One step for significantly dewier skin.
When it comes to getting dewy, hydrated skin, nothing delivers the way the best hyaluronic acid serum does. Despite the fact it has “acid” in the name, hyaluronic acid is a skin-care ingredient that works for everyone; in fact, the substance is naturally produced by our bodies and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water.
However, your skin’s level of hyaluronic acid decreases with age, so if you’re looking to maintain your moisture barrier and replenish hydration levels, you may want to consider incorporating hyaluronic acid-infused products into your daily skin-care routine. (You’ll also see HA commonly listed as sodium hyaluronate, which is a stabilized version of the ingredient.)
Known as a humectant, hyaluronic acid is “great at holding water and giving skin resilience and firmness,” New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD, tells Allure. “We can inject hyaluronic acid into the deeper layers of the skin to help restore lost volume, but used in creams, lotions, and serums, it can also do wonders for rejuvenation and hydration.” (In fact, you can quite literally get hyaluronic acid fillers at your board-certified dermatologist’s office, but we’re just talking about the topical formulations in this story.)
With their non-irritating nature, hyaluronic acid serums are generally usable across multiple skin types, including sensitive skin, Jacquelyn Sink, MD, a Chicago-based board-certified dermatologist, tells Allure. To get the most benefits out of your serum experience, she shares her preferred application method. “Hyaluronic acid serums are best applied to slightly damp skin and before applying other products,” Dr. Sink explains. “Moisturizing with a thicker cream or serum afterward can help lock in hydration.”
You’ll likely notice an immediate improvement in the hydration of your skin with use, Dr. Sink says. “Long-term benefits are seen as early as two weeks with continued improvement through several months,” she adds.
All year round, our skin craves moisture to counteract a rainbow of skin-care concerns, such as sun exposure, signs of aging (like fine lines), loss of elasticity, and dehydrated skin. Read on to see our editor-approved list of picks.
Best Overall Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum
Why It’s Worth It: This silky serum “contains a blend of five molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin at each level,” says New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, who is a fan of its lightweight, gel-like texture. She also calls out the three types of plum, which offer antioxidants, a light, fruity scent, and intense hydration to make skin look glowy and radiant. In other words, it’s a one-and-done for healthier-looking skin, which is why it’s our top pick.
Best Drugstore Hyaluronic Acid Serum: La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why It’s Worth It: This contains not one, but two types of pure hyaluronic acid alongside vitamin B5; they work together to intensely hydrate skin both immediately and over time. We love that’s also safe for all skin types, even those prone to sensitivity, since it’s been allergy-tested. Try pairing it with a retinol cream to leave skin feeling comfortable and soft.
Best Luxury Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Alastin HA Immerse Serum
Why It’s Worth It: This serum doesn’t just supply skin with hyaluronic acid. Rather, it also contains a peptide that encourages skin to produce its own hyaluronic acid for long-lasting hydration — making for a strategic formula. And, as if that weren’t good enough, this overachiever contains yet another peptide that stymies the breakdown of your skin’s natural hyaluronic acid, keeping its levels high over time. Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut, has previously called Alastin one of her go-to’s for “replenishing fine lines and lost volume.”
Best for Dry Skin: Paula’s Choice Boost Hyaluronic Acid Booster
Why It’s Worth It: A little of this concentrated hyaluronic acid booster goes a long way. The gel-like serum pairs hyaluronic acid with ceramides and soothing panthenol to address both dryness and dehydration. We especially like that it’s versatile: You can even use it around the eyes, combined with an eye cream, to quickly minimize the appearance of fine lines.
Best for Oily Skin: Isdinceutics Hyaluronic Concentrate
Why It’s Worth It: Got pores? No problem: Not only does this oil-free, lightweight serum contain multiple types of hyaluronic acid, but it also offers lentil extract, which can help refine pores — making this a great option for oily and acne-prone skin types. (Plus, it’s non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t lead to breakouts, and is free of mineral oil.)
