We tested and found the formulas that will provide truly lasting hydration
Shannon M. Bauer is a Senior Commerce Editor for Dotdash Meredith's Beauty & Style Group. She joined the Shape team in 2022 and works with a team of talented freelance writers to create expert- and research-driven product roundups. Shannon has seven years of experience writing, editing, and producing beauty and wellness content for top print and digital publications. Shannon was previously a Beauty Editor at Parents, Parents Latina, and Shape print magazines. Hydrolyzed collagen type 1 & 3
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If you feel like hyaluronic acid is in nearly every skincare product these days, including serums, you’re onto something—the ingredient has become a go-to in formulas looking to add moisture to skin. The humectant is a sugar molecule found naturally in the skin — and according to research, one gram of hyaluronic acid can hold onto six liters of water, making it one hardworking ingredient.
That’s why hyaluronic serums, lightweight perfectors that go on after cleaning and before moisturizer, have become essential for those looking to add lasting hydration to their routine. But with a vast sea of them to choose from, how do you find the one that meets your needs? Shape set out to find out, testing more than 20 serums and consulting top dermatologists Karan Lal, DO, FAAD, double-board certified pediatric and cosmetic dermatologist at Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, Arizona, Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Shafer Clinic, in NYC, and Joshua Zeichner, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and an associate professor of dermatology and Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, to find the best hyaluronic acid skin serums that deliver results for any category you might be looking for—at every price point.
Why We Like It: It’s ultra-hydrating, layerable, and developed with dermatologists.
It’s Worth Noting: It can take up to a minute to absorb into the skin.
CeraVe’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum gets high marks for being a reliable, easy-to-find staple for those seeking a hydration boost. Dr. Engelman explains, “It features a great combination of ingredients that work well together — hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate the skin, plus ceramides and vitamin B5 to fortify the skin barrier and keep all that moisture in the skin. This is an excellent serum that also improves the quality of skin in the long term.”
We found that it delivered plenty of hydration, lending a nice glow, helping out areas of dullness, and smoothing out textured areas. It also worked all day and helped makeup wear better. At 60 seconds, we found it took a little longer to sink in than some of the others out there but once it did absorb, it became invisible and tacky-free.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, and vitamin B5
Why We Like It: With both low and medium molecular weight HA, this serum provides intense hydration as it softens.
It’s Worth Noting: It’s a bit pricey, though the bottle will last you longer than you may think.
This water gel serum from Isdin delivers in large part thanks to having different types of HA. “Different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid sit at different places in the dermis, meaning that the hydrating effects vary slightly,” explains Dr. Engelman. “Lower molecular weights of HA are able to penetrate the skin more deeply for long-lasting hydration. Higher molecular weights of HA do not go as far into the skin barrier, instead providing quick hydration at the surface; higher weights of HA are what give skin a plumping effect.”
The runner-up in our testing trial, this formula checked every box we had when looking for an HA serum: It left no residue, yet softened skin and kept it hydrated from morning to night. The glow it leaves behind is lovely. Plus, it’s softening, improved texture, and helped even out combination skin. The price tag may keep some away, but since a little goes a long way with this serum, it may last you longer than you may think at first glance.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: BioMarine, peptides, and lentil extract
Why We Like It: It’s super hydrating but provides a clean finish that helps makeup wear all day.
It’s Worth Noting: The texture is a bit watery, and there was no noticeable benefit plumping.
A darling of the HA-obssees on TikTok, The Ordinary’s serum combines low-, medium- and high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid with a cross-linked form that the company says helps hydrate multiple layers of your skin. It’s also known for creating a great canvas for everything that goes on top, including makeup.
We scored this formula high for doubling as a primer, providing all-day hydration (even after a day of sun and swimming), and even prompting someone to ask what we were doing differently with our skincare. The affordable price is a nice bonus that makes this a great starting point for anyone hyaluronic-curious. But the watery texture and lack of plumping benefits may leave you craving a little more (which will come with a higher price point to boot).
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Panthenol
Why We Like It: This award-winning formula packs a hydrating punch you may not expect for such a low price point.
It’s Worth Noting: Although the product contains a peptide to support collagen production, we noticed very little impact on fine lines.
