Introduction:
Hyaluronic Acid (HA), also known as Sodium Hyaluronate, is a rapidly growing ingredient in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Naturally found in the body’s connective, epithelial, and neural tissues, HA offers exceptional biocompatibility, water retention (holding up to 1,000× its weight in water), lubrication, and viscoelasticity—earning its title as the “natural moisturizing factor.”
For businesses developing HA-based products, sourcing the right raw material is critical. Here are 5 key factors to evaluate before bulk purchasing hyaluronic acid:
1. Molecular weight Matters
Generally, High molecular weight (HMW) has more viscosity and longer time to metabolize in the body than low molecular weight(LMW), which is used as a space filler and a natural immunologic depressant. On the other hand, LMW may have better benefits in penetrating the skin and causing irritation or inflammation.
| Category | Molecular weight | Feature | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| High MW | >1600kDa |
High viscosity, slow metabolism
|
space filter |
| Middle MW | 200k – 1600 kDa | Cosmetics, Injection | |
| Low MW | 10k – 200k Da |
Penetrates skin effectively
|
skincare |
2. HA Raw Materials Application
Along with more and more properties discovered by researchers, Hyaluronic Acid applies in broader areas, including aesthetic medicine, Skincare, drugs, food, and beverages. According to statistics, the market size of hyaluronic acid raw materials exceeded 800 tons around the global world past year. And its high market size growth will continue in the following years.
The whole HA ingredients market can be divided into food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical application. The following chart shows the proportion of global sales of hyaluronic acid raw materials in 2020.
Food HA has increased rapidly in recent years. Studies have shown that oral hyaluronic acid is safe and has no side effects, can be effectively absorbed by the body, affects gastrointestinal health, eye health, joint anti-inflammatory, and improves skin physiological properties.
Cosmetics HA is a hit with consumers and currently accounts for about 45% of the total market. Its size will reach 489 tons, expected in 2023.
Cosmetic hyaluronic acid can moisturize and lock water in the epidermis, and has the characteristics of efficient water replenishment. It can penetrate the subcutaneous tissue, repair damaged cells, and promote cell proliferation and differentiation. In addition, it also gives the skin a better shine and elasticity.
Cosmetic hyaluronic acid is mainly used in essence, facial masks, spray, and cream. With the continuous exploration of applications, scalp care, makeup, toothpaste, and disinfectant are also emerging applications to promote.
Medical hyaluronic acid has been widely used in aesthetic medicine, orthopedics, and ophthalmology.
3. Grade Difference: Food vs. Cosmetic vs. Pharmaceutical
The use of raw materials to determine the level of raw materials needed. Hyaluronic acid can be divided into food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical grades; These differences focus on safety and functionality indicators. Details are as follows:
Sodium hyaluronate is added as a nutrient base in food additives. Oral hyaluronate sodium can supplement body moisture, improve bone joint function, and protect the gastric mucosa. In food, the purity of sodium hyaluronate is not high, and the requirements for microorganisms are higher. The extreme PH of the digestive tract and the existence of other probiotics make it possible to give full play to the functions of proteins and other substances without strict requirements, so that low-purity products can meet the needs of most manufacturers.
However, for the raw materials of skincare products, they are applied to the skin surface, which does not have such an extreme environment. Especially for some sensitive muscles, too many unclear impurities may cause skin reactions. So the cosmetic level of the content of the requirements will be higher. However, because it only plays a role on the skin surface and the skin itself can play an excellent immune function when the skin is not damaged, skincare ingredients will not easily penetrate the location of living cells in the deep skin. At this time, some impurities will not affect the safety and efficacy. Therefore, cosmetic-grade sodium hyaluronate and food-grade indicators are relatively similar.
- Food Grade:
- Lower purity; high microbial safety.
- Withstands digestive tract conditions.
- Cosmetic Grade:
- Higher purity (avoids skin reactions).
- Functions on skin surface; similar standards to food grade.
- Pharmaceutical Grade:
- Highest purity, sterility, and endotoxin control.
- For injections/internal use.
4. Decoding the COA of HA
Always request a CoA when sourcing HA. Critical parameters include:
- Purity (≥95% for cosmetics)
- Microbial limits
- Endotoxin levels (for injectables)
- Heavy metal residues
- Molecular weight verification
🔍 Tip: Cross-check CoA data with third-party lab tests for quality assurance.
5. Selecting your HA Supplier
As a well-known compound in cosmetics, food, and medicine, we often use hyaluronic acid materials to manufacture Skincare, eye-drop, and joint health products. But it’s challenging to find the right ingredients for you. You have to consider quality, price, and transportation factors. The following steps may help you:
Follow these steps to find the right partner:
- Identify reputable suppliers with industry certifications (GMP, ISO).
- Review CoA rigorously and request samples for in-house testing.
- Evaluate logistics: MOQs, lead times, and storage requirements.
- Prioritize transparency in sourcing and manufacturing processes.
Final Thoughts
As research uncovers new HA applications—from toothpaste to wound care—selecting the optimal grade, molecular weight, and supplier remains foundational. Partner with suppliers who align with your product’s safety, efficacy, and scalability needs.
Have questions about HA sourcing? Share them below!
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7464276/
https://luckherb.com/cosmetics-materials/hyaluronic-acid/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyaluronic_acid