Hydration is the key to healthy skin. And no, we don’t just mean maintaining our water intake but also our skin’s moisture levels by the routine application of serums and moisturisers. While many products can give you glowing skin, the one that ensures it remains hydrated is hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that naturally exists in our skin and holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. However, its measure starts depleting with age, resulting in skin conditions like dryness, dullness, loss of elasticity and the appearance of signs of ageing like fine lines. This is where hyaluronic acid serums come to our rescue.

A humectant, hyaluronic acid is known to attract and hold water, making the skin look nourished with continuous hydration and plumping effect. It further enhances our skin’s firmness and strengthens its natural moisture barrier.

Hyaluronic acid makes the skin feel soft, smooth and super supple to the touch. Using just a few drops of the serum underneath the moisturiser or any other face serum is the best way to reap the goodness of hyaluronic acid. This is because the serum would retain the moisturising properties of the product layered on top of it to provide us with long-lasting hydration throughout the day.

While it doesn’t directly help in diminishing the signs of ageing, the plumping effect of the skin does make the fine lines look reduced. Furthermore, regular use of a hyaluronic acid serum leads to healthy and dewy-looking skin.

Here are a few things to note while choosing a hyaluronic acid serum:

1. They work well when formulated with other ingredients and antioxidants like vitamin C, niacinamide, ceramide, vitamin B5 and peptides among others.

2. Avoid serums that have parabens, minerals oils, alcohol, silicone, added fragrances, dyes and other harmful chemicals.

3. Note the form of hyaluronic acid in the serum in terms of their molecular weight, as they have different benefits. While lower weight molecules penetrate deep into your skin to enhance elasticity and work on minimising fine lines, the higher weight molecules retain moisture on the skin’s surface to make it look hydrated and supple.

So, if you’ve been meaning to score a good hyaluronic acid serum to add to your skincare trunk, our edit of some of the best ones is what you should be skimming through.

With hyaluronic acid as its hero ingredient, this serum by The Ordinary is a simple yet effective formula. It consists of low, medium and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid that ensures multi-depth hydration. This water-based blend is also supported by vitamin B5, which further enhances surface hydration. The cruelty-free and vegan serum is made sans any alcohol, gluten, oil and nuts.

One of the best hyaluronic acid serums in the Indian market currently, the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift serum is a highly potent formulation that delivers amazing results. It’s a lightweight and non-sticky mix that leaves your skin hydrated, plump and radiant. Suitable for all skin types, the L’Oréal hyaluronic acid serum is free from alcohol, parabens and fragrance. You can use it both in the morning and at night daily.

Image: Courtesy L’Oréal Paris

An anti-ageing pure hyaluronic acid serum by the La Roche-Posay, this product not only leaves your skin feeling plump but also replenishes its natural moisture barrier. The serum is also concocted with madecassoside and vitamin B5 for maximum efficacy. This helps in managing skin concerns like fine lines, loss of elasticity and dullness. While it is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, this serum is also allergy-tested, non-comedogenic, ophthalmologist-tested and free from parabens and oil.

Formulated with ‘15 Mineral-Rich Vichy Volcanic Water’ that strengthens and repairs the skin barrier along with pure hyaluronic acid, this booster will satiate your skin’s hydration needs perfectly. The lightweight and translucent formula absorbs quickly into your skin to nourish and plump it from within. The serum further makes it resistant to visible signs of ageing.

Helping lock moisture in your skin’s surface is the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum that provides up to 24 hours of moisturisation. It is further combined with three vital ceramides and vitamin B5 that work together to restore your skin’s protective barrier. It leaves your skin smoother and can be used alone or layered underneath moisturisers or other serums. The product has been developed by dermatologists and is non-comedogenic, paraben-free and fragrance-free.

Tagged a ‘cool drink for thirsty skin’, skincare brand Drunk Elephant has formulated one of the best hyaluronic acid serums. It’s a highly hydrating serum that not just replenishes your skin but also improves its tone and texture. The presence of pro-vitamin B5 and pineapple ceramide offers hydration that lasts throughout the day and gives a healthy and more illuminated skin.

The serum also reduces the appearance of fine lines and dryness because of the unique lentil-apple-watermelon complex. With a pH of 5.7, this lightweight serum is ideal for all kinds of skin and is 100 percent free of silicones, fragrance and essential oils.

Working through multiple layers of skin because of its quick absorption property, this hyaluronic acid serum hydrates your skin to leave it looking plumper and smoother. It also helps in reducing the appearance of fine lines, since hydration keeps the skin healthy. The serum is suitable for all skin types and targets dehydrated skin.

Image: Courtesy The Inkey List

A concentrated hyaluronic acid booster that revives dull and dehydrated skin, this serum by Paula’s Choice is suitable for all skin types. With a fluid gel texture, the formula contains a combination of hyaluronic acid, ceramides and panthenol for an all-around moisture function. Apart from visibly plumping the skin, it also smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can be used both alone or mixed in the moisturiser.

When a beauty brand gets insights from both plastic surgeons and dermatologists to develop a formula, you know they mean serious business. This blend of 1.5% hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamin B5 is a winning combo to hydrate and plump skin, as well as smoothening out fine lines. Suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types.

Image: Courtesy Bye Bye Lines

A hydration booster that’s a blend of hyaluronic acid, marine algae and watermelon extract, this serum by Dr Dennis Gross is one of the best products on this list. Delivering long-lasting hydration, diminishing dry fine lines, improving skin texture and soothing the skin, this serum does its job remarkably well. It’s a targeted treatment that guarantees desired results.

Image: Courtesy Dr Dennis Gross

With no other ingredient in its formulation but pure hyaluronic acid, this serum by The Plant Base is quite a game-changer. It penetrates deep down into your skin to hydrate it from within and lends you fresh and dewy skin. This hypoallergenic and dermatologically-tested serum can be used as it is or mixed with your other skincare products.

Image: Courtesy The Plant Base

Plums are no doubt delicious, but their antioxidant benefits also work on a topical level. Glow Recipe’s formula includes three types of the delectable stone fruit — Kakadu, Illawarra and Burdekin — and five different weights of hyaluronic acid for maximum hydration. The best part? It’s vegan and cruelty-free.

While people with all skin types (including sensitive skin) can use a hyaluronic acid serum, it works wonders, especially for people with dry and dehydrated skin.

If you’re using a hyaluronic acid serum, you can use it on clean but slightly damp skin directly. Apply a few drops of the serum on your face and neck and dab or massage it into your skin lightly. Top it off with a moisturiser of your choice.

You can also incorporate hyaluronic acid-based skincare products into your routine like vitamin C face serums and moisturising creams.

Go for hyaluronic acid serums with a concentration that’s below 2 percent. In fact, most over-the-counter products offer a concentration between 1 percent and 2 percent. A serum with a higher concentration can dry out your skin.

Yes, using vitamin C and hyaluronic acid together makes for an effective skincare routine. Not only you can use them together, but you can also invest in a hyaluronic acid serum that’s formulated along with vitamin C as it’s an antioxidant that has amazing benefits.

Hero and featured Image Courtesy: Alesia Kozik/Pexels

This story first appeared in Prestige Online – Hong Kong

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