No “Best of” list would be complete without the multi-award-winning INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum. With multi-molecule hyaluronic acid and peptides to support natural collagen production, it offers a lot of bank for very little bucks for a very large 3.4 oz. bottle (vs. most of the rest at 1 oz.)
We found it helped skin texture (including rosacea-like patches) and eliminated stubborn dryness around the nose and cheek area without making the T-zone oily. And the results were long-lasting—so much so that we even noticed the benefits when skipping a day of application.
However, it didn’t deliver on its promise to smooth over lines. And we wished the bottle had a different dispenser — the free-flowing opening made it hard to get just the right amount every time.
Size: 3.4 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Peptide
Why We Like It: This serum combines HA with therapeutic thermal water to soothe finicky skin.
It’s Worth Noting: It imparts a glow that can read shiny and isn't the best under makeup.
Touted as a must for sensitive types by dermatologists and beauty editors alike, this allergy-tested formula from LaRoche-Posay combines high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid with therapeutic probiotic thermal water to soothe. Dr. Engelman’s take: “Overall, the ingredients used in this product are gentle, hydrating, and protective to the skin barrier, making this serum especially well-suited for sensitive skin.”
We found it was indeed gentle; so much so that it didn’t cause any flares in reactive or acne-prone skin. And it had a nice plumping effect that helped smooth skin texture. Unfortunately, because it left behind quite a bit of shine, it didn’t wear as well under makeup as some of the others in the mix.
Size: 1 fl. oz | Other Active Ingredients: Madecassoside, glycerin, Vitamin B5, dimethicone, and prebiotic thermal water
Why We Like It: This plumping gel serum immediately smoothes the looks of wrinkles and locks in all-day moisture.
It’s Worth Noting: It can feel a bit sticky on the skin.
With an ultra-high 75 percent hyaluronic acid complex, ceramides, and HydraFence, an ingredient featuring a starch molecule and algae hydrocolloid matrix that boosts hydration levels, Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench gel serum is formulated with skin texture in mind.
We found that to be true, helping deep wrinkles fade over eight weeks of use in before and after shots. Dr. Zeichner says that’s not surprising, explaining, “The formula contains ceramides, which provide emollient benefits to coat the surface of the skin, and soften rough cells.”
As for the texture, it can feel a little heavy and sticky on first contact — which Dr. Zeichner says is likely due to the high concentration of HA. However, that feeling went away after it sunk in, which took about 30 seconds.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: 5% ceramide complex, and 3% HydraFence
Why We Like It: The formula is whisper-light and comes with no setting time.
It’s Worth Noting: This one is so lightweight, it may not deliver the intense moisture dry types are seeking.
Farmacy’s Filling Good Serum Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum is another formula that offers full-spectrum hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights to penetrate all levels of the skin along with nourishing add-ins like amino acids and vegan collagen peptides to smooth fine lines.
Overall this serum performed well — it felt smooth, spread easily, and lasted throughout the day. It instantly dries down on the skin despite its thicker texture. However it left the skin a smidge tacky, and the lighter weight comes with the consequence that it’s best for combination (rather than dry) skin.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Encapsulated thyme extract, amino acids, and vegan collagen peptides
Why We Like It: It’s a hydrator that comes with big-time plumping benefits.
It’s Worth Noting: The dropper dispenser doesn’t quite get to the very bottom of the bottle.
This gel serum from dermatologist-loved SkinCeuticals offers smoothing benefits with a mix of 1.3 percent Hyaluronic Acid, 10 percent Proxylane (a patented molecule derived from beech wood that helps support skin’s matrix), and two percent licorice root extract and purple rice extracts to help seal HA into the skin.
We loved that it absorbed very quickly with some instant plumping results that gradually improved the look of fine lines over the eight weeks of testing — especially on the forehead and around the eyes. Although not a typical benefit of hyaluronic acid, we even noticed a reduction in breakouts in the chin area, even with no other changes in our routine. Essentially, this serum gave our skin new life.
However, the dropper dispenser makes it hard to get to serum left at the bottom, disappointing considering at that price tag we wanted every last drop.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: 10% Proxylan, 2.0% licorice root extract, 0.2% purple rice extract
Why We Like It: It’s dermatologist tested and comes with a wallet-friendly price tag.
It’s Worth Noting: It’s very thick and not as easy to spread or use with the included dropper as some others.
Olay’s unscented Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Serum comes packed with good-for-skin ingredients like pro-vitamin B3 and amino acids that make this a great multitasker. But don’t forget to always top with a face sunscreen in the daytime.
First, the cons: We found it a little hard to get out of the dropper, and it didn’t have much impact on fine lines or wrinkles.
However, it scored high for its nice pillowy texture, immediate absorption, leaving a nice glow, and for wearing well under makeup. It also managed to help reduce postpartum dryness and redness. It’s a simple serum that is easily accessible at the drugstore.
Size: 1.3 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, amino peptides, and pro-vitamin B3
Why We Like It: Time-released hyaluronic acid gives skin a brightening all-day glow.
It’s Worth Noting: When applying, remember a little goes a long way, it can be easy to take too much.
Along with marine collagen and soothing evening primrose extract, this formula gets attention for its time-released hyaluronic chronospheres. Dr. Engelman explains, “A time-release formula doesn’t just provide immediate hydration, it sustains the hydrating benefits over time — usually over the course of several hours — to continuously moisturize the skin and help prevent transepidermal water loss.” Read: The moisture that escapes from the top layer of the skin.
It didn’t have much impact on skin texture, but over time, we noticed it made skin more hydrated and brighter than it was before. It also left skin looking radiant, prompting an inquiry into whether we’d changed something in our routine. It may feel watery and slick at first, which can make it easy to take too much at once. But you really only need a dab for your whole face.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Saccharide isomerate, marine algae, and watermelon extract
Why We Like It: This simple serum contains only 7 ingredients, including soothing glycerin.
It’s Worth Noting: We expected a little more hydration for the price.
With just seven ingredients in the bottle, this simple hyaluronic acid serum from Kiehl’s gets buzz for being a good, stripped-down hydrator.
After using it, we saw a big improvement in the dryness around our eyes and around our nose area and it also helped the lines around our lids. But the biggest difference was in redness — it was so effective at eliminating those unwanted rosy tones that days without tinted moisturizer were suddenly in reach. Had it been a touch more hydrating, it may have even been a contender for our top spot.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Glycerin and citric acid.
Why We Like It: It’s a nourishing serum that works for all skin types.
It’s Worth Noting: You may not love the sticky feel upon application, though that disappears as it dries.
We picked Fresh’s Tea Elixir Niacinamide & Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Aging Serum Adaptive for all it does to protect the skin barrier with adaptive phytocompound tea and niacinamide, which helps lock in its hyaluronic acid.
That makes it very long-lasting, which we found to be true in our testing. We also found it left us looking refreshed, glowy, and overall perked up our complexion. But take note: While it goes on cool, it also feels a bit tacky, so you have to give it plenty of time to sink in before continuing on with your routine.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Adaptive phytocompound tea, niacinamide, and Ceramide III
Why We Like It: With three molecular weights of HA and nourishing peptides, this serum imparts a serious glow.
It’s Worth Noting: It could be too lightweight for those with dry skin.
This serum combines three molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, plus another humectant, polyglutamic acid to deliver moisture to the skin on multiple levels.
Over eight weeks, it delivered on that promise, even helping smooth over areas of acne. We also found that it helped skin look more radiant, healthy and uplifted (this last one possibly thanks to its firming peptides). The only area it didn’t score a perfect five in is hydration, as we had expected a touch more of an impact overall, and leads us to recommend it for combination or oily types.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Blend of prebiotics & probiotic extracts, polyglutamic acid, Peptides, squalane, and collagen
Why We Like It: It features ingredients to help HA work even harder.
It’s Worth Noting: The texture may take some getting used to.
Dermalogica Circular Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid caught our interest for not only having a blend of two HAs, but having additional skin-quenchers like algae extract, hydrating polyglutamic acid, and a blend of amino acids to help trap water on skin’s surface.
In our testing, our skin felt less dry and tight throughout the day, and we even remained breakout-free longer. And after eight weeks, we could tell a difference in our fine lines, especially the ones at the corners of the mouth and along the forehead.
It takes longer to absorb than others and it’s stickier than we would like. But we found that was helped by ignoring the directions (which say to apply after toner), and instead applying to a damp face directly after washing.
