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15 Of The Best, Tried And Tested Hyaluronic Acid Serums And When To Use Them
This hero ingredient is in almost every cosmetic formulation. Here's what it actually does and how to find the best ones for your skin type.
Using the best hyaluronic acid serum may sound a little scary to the uninitiated, but it’s actually one of the most relied-upon skincare ingredients of today. Unlike its other acid-based siblings (think glycolic and salicylic) hyaluronic acid is more of a hero hydrator than a power exfoliator: it’s all about feeding, not challenging, the skin.
So, what is hyaluronic acid, exactly? Skincare's unshakeable superstar is essentially a highly effective humectant, meaning it works to ‘grab’ moisture and hold it within the skin’s cellular matrix. ‘Hyaluronic acid belongs to a group of compounds known as glycosaminoglycans, and also forms part of the skin’s framework,’ explains consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto, who runs a Harley Street clinic, Self London. 'It’s essentially a very large sugar molecule with a gel-like-consistency, and has the unique ability to bind 1,000 times its own weight in water. Its purpose in skin is to keep it soft, plump and hydrated.'
The Best Tried And Tested Hyaluronic Acid Serums
Best for travelling
Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide Capsules Hydra-Plumping Serum
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Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our bodies – although the rate at which it is produced declines as we age – hence the rise of the topical top-up. Hyaluronic acid can be injected in the form of dermal fillers, or applied to the surface of the skin, where it can penetrate (to a limit) and hydrate on multiple levels.
How To Use A Hyaluronic Acid Serum Correctly
A good hyaluronic acid serum is the easiest way to reap the benefits of this hydrating hero – but getting the most from your product requires a little more thought than simply slathering it on with abandon. As hyaluronic is a humectant, it’ll draw moisture in – just like a magnet – from wherever it can, be it the deeper layers of the skin or the external environment (if you’re in a high-humidity climate). The trick to making hyaluronic acid work correctly is to seal it in with a thicker texture – cue your face cream – on top. This will ensure your new-found hydration says locked within the skin, rather than escaping from the surface.
Some believe a HA serum needs to be applied onto damp skin to do its best work: in fact, applying in a steamy bathroom, just after showering, could help the product draw in maximum moisture (there's that humidity we mentioned). Another good move is to use a face mist before applying your serum.
But that's pretty much where the hyaluronic rulebook ends. Most skin types should get on with this crowd-pleasing ingredient (although of course, you'll need to consider what else is in your bottle), and it plays well with all those other actives you've invested in: think retinol, vitamin C and exfoliating acids.
Speaking of investing, there's actually little need to venture into triple-figure territory for your hyaluronic acid, as the ingredient itself isn't especially pricy or complicated to formulate with, which explains its boom in the market. Like most things in beauty, hydrating serums span the pricing spectrum from small change to tear-inducing, but you don't have to get yourself in debt in order to obtain a good one. Today's shelves are packed with plenty of effective affordable options, although some of the spendier options will come loaded with added beauty bonuses: think antioxidants or barrier-repairing extracts.
The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums To Try Now
How We Test
The ELLE UK beauty team knows a thing or two about what makes a winning face serum, and we put dozens of products through their paces to ascertain whether they're worthy of a recommendation.
The best product for you is the one angled towards your specific requirements: if you're simply after a suits-all hydrator with minimal fuss, the answer likely lies in the high-street realm (remember, hyaluronic acid doesn't have to cost the earth). For something that also tackles fine lines, acne or dullness, you're better off with a serum that cocktails hyaluronic acid with another active, such as niacinamide or peptides. We're a very picky beauty team, and it's convenient that we all have very different skin demands. So, you can trust us to know the very best product for you, whatever your skin is oily, dry or chronically dehydrated.
