The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serum For Healthy, Hydrated Skin

Over the last ten years hyaluronic acid has become a staple in many people’s skincare routine. And, unlike some flash-in-the-pan ingredients that are all bark and no bite, the popularity of hyaluronic acid shows no signs of going away. We think that says a lot because only the very best skincare ingredients ever really stand the test of time. Take a bow retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid.

So what makes hyaluronic acid such a resounding success in the skincare world? It doesn’t sound particularly ‘sexy’ – it is an acid after all! – and, wait, isn’t it something the skin produces naturally anyway? 

There are so many questions. We get that. So, here, we talk you through everything there is to know about hyaluronic acid and explain why this skin-quenching ingredient is so important for your precious skin.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?

Often seen on your products’ ingredients list as hyaluron or hyaluronan, hyaluronic acid is a gel-like sugar molecule that’s found naturally in your body. And not just within your skin, either. It’s also an extremely important component in your hair, eyes and joints where it helps keep everything lubricated. But we digress… back to your skin. 

Hyaluronic acid makes up part of your skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF) which is an essential layer of moisturizing components located within the skin’s top layers. Alongside things like minerals, peptides and amino acids, hyaluronic acid plays a huge role in your skin’s NMF because it’s a very effective humectant.  

Humectants are substances that draw in moisture either from the air or from deeper levels within your skin. Think of how a sponge is able to hold in all that water – well, humectants are kind of like that. As humectants go, hyaluronic acid is a master of its trade. Studies show that it can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. Impressive stuff.

So Why Does Your Skin Need Help If It Has All This Readily Available Hyaluronic Acid?

Despite your skin containing a pretty impressive amount of hyaluronic acid from birth, it doesn’t last forever. As you age and inevitably subject your skin to things like environmental pollution and UV radiation, it produces less and less hyaluronic acid and, as a result, becomes drier, more dehydrated and loses its precious ‘plump’ factor… just to rub salt into the wound.

But all is not lost because this is when the super powers of topical hyaluronic acid come to the rescue.

What Are The Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid In Skincare?

The main benefit of applying topical hyaluronic acid to your skin is to help replenish lost moisture. The simple fact is that hydration is absolutely essential for healthy skin, helping to make it look more dewy, radiant and hydrated. Dehydration, on the other hand, is seriously bad news, giving your skin a dull, lackluster countenance while accelerating the formation of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, and basically aging you up lightning fast.

Hyaluronic acid is not only a legit way to hydrate and freshen up your skin but its plumping effects work hard to lessen the appearance of line and wrinkles, giving you back that youthful glow you thought was lost to the annals of your 20s! It also combines extremely well with other active ingredients like retinol, niacinamide and vitamin C to really stymie the aging process as much as physically possible.

More good news: hyaluronic acid is super gentle which makes it an ideal, non-irritating choice for all skin types. Of course, there’s always a chance your skin may react to any ingredient in your skincare routine, but it’s highly unlikely that hyaluronic acid will ever be that guy. 

What To Look Out For In A Hyaluronic Acid Product

When it comes to including active ingredients in your skincare routine we believe that leave-on facial serums are everything. Serums target skincare concerns like dehydration, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging far more comprehensively than other products that either wipe off or end up down the plughole. No offense, cleansers, but they just do.

Not all topical hyaluronic acids are created equally, however. Some have a large molecular weight which means they’re more likely to sit on your skin at a surface level, while others are much smaller and able to penetrate your skin far more deeply. This doesn’t mean that the larger molecules are bad, however. Sure, the low molecular weight hyaluronic acid penetrates deeper to provide longer-lasting firming and hydrating benefits. However, the heavier, larger molecules are very effective at smoothing the skin’s surface to help seal moisture into your skin and keep the top layers temporarily hydrated. 

So, what’s best? Well, we believe formulations that contain a combination of both high and low molecular weights are the only way to go. It simply makes way more sense.

The Best Serums With Hyaluronic Acid

Of course, the obvious choice here for ultimate hydration is our Hyaluronic Acid Serum with Vitamins C + E. This potent blend is just so good for dehydrated, aging skin. We believe the secret lies in its curated blend of low and high molecular hyaluronic acids for hydration and plumping effects that go further than the surface. When you combine this with antioxidant superhero vitamin C, soothing stalwart vitamin E and botanicals like green tea and jojoba oil we truly believe this is the best hyaluronic acid serum.

But that’s not all because we love hyaluronic acid so much that it’s in every single one of our Essential Serums. This means you get to enjoy the benefits of this hydrating wonderkid – whichever one of our serums you choose! 

Our favorites are…

Vitamin C Serum with Vitamin E + Hyaluronic Acid. It’s perfect for skin brightening as well as hydrating and soothing dull skin.

Retinol Serum with Vitamin E + Hyaluronic Acid. This genius anti-ager helps build quality collagen while improving moisture retention.

Niacinamide 10% Serum with Zinc PCA 1%. A great choice for acne or sensitive skin – because ALL skin types need help with hydration.