2024's Top 5 Hyaluronic Acid Serums
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly - We've Got You Covered!
Out of all the requests for an in-depth review, Hyaluronic Acid has to be at the top of our list. This ingredient has become essential for skincare routines. Hyaluronic Acid (also known as sodium hyaluronate or HA), is widely known in the industry for its capacity to absorb and retain moisture in the skin, giving it a plump and youthful look.
To decide which Hyaluronic serums were the best for the skin, our team conducted extensive research to filter the top products between the thousands of options available right now.
Our team of testers performed an in-depth evaluation of each product’s technology, components, prices, and production methods (especially animal testing, synthetic fragrances, and the use of unwanted ingredients such as parabens). Our team also carried out an analysis of potency and results. Below are what our results deemed to be the 5 best Hyaluronic Acid serums on the market.
Out of all the requests for an in-depth review, Hyaluronic Acid has to be at the top of our list. This ingredient has become essential for skincare routines. Hyaluronic Acid (also known as sodium hyaluronate or HA), is widely known in the industry for its capacity to absorb and retain moisture in the skin, giving it a plump and youthful look. To decide which Hyaluronic serums were the best for the skin, our team conducted extensive research to filter the top products between the thousands of options available right now. Our team of testers performed an in-depth evaluation of each product’s technology, components, prices, and production methods (especially animal testing, synthetic fragrances, and the use of unwanted ingredients such as parabens). Our team also carried out an analysis of potency and results. Below are what our results deemed to be the 5 best Hyaluronic Acid serums on the market.
Out of all the requests for an in-depth review, Hyaluronic Acid has to be at the top of our list. This ingredient has become essential for skincare routines. Hyaluronic Acid (also known as sodium hyaluronate or HA), is widely known in the industry for its capacity to absorb and retain moisture in the skin, giving it a plump and youthful look.
To decide which Hyaluronic serums were the best for the skin, our team conducted extensive research to filter the top products between the thousands of options available right now.
Our team of testers performed an in-depth evaluation of each product’s technology, components, prices, and production methods (especially animal testing, synthetic fragrances, and the use of unwanted ingredients such as parabens). Our team also carried out an analysis of potency and results. Below are what our results deemed to be the 5 best Hyaluronic Acid serums on the market.
What’s so special about Hyaluronic Acid?
You might be surprised to learn that hyaluronic acid is naturally produced by our bodies and holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. This means it can have a powerful effect on our skin’s hydration levels!
Youthful skin retains its resilience, turgor, and pliability because of its high water content; however, as we reach adulthood, our levels of Hyaluronic Acid significantly reduce to just 5% of our baseline amount which contributes to sub-dermal dehydration and loss of elasticity that characterizes aged skin.
When diving into the latest research, some studies demonstrate the use of such products has improved skin hydration by up to 96%, reduced the depth of wrinkles by up to 40%, and enhanced skin firmness and elasticity by up to 55% in as little as eight weeks. Quite astounding results, but it aligns closely with our team’s own personal experiences, and that of our customer experience interviews.
Certified dermatologists and leading skin clinicians highly rate Hyaluronic Acid serums and their ability to rejuvenate the skin by using hydration to support skin resilience and improve its firmness.
Choosing the Right Skincare
Choosing the right skincare products can be difficult. Many of us are tempted to choose the cheapest option available, despite knowing that this may come at the expense of effectiveness. Yet, the reason some products are more expensive than others is they are significantly higher in quality. Although they require you to spend a bit more, you are likely to see better results and receive more of the expected benefits of the products you are using.
Choosing from an overwhelming amount of brands and products out there can feel difficult at times – which is why we have researched what each has on offer, tested, and narrowed down our choices for this ultimate list of five highly rated products.
The Good - What to Look For
With so many options available on the market, finding the right skin care can be tricky. After researching extensively to figure out what criteria you should look for when buying a new product, these are the three things we found:
- Active Ingredients – It's no surprise that choosing between beauty products can feel overwhelming sometimes due to marketing tricks that may lead people astray from what their actual needs might be. Active ingredients have been scientifically proven to actually do what they claim and are made with active compounds which work towards improving the overall skin condition of whatever problem it targets (i.e aging). When looking at labels next time, check if there are any 'active' ingredients in them as this will assure you're getting something useful instead of something useless.
- High Potency – Everything in a skincare product formula should contribute to its overall purpose. A good quality skincare product will have an optimal ingredient amount - strong enough to combat the target skin concern, yet gentle enough that it does not irritate sensitive skin types (e.g., dry patches)
- Purity – not all products are made the same way. Most of the time, active ingredients can be naturally sourced and well-researched formulas exist; but if they were created in a synthetic process or hazardous method, these same ingredients may cause harm to someone's health and put people at risk.
The Bad - What to Avoid
Here are some useful things to avoid when purchasing a Hyaluronic Acid Serum to ensure maximum results:
- Low Potency – Those who religiously read labels know there may be anywhere from one or two hard-to-pronounce ingredients in skin care products. Every additional ingredient dilutes the potency and effectiveness of the key ingredients which generally makes all the difference to the skin's health. Products with high potency start off strong so that they have a greater chance of doing what it was originally designed to do - taking good care of your skin.