This more intensive version of Medik8's classic Hydr8 B5 feels slightly heavier than the original (think: silky serum rather than watery tonic) and packs a serious punch in the hydrating stakes. A cocktail of Natural Moisturising Factors (glycerin, sodium PCA and amino acids) floods the skin surface with moisture, while a berry-derived antioxidant lends pollution-protecting prowess. A brilliant one-and-done serum for both morning and night.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Panthenol, amino acids |
|---|---|
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
| Best for: | Intense hydration, all skin types |
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Lipopeptide Serum
If you see this hyaluronic acid serum on the Beauty Pie site, snap it up immediately. (And if you aren't a Pie member yet, you're going to want to change that.) It's so popular, people bulk-buy it for its plumping abilities and very reasonable price. Made in Switzerland, at the of the leading labs you'll also find many blockbuster brands using, it contains three weights of HA for multi-level hydration, alongside polysaccharides (another power humectant), ceramides and even firming peptides.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Peptides, sweet almond extract |
|---|---|
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
| Best for: | Plumping, smoothing, all skin types especially mature |
Skin + Me Hydration And Glow Daily Doser Serum
Skin + Me is the brand responsible for democratising dermatology with its brilliant online prescription skincare service. Now, they've branched into off-the-shelf products with an extensive line that uses the maximum level of actives permissable without a doctor's note.
Hydration + Glow is the formula bound to please the masses: with niacinamide for texture, peptides for firming, etoin for calming and a mega dose of hyaluronic acid, it's your one-and-done starter for skincare that shines. The cherry on top? It's £25.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Niacinamide, ectoin, glycerin |
|---|---|
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
| Best for: | Oily and combination skin, sensitive skin |
Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide Capsules Hydra-Plumping Serum
Heritage brand Elizabeth Arden is revered for its capsule delivery system; each one dosed perfectly for your complexion. This one combines hydrating hyaluronic acid with barrier-strengthening ceramides to simultaneous plump, nourish and bolster the complexion. Additional plant oils promise to keep very dry skin types feeling comfortable throughout the day. The biodegredable capsules are useful for travelling, too.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Ceramides, avocado oil, lactic acid |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Very dry skin, mature skin, travel |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
Cosmetic formulator Lucinda Hart has clocked in hours developing must-haves from Estée Lauder, Beauty Pie and Huda Beauty. Her new skincare line, Keats, debuts with a tightly edited range of two products to suit all skin types: a hydrating serum and a moisturiser. The milky serum is created on a base of aloe juice instead of water to maximise its soothing benefits while snow mushrooms deliver intensive yet lightweight hydration. The below £30 price point makes it more accessible for younger skin and skincare newbies, too.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Snow mushroom, aloe vera |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Young skin, all skin types, redness-prone, value |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier Serum
Skinceuticals are known for their hard-hitting actives, and if you're looking to splurge on a hydrating serum that also contains clever ingredients such as patented Proxylane complex to help support the skin's hyaluronic acid production and post-biotic ferments to plump up fine lines. The lightweight texture is excellent on all skin types, but its powerful hydration benefits is best for mature complexions.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Proxylane complex, niacinamide, post-biotic |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Mature skin types, sensitive skin, very dry skin |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
L'Oreal Paris Hyaluronic Acid Serum Revitalift Filler
Simple yet wonderfully effective, L'Oreal Paris' star hyaluronic acid serum won't guarantee you get asked for ID at the door, but it will plump and smooth as well as its pricier competitors. It contains three weights of HA, and works especially well under liquid foundation, putting a swift stop to those dry, cakey patches.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Glycerin, rye seed extract |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Under make-up, plumping, mature skin |
| Fragrance-free: | No |
Glossier knows all too well the annoyance of a serum that feels sticky on skin. The much-loved Super Bounce has a light yet milky texture that soothes and hydrates without turning tacky. The ingredients list is reassuringly short, with hyaluronic acid sitting alongside smoothing vitamin B5 and good old glycerin. Use it day and night, preferably under the brand's equally excellent Priming Moisturiser.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Glycerin, panthenol, pro-vitamin B5 |
|---|---|
| Best for: | All skin types, under make-up, combination skin |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
Dr. Mahto regularly recommends this superstar pharmacy product to her clients, which simply combines hyaluronic acid with barrier-building ceramides. It's fragrance-free and sinks in straight away without clogging pores: what you lose in luxury appeal, you gain in no-nonsense effectivity.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Ceramides |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Sensitive skin, all skin types including younger skin |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
As the wider beauty category continues to take its cues from the skincare world, more and more brilliant hybrid formulas are coming to the fore. These tanning drops from faux-glow stalwart James Read are a perfect example of how skincare nous can improve age-old products: the formula is a HA serum first and a fake-tan second, meaning you get a glow that looks brighter and, well, better.
