For more of the Cut’s favorite fashion, beauty, and home finds, sign up for the weekly Cut Shop Newsletter.
As a shopping writer, I review beauty products for work, which means my skin-care routine changes regularly. However, there’s always one constant in my routine besides sunscreen. No matter the season, no matter what products I’m testing or my geographical location, I always use a hyaluronic-acid serum. Needless to say, I have tried a lot of hyaluronic-acid serums (I go through a bottle of the serum nearly once a month), so below I’ve rounded up my favorites and everything you need to know about this ingredient according to experts, since hyaluronic acid is sort of polarizing for some.
FAQS
If you’re not into serums, she explains, the ingredient can also be found in moisturizers and even in hair-care products.
The Best Hyaluronic Serums
The Overall Winner
SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier
Ever since I tried this serum, I’ve found it nearly impossible to use anything else. I’m dreading the day I finish this bottle. The intense serum is a mix of HA and botanical extracts to aid in hydrating and plumping the skin. It’s also the one with the most immediate results. My skin looks glossy and feels hydrated immediately after applying.
The Plumping One
Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
This one is like a sheet mask in a bottle and probably one of the most underrated Glow Recipe products. It has hyaluronic acids at different weights that can penetrate different layers of the skin according to the brand, the results are super hydrated and plump skin.
The Affordable One
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum
If you need something quick, easy, and on a budget, then try the Inkey List. The serum hydrates pretty well, sinking into the skin without feeling like a weird filmy layer. After picking this up at Sephora multiple times, my biggest gripe with this serum is the packaging, which dispenses way too much product.
The Replenishing One
Ourself HA+ Replenishing Serum 15ml
Featuring a cocktail of ingredients like vitamin C and niacinamide that make it worth the extra money, this serum is about as thick and deeply hydrating as your favorite moisturizer. I went through this pretty quickly, but with the thicker texture, absorption, and additional ingredients, you can skip a few other skin-care steps.
The Drugstore One
Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%
Like Glow Recipe, this has multiple weights of hyaluronic acid (four, to be exact), but at a fraction of the price. It’s a slightly thicker more gel-like texture, but it absorbs into the skin and feels just as hydrating as pricier serums. I’ve bought multiple bottles of this from Target’s beauty section.
The Best Alternative
HoliFrog Galilee Antioxidant Dewy Drop
It’s not a hyaluronic-acid serum, exactly, but one of the key ingredients is sodium hyaluronate, a humectant derived from hyaluronic acid. To put it plainly, if you need another hydrating, moisturizing option, I swear by this serum for hydrated, glasslike skin. It has a blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients and moisturizers for very, very dry skin.
The Best Two-step Serum
Saro de Rue Hyaluronic Acid Serum
If your skin-care routine is extra, this two-step hyaluronic-acid serum should be part of it. The serum activates a concentrated pill that features HA along with squalane; once the pill dissolves, the result is a serum with a somewhat syruplike texture, but it absorbs into the skin without feeling sticky and feels weirdly cooling as it plumps your skin.
Another Affordable Option
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Much like the Inkey List serum, this is a decent, affordable hydrator that falls victim to lackluster packaging. The dropper helps you get the right amount of product, but it’s always pretty messy anyway.
The One With Ceramides
CosRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum
We all know of the beloved snail-mucin essence, but I think this serum deserves as much hype. The formula is on the thicker side, but it feels silky and absorbs quickly. Along with a low-weight hyaluronic acid to help it absorb into the skin, that hydration is boosted with ceramides to help retain moisture.
The Soothing Serum
Current State Hyaluronic + Arnica Hydrating Serum
I don’t mind layering on serums, but I do love a serum that’s a multitasker, and this one works on hydrating and soothing skin. Along with HA and aloe vera to hydrate, there’s arnica-flower extract to target redness and irritation. As someone who loves to exfoliate and tends to overdo it, this is a savior for irritated skin.
The One You’ve Wanted to Try
Glossier Super Bounce
If you’ve been deterred by the long lines outside of the store or only grabbed the cult favorites like Glossier You or Boy Brow, I’m here to let you know you need to consider the brand’s serums, too. It has three molecular weights of HA for hydrated and plump, bouncy skin, hence the name. It also prides itself on being nonsticky, which can be a problem when it comes to HA serums. That being said, it lives up to its name and its claims of not being sticky; the immediate result is skin that looks more hydrated and smooth.
Our experts:
