“As we get older, many things change in our skin, including collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production,” Peterson Pierre, a California-based dermatologist, says. Collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid are all proteins that keep the skin elastic — a.k.a. firm — and dewy. When production of these proteins drops, so does the skin’s ability to hang onto moisture and the lips get dry, says Pierre. Consequently, our lips tend to shrivel up over time.

Hyaluronic acid is the main hydrator in the skin and can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, Pierre tells me. That’s why you see Eva Longoria on TV peddling the stuff in a bottle. It can plump and revitalize your skin, which can make you appear younger. Before you spend your savings on a boatload of Hyaluronic acid, though, know that it’s not literally going to turn you into your 20-year-old self again, and before taking any new supplements you should talk to your doctor.

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