The brand recommends two pea-sized drops for full face-and-neck application, which we found delivered a perfect natural-looking glow on pale, sun-starved skin. If you're already tanned and want something deeper, add a third drop.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Aloe vera, plant-based DHA, vitamin E |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Self-tan |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
This one likely needs little introduction. Adored by just about everyone that tries it, Tatcha's star serum features is more than a simple hyaluronic acid serum: with Japanese algae, antioxidant tea and a petite portion of exfoliating acids, all steeped in a base of ferments, it's a one-and-done skin tonic for all complexions.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Rice ferment, tea extract, squalane |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Dry skin, dry patches |
| Fragrance-free: | No |
It looks like a tall drink of water for your skin, and that's exactly what Vichy's hyaluronic acid booster is. Formulated with just 11 ingredients (read the back of your current serum and you'll see that's pretty minimal), including Vichy's signature mineral-rich spring water, this lightweight gel absorbs super quickly to hydrate skin in an instant. A great choice for anyone who likes their skincare to absorb fast and feel undetectable.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Glycerin, minerals |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Reactive skin, straightforward formula |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
You're likely already familiar with Dr. Sturm's original Hyaluronic Serum, but this lesser known gem from her teenage-focused collection shouldn't be slept on – especially if you're prone to breakouts.
Thoughtfully formulated, it combines hyaluronic acid with pre- and probiotics, which work to rebalance the bacteria on your microbiome thus maintaining clarity while tiger grass acts to calm down any redness and inflammation.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Panthenol, tiger grass, pre and probiotic |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Redness, blemish-prone, oily and combination skin, sensitive skin |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
The Ordinary's science-heavy big sister, NIOD, creates some excellent everyday serums with active complexes that can often cost you well into triple figures. This utilitarian skin-plumper comntains fifteen forms of hyaluronic acid, meaning it's well placed to plump and polish even the thirstiest of skins.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Peptides, tremella extract |
|---|---|
| Best for: | Very dry skin, redness |
| Fragrance-free: | Yes |
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum for Dehydrated Skin
La Roche-Posay's hyaluronic acid serum ticks all the boxes sensitive souls require. It's not just a solid choice for the easily irritated though: all skin types can benefit from this moisture-drenching formula.
Product specifications
| Extra ingredients: | Panthenol |
|---|---|
| Best for: | All skin types, lightweight texture |
| Fragrance-free: | No |
How To Choose The Best Hyaluronic Acid
So, if the best hyaluronic acid serum isn't necessarily the most expensive one, how do you pick out a winner? Really, it's a matter of molecular weight. HA can be split into molecules of differing size, which penetrate and settle at different layers of the skin.
Simply speaking, the smaller the molecule, the deeper the hydration: so a serum containing multiple weights will deliver more wide-reaching moisture than one containing a singular weight. Do consider the additional ingredients too to ensure it plays well with your specific skin type.
Do You Actually Need A Hyaluronic Acid Serum?
There are skin experts who argue that because hyaluronic acid is found in almost every skincare and beauty product these days, most people don't actually need a dedicated one.
It all depends on your preference, of course, but if you find that moisturisers feel a little heavy in hot weather, using a HA serum under your sunscreen (instead of layering a face cream then sunscreen) will deliver hydration without the greasy feeling. This tip works for those with acne-prone skin, too, as it keeps the complexion nourished but not clogged.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
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