- Unnecessary Ingredients – whether these are called fillers, carriers, or bulking agents, these will decrease the overall potency of key ingredients and reduce the overall efficacy.
- Tested on animals – animal cruelty should never be tolerated because they matter too.
- Fragranced – while scents can make a lovely addition to an experience with a particular product, fragrance refers to a dark hole of possibly toxic ingredients that there is little regulation over.
- Excessively expensive – though it is natural to assume on appearance alone that more expensive products include an increased concentration of high-quality ingredients that are safe for use by all skin types, it is always imperative to look past the sticker price and see if this claim rings true or if there may be factors like marketing, packaging, or proprietary ingredients which can contribute to the excessive cost.
The System - Our 10-Step, Research-Backed Ranking Method
There is so much more to choosing a Hyaluronic Acid Serum than just taking marketing and labels at face value. That simply isn’t enough. Instead, we choose to test and compare each Hyaluronic Acid Serum against our 10-point ranking system:
- 1 The purity and quality of ingredients and sourcing.
- 2 The presence or lack of artificial fillers, preservatives, and additives.
- 3 Regulated manufacturing facilities and high-quality processes.
- 4 The information behind the product - science, research, and development.
- 5 Level of Active Ingredients, availability, digestibility, and absorption.
- 6 Manufacturer governing bodies registrations and certifications.
- 7 Third-party testing to determine validity and accuracy of label information.
- 8 Filtering customer reviews to remove paid/fake reviews to highlight truthful customer experience.
- 9 Price and value for money.
- 10 Return and money-back guarantee policies.
The Guide - How We Evaluated the Top 5
- 20 hours of research went into this list.
- 5 experts analyzed and evaluated each product.
- 60 Customer Experience Interviews.
The skin care products you’ll find below are carefully selected after painstaking work from our team, who reviewed them extensively in terms of quality, efficacy, user feedback, and value.
TOP 5 HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS IN 2024
#1 Habitual Skin
Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Overall Rating (4.9)
4.9/5
- Quality Rating: 10/10
- Expert Rating: 9.9/10
- Users Rating: 9.8/10
Our team of professionals fell in love with Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, and how it rapidly moisturizes and softens the skin. This potent serum is one of the best hydrating tested products based on pure hyaluronic acid and fermented plant extracts. Our group of testers with dry skin type shared in their reports that the lightweight formula of this serum not only quickly absorbed into their skin but also turned their skin soft after the first application.
A perfectly balanced blend of a few simple ingredients, with Hyaluronic Acid at the top of the list, is the secret behind Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This hydrating and anti-aging serum smoothes fine lines and improves the look of dry skin.
Our team also reported their satisfaction when they found Habitual Skin is a gluten-free and vegan-friendly solution.
Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum is an aqueous salicylic acid serum in various formulations that hydrates and brightens the skin.
The salicylic acid serum is filled with three kinds of Hyaluronic Acid (vegetable polysaccharide, low molecular weight, high molecular weight) to help moisturize, rejuvenate facial skin and reduce acne.
Although Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum is currently only available to purchase through the company website, it’s very much worth it for anyone searching for a high-quality Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Habitual Skin offers up to 50% off when buying up to four and more Hyaluronic Acid Serums. In addition, Habitual Skin provides free shipping to the U.K. and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, tumbling down any objections when testing it.
The Desirables
- Cruelty-Free and Gluten-Free formula that has been clinically tested and developed by skincare experts.
- Lightweight formula quickly absorbed by the skin, made with a high concentration of 100% pure vegetable Hyaluronic Acid.
- Paraben-Free formula made without fragrances, that smooths fine lines and improves the look of dry skin.
- Made in the U.K.
- Great value for an affordable price, with special offers available on the company’s website.
The Undesirables
- Currently, it is only available for purchase on the official company website. Stock problems may occur due to the high demand for the product.
- Lightweight formula quickly absorbed by the skin, made with a high concentration of 100% pure vegetable Hyaluronic Acid.
The Final Word
Of every Hyaluronic Acid serum, we put up against our 10-point ranking system. Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum was by far the highest quality product that delivered the most optimal results.
When compared with other brands, Habitual Skin uses Hyaluronic Acid as its sole active ingredient to ensure high potency and elevated purity, rather than using fillers to make up the required serum weight, or other active ingredients in the hope of achieving the desired skin outcome but would subsequently reduce the amount of Hyaluronic Acid that reaches your skin.
Habitual Skin offer free shipping on all orders which allows customers to spend more money on the actual products. They also offer a 90-day money-back guarantee which gives customers significantly longer than other brands to trial products and determine if they achieve real results. This clearly demonstrates that they believe in their product and its ability to produce true, high-quality skin benefits.
Why Habitual Skin Is Our #1 Pick
After evaluating ingredients, reputability, customer service, and experience across numerous brands of Hyaluronic Acid products, it is clear that Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum is the superior product on the market.
