in the morning and a minute at night.
Investing those few extra seconds in yourself can make a difference in how you look and how you feel with minimal effort.
An easy way to help yourself feel refreshed and recharged is by rehydrating with a hyaluronic acid serum, which helps your skin retain moisture, giving you better and brighter-looking skin.
Have you tried any of these serums? What is the most important part of YOUR daily routine? Let us know in the Comments section below or connect with us on Instagram to share your thoughts!
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