Size: 1 oz. | Other Active Ingredients: Algae Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, amino acids, and a post-biotic extracts
We narrowed our selection to 28 products that had the most advanced technology, are best-sellers, and have gotten a lot of industry buzz. Our testers then used them in their skincare routines one or two times a day per the directions, applied to wet skin directly after washing for eight weeks — stopping any other hyaluronic acid products they were already using (if any). Then they described and rated their experiences. From their reviews, 14 winners emerged as the most effective and worthy of inclusion in our list.
Then for background, we spoke with Dr. Lal to give some context on the ingredient and how it’s being used in products. And Dr. Engleman and Dr. Zeichner provided some feedback and insight into the winning formulas as well as tips to help anyone shopping for a hyaluronic acid serum to get the most out of it. All three of these experts have worked extensively with products containing the ingredient and are well-versed in how it’s used in various products and formulations.
Hyaluronic acid is “a humectant, which means it soaks up a lot of water to provide the skin with hydration,” explains Dr. Lal. It occurs in the skin naturally, but he explains, “We lose hyaluronic acid over time which gives our skin that dehydrated appearance which contributes to aging skin.” So adding it topically can not only put some of that hydration back but have a plumping effect to smooth fine lines. “It’s an OG ingredient that should be a staple in your regimen,” he insists.
There are three major kinds: hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, and sodium acetylated hyaluronate. Dr. Lal explains, “Hydrolyzed HA is HA that has been broken down into small pieces. This allows it to penetrate the skin better but it doesn’t attract as much water because it enters the skin instead of sitting on top. Sodium hyaluronate allows for deeper hydration and lasts longer in the skin than Hydrolyzed HA. Sodium acetylated HA lasts even longer on the skin and allows for the best amount of hydration.” Isdin Hyaluronic Concentrate and Dermalogica Circular Hydration Serum both use several types of hyaluronic acid, including hydrolyzed and sodium hyaluronate to hydrate the skin at several levels.
Our experts say there are no major side effects to be aware of, and you can use them once or even twice a day depending on how dry your skin feels.
Rare in the world of skincare, hyaluronic acid can be beneficial for all people. “It is a light ingredient that can be used across all skin types, whether you are sensitive or even oily,” says Dr. Zeichner. Dr. Engelman adds, “It is especially beneficial to those with dry and/or aging skin, as it is lightweight yet incredibly hydrating."
If you do have oily or combination skin, you may want to look for a thinner, lighter-weight formula, such as Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum. Whereas dry and mature skin may crave an especially thick formula, like Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum. Sensitive skin would like La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Anti-Aging Concentrate, because the ingredients are gentle and protective to the skin barrier.
“Hyaluronic acid is a lightweight, yet extremely effective humectant — an ingredient that retains moisture — and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. It is gentle on the skin and pairs well with many other skincare ingredients,” explains Dr. Engelman. “These qualities make it an ideal addition to skincare products, which is why we see it so often in skincare.”
You can use it morning and night but if you’re looking to start with just once a day, Dr. Lal says, “I recommend using HA-containing products at night so when you wake up the skin appears more plump.”
“A serum can deliver ingredients deep into the skin barrier due to its small molecular size, so this is a great way to incorporate hyaluronic acid into your routine,” says Dr. Engleman.
Some products specify to apply after toners, others have you do it right after washing while the skin is still wet, thereby helping it draw the water into the skin. It’s worth noting that two of our testers who used the directions to apply after toner both saw better results when applying to wet skin. Why might this yield better results? “This gives the product the extra water it needs to grab onto for optimal benefits, Dr. Zeichner says.
But it’s important to note that no matter exactly where you use it in your routine there’s one thing to keep in mind. Dr. Zeichner explains, “While hyaluronic acid is good at grabbing onto water, it does not do a good job of keeping it there in the long term. For this reason, I recommend layering a hyaluronic acid serum beneath a traditional moisturizer.”
Beth Shapouri has been writing about beauty and wellness for two decades for top-tier publications like Allure.com, Glamour.com, Elle.com, HarperBazaar.com, and MarieClaire.com. She prides herself on digging deep into the science of products and technology and breaking down complicated topics to help consumers navigate the shelves and find their best buys.
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