As hyaluronic acid fatigue sets in, could osmolytes offer smarter hydration?

Published: 18-Mar-2026
Ingredients Skin Care

Gloria Lu and Victoria Fu, co-founders of Chemist Confessions, explain what osmolytes are, and their unique benefits in skin care

You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.

Walk down any skin care aisle and you’ll see hyaluronic acid (HA) everywhere: serums, creams, masks, even shampoos.

HA has been marketed as the ultimate hydration hero, and for good reason: it is a humectant that attracts water to the skin’s surface, creating that plump, dewy look we all love.

For years, HA has been the poster child of hydration, riding the wave of ‘glass skin’ and ‘plump look’ trends. Its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water made it a marketing dream.

If your work involves novel actives, formulation science or technical problem-solving in beauty, the Cosmetics Business Innovation Awards offer a platform designed to highlight and clearly articulate the science behind breakthrough thinking. Entries open now!

But consumer fatigue is real.

After years of ‘HA in everything’, savvy skin care fans are asking: is HA really the greatest hydrator of all time?

The truth is that skin hydration is far more complex than just a single ingredient.

On our Instagram, we have noticed a clear shift.

Not yet a Subscriber?

This is a small extract of the full article which is available ONLY to premium content subscribers. Click below to get premium content on Cosmetics Business.

Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Sign in here.
See more

You may also like

You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Skin Care

China’s beauty market is bouncing back in 2026. Here’s why…

Read more
After years of economic challenges, China’s beauty market is showing signs of recovery, with players such as Estée Lauder Companies and L’Oréal reporting improved financial growth in the country. But will this rebound maintain?

Trending Articles

  1. You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
    Click here to find out more.
    Bare la Terre launches, created in response to the ‘Sephora kids’ drama on TikTok The new brand, aimed at ‘in-betweens’, provides a stripped-back approach to skin care for Gen Alpha, and claims to have been developed to address a core ‘pain point’ of many parents
  2. You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
    Click here to find out more.
    Monomaterials: the rise of skinimalism in beauty packaging Not only do they comply with regulatory demands and sustainability goals, mono-materials align with the no-nonsense promise of skinimalism. Lynsey Barber reports
  3. You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
    Click here to find out more.
    Cosmetics Business picks: 8 of this week’s best beauty launches Spring colour cosmetics launches from Hailey Bieber’s Rhode and Kiko Milano, a palette resurrection from Makeup by Mario and a new gel fragrance format by Dolce & Gabbana feature in this week’s biggest beauty launches
  4. Cosmetics Business reveals the top 5 skin care trends of 2026 in new report K-beauty spicules, barrier hero ingredient beta-glucan and support for cosmetic treatments are among the skin care trends on the rise this year
  5. Milk Makeup owner Waldencast’s revenues remain flat in ‘transformational’ year Amid an ongoing strategic review of its business, Waldencast will prioritise investment in Milk Makeup’s international markets, which offset the brand’s growth in the US last year

Upcoming event

PCPC Beauty Collective Summit 2026

23-25 March | Miami, US See all

You may also like

You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Skin Care

China’s beauty market is bouncing back in 2026. Here’s why…

After years of economic challenges, China’s beauty market is showing signs of recovery, with players such as Estée Lauder Companies and L’Oréal reporting improved financial growth in the country. But will this rebound maintain?
Ingredients

L’Oréal and Nvidia expand partnership to create AI engine for rapid formulation discovery

L’Oréal and Nvidia have created a beauty and skin care AI engine that aims to deliver breakthroughs in formulation discovery by predicting how molecules perform and interact at an atomic scale
Recruitment

Puig names Jose Manuel Albesa CEO to lead ‘next chapter’

Marc Puig will hand over the reins as CEO to Albesa but remain Executive Chairman of the company, marking a separation of the leadership roles as the Charlotte Tilbury owner embarks on its next phase of growth
Manufacturing

How four innovation partners are shaping the future of cosmetic development

Industry partners from ingredients, devices, packaging and nutricosmetics highlight the innovation priorities shaping cosmetic development today
Manufacturing

Symrise creates new Care & Wellness Division to deliver integrated health and beauty portfolio

The division will fuse the German chemical company’s expertise in cosmetic ingredients, health actives and biotics to address the ‘consumer shift’ towards topical and ingestible solutions for everyday health and wellbeing
You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Training & Education

Caroline Hirons’ Skin Rocks Pro opens first UK training academy to upskill facialists

The beauty titan and founder of skin care brand Skin Rocks has expanded the professional side of her business with the launch of Skin Rocks Pro Academy – a training hub to take UK facialists skills to the next level
Ingredients

An anti-inflammaging solution to counteract skin redness and signs of aging

CALMandrin is our sustainable solution for combatting inflammaging by notably improving the signs of aging, as well as soothing reddened and inflamed skin. In addition to its calming effect on irritated skin, it also markedly increases the firmness and density of the skin
Subscribe now