Best for Mature Skin: SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier
Why It’s Worth It: This elegant serum “has been shown to amplify the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels by 30%,” says Dr. Sink, who also likes that it can be easily layered, goes on smoothly, and is free of parabens. The formula is intended for surface hydration, meaning it makes quick work of lines and folds. To that point, it contains vitamin E, which pulls double-duty hydration as both a humectant (absorbs water into the skin) and emollient (locks water into the skin). Plus, it’s a good option to use both after and between injectables, like hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers.
Best for Sensitive Skin: CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum
Why It’s Worth It: In addition to its hero ingredient, this contains three types of ceramides (lipids naturally found in the skin barrier) as well as pro-vitamin B5 to help maintain skin’s moisture levels, and, in turn, amp skin’s hydration levels even more. Dr. Marchbein likes that it’s fragrance-free, which helps minimize redness and irritation.
Best Silicone-Free: Youth to the People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum
Why It’s Worth It: This intensive, fragrance-free serum uses an impressive four types of hyaluronic acid alongside a triple blend of peptides to boost collagen production — and we appreciate a multitasker. Alongside the star ingredient is a lineup of additional hydrators, such as watermelon extract, glycerin, and prickly pear cactus extract, to further replenish skin.
Best Lightweight: The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why It’s Worth It: At just $10, The Inkey List’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum is a total steal, not to mention a 2022 Best of Beauty winner. Notably, Matrixyl 3000 is a trademarked synthetic peptide that’s been shown to smooth fine lines, boost elasticity, and speed up the skin’s healing process. Slather on a dime-size dose of this weightless formula whenever your skin is feeling dry, dehydrated, or distressed for an instant improvement.
Best for Dullness: Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Why It’s Worth It: Inspired by the concept of “glass skin” — a.k.a. an impossibly luminous, translucent complexion often seen on K-pop stars — this serum is packed with hyaluronic acid, peach extract, and peptides to do just that. Also worth noting: The addition of niacinamide also offers skin-brightening perks to help even out skin tone over time.
Best Plumping: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum
Why It’s Worth It: If an injectable filler isn’t in the cards, this topical serum might be the next best thing. It’s actually formulated to offer needle-free plumping, thanks to four molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, four peptides, niacinamide, and ectoin (which helps prevent transepidermal water loss and has anti-inflammatory properties). Even better? They’re housed in (and then released from) super-small molecules that can sink deep into skin.
Best Budget Hyaluronic Acid Serum: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Why It’s Worth It: As a winner of a Best of Beauty Award and Readers’ Choice Award, The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 packs a major punch by combining hyaluronic acid with vitamin B5, which helps further nourish skin. In addition to its wallet-friendly price point, what sets it apart is the hyaluronic acid crosspolymer, which allows for a better delivery of the active ingredient so your skin can make the most of its benefits. “It’s perfectly odorless, colorless, and vegan, which gives your skin the allure of having earned this beautiful plumpness by itself,” our tested noted.
Best Antioxidant: Innisfree Intensive Hydrating Serum
Why It’s Worth It: The Innisfree Intensive Hydrating Serum is a lightweight formula made with multiple skin types in mind. While hyaluronic acid works its hydrating magic, green tea extract helps to both quell inflammation and offer antioxidant benefits. If your skin is easily irritated by new products, good news: It includes allantoin, a well-tolerated and naturally occurring compound that hydrates and soothes skin.
“I’m obsessed with how silky this serum feels, which probably has to do with the fact that this particular formula is spiked with not one, but five whole kinds of hyaluronic acid,” commerce editor Sarah Han attests. If you’re wondering what those five types are, they are sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, and sodium acetylated hyaluronate.
Best Multitasking: Ourself HA+ Replenishing Serum
Why It’s Worth It: A splurge? Yes. But what sets this serum apart isn’t just the two forms of hyaluronic acid; it also has a patent-pending delivery system that delivers other active ingredients, vitamin C and niacinamide, deep within skin. Together, these molecules work to plump skin from the inside out — so you’re getting a lot of payoff for your investment.
Best Organic: Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Hydrator
Why It’s Worth It: The 2022 Best of Beauty-winner is a keeper for a reason: The hyaluronic acid serum works to plump skin on the spot with. Not only does it have a satisfying gel-cream texture, but the lineup of additional ingredients is also good enough to eat — think strawberry and rhubarb, which offer a low-key brightening effect.