The trial, published in Dermatology and Therapy, tested Ritual’s HyaCera formulation in a demographically diverse cohort. The research was funded by the product manufacturer, Ritual, with partial financial contribution from the hyaluronic acid supplier, Kewpie.
Study highlights whole-body skin improvements
The study enrolled 63 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 64, and the cohort was randomly assigned to receive either the supplement or a placebo once daily for 12 weeks. Skin changes were measured at multiple points using a combination of imaging technology, dermatologist evaluations and participant feedback.
Participants in the supplement group reported significant reductions in crow’s feet wrinkles as well as improved skin smoothness after eight weeks.
Dermatologist assessments confirmed the improvements, with significant reductions in measures of deep and fine wrinkles over the 12 weeks observed only in the supplement group, the researchers wrote.
By the end of the study, significantly more people in the supplement group reported improvements in fine lines, skin radiance, elasticity and overall signs of aging.
Ingredient combination delivers on multiple skin fronts
The formulation combined low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, known for its ability to attract and retain moisture in the skin, with a wheat oil extract rich in ceramides and polar lipids, which help support the skin’s natural barrier.
While both ingredients have shown skin benefits separately in earlier studies, this was the first trial to test them together.
“It was hypothesized that these ingredients would act synergistically, with HA working in deeper layers to enhance elasticity and fullness and wheat oil extract supporting surface barrier function,” Adeline Grier-Welch, senior scientist at Ritual and lead researcher on the study, told NutraIngredients.
Designed to reflect real-world diversity
According to Grier-Welch, one of the trial’s goals was to reflect the real-world diversity of supplement users, a characteristic she described as often missing in skin-health research.
“This trial was designed to address a key gap in the literature,” she explained,“ adding that the ingredients’ “combined effects in a single product had never been tested in humans, particularly in a racially and ethnically diverse population spanning multiple skin types and ages.”
Participants included individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types II through VI and were balanced across gender, age, and background.
“The consistent improvements across this broad population suggest that HyaCera delivers meaningful skin benefits to a racially and ethnically diverse audience,” Grier-Welch added.
Moving forward, she noted that the findings could help inform product development in the beauty-from-within space.
“These results highlight that oral delivery can drive full-body skin benefits and that maintaining ingredient form and dosage based on previously validated research is critical for measuring meaningful results,” she said.
Source: Dermatology and Therapy, 2025. doi: 10.1007/s13555-025-01556-2. “Efficacy of an Oral Skincare Supplement on Skin Aging: A 12-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”. Authors: A.M. Grier-Welch, et al.