With its naturally sourced Hyaluronic Acid from 100% pure vegetable oil, the clinically tested and developed high purity of Habitual Skin’s serum eliminates the health risks associated with synthetically made Hyaluronic Acid, while being accessible to a vast consumer base by addressing many lifestyle requirements or choices such as gluten-free, cruelty-free, safe for all skin types, vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Their small ingredients list ensures a high concentration of their key active ingredient (Hyaluronic Acid) which is well-known for smoothing fine lines and hydrating skin, meaning consumers receive more of these benefits while enjoying the feel of this lightweight, readily absorbed serum.
Alongside these core reasons why Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum stood out from the rest of the brands, they frequently provide their customers with special offers that allow their buyers to capitalize on what they spend.
#2 Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
Overall Rating (4.5)
4.5/5
- Quality Rating: 9.1/10
- Expert Rating: 9.0/10
- Users Rating: 8.9/10
Drunk Elephant is a famous brand with a cult-like following. And after testing their Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum, our team understood why. Just as its name suggests, this serum provides optimum hydration and leaves the skin soft and silky. In addition to Hyaluronic Acid, it uses Vitamin B5 as a moisturizer, and it worked wonders to improve the look of our testers with dry skin.
Drunk Elephant is a vegan and cruelty-free brand; turning their serum is ideal for anyone looking for a clean product. It contains various natural extracts such as watermelon, apple, and lentil.
Despite its many natural extracts, Sodium Hyaluronate is at the bottom of the ingredient list. People with gluten allergies should avoid using this product as our team couldn’t confirm that B-Hydra is gluten-free.
The Desirables
- Formulated by Drunk Elephant, a cruelty-free favorite skincare brand.
- Free of unwanted additives like parabens and phthalates.
- Produced with small-weight Hyaluronic Acid and Pro-Vitamin B5, and a natural antioxidant complex to hydrate the skin.
- Drunk Elephant is well-known for being very transparent about its ingredients and practices.
- Easy to shop online and offline at larger beauty retailers like Sephora.
The Undesirables
- Not as affordable as some of the products tested.
- Contains oils and alkanes that have the potential to cause breakouts.
- Tendency to leave a sticky residue when applied to dry skin.
- It could potentially contain small doses of gluten.
The Final Word
Drunk Elephant is known for being great at ensuring cruelty-free processes and being transparent about their ingredients; however, this transparency highlights the use of coconut alkanes and marula oil that have the potential to be comedogenic, meaning they can create breakouts by blocking pores. This is particularly concerning for testers with acne-prone skin. With a more expensive price tag than other brands on the market, consumers want to be sure that they are purchasing a product that corrects skin problems, not exacerbates them.
#3 The Ordinary
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Overall Rating (4.3)
4.3/5
- Quality Rating: 8.7/10
- Expert Rating: 8.6/10
- Users Rating: 8.5/10
The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is a water-based formula combining low-, medium- and high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid molecules and a next-generation HA crosspolymer to support hydration to multiple layers of your skin. It also targets the appearance of wrinkles and textural irregularities. Plus, it uses pro-vitamin B5 to enhance hydration at the outer layers, resulting in smoother, plumper skin.
Our team of testers liked how plumping this serum is which has shown quick results when it comes to hydration and reducing fine lines and wrinkles with our testers seeing supple skin with just 4 weeks of use. However, despite being a water-based formula, it leaves a sticky feeling and takes a while to be absorbed by the skin.
The Desirables
- The Ordinary is known for its affordability and clinical formulations.
- Made with three weights of Hyaluronic Acid for smoother and plump skin.
- Water-based formula.
- The Ordinary is well-known for being very transparent about its ingredients and practices.
- Easy to shop online and offline at larger beauty retailers like Sephora.
- 365-day returns policy.
The Undesirables
- Leaves a sticky feeling.
- Takes a while to be absorbed by the skin.
The Final Word
The Ordinary is known for its affordability and exists to communicate with integrity and bring to market effective, more familiar technologies at honorable prices. They are the only brand that offers a 365-day returns policy as long as the unwanted products are at least 50% full, showing confidence in the products they create such as one of the brand’s best-selling products, the Hyaluronic Acid Serum 2% + B5. This is a great product and price point to start off with if you are looking into trying hyaluronic acid. However, it’s important to space out the products to let them absorb and sink into the skin.
#4 SkinCeuticals
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier
Overall Rating (4.0)
4/5
- Quality Rating: 8.7/10
- Expert Rating: 8.6/10
- Users Rating: 8.5/10
Our team tried to ignore the high price of this product, $138 an ounce. However, costs aside, our testers liked the exciting ingredients used in this formula, including purple rice and liquorice extract, both of which act as natural brightening agents.
Our team approved the results when using SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier, especially as they considered that according to the company’s clinical studies, this product promotes firmness and elasticity. In addition, our testers liked the gel-like texture, which felt good on the skin.
Finally, although paraben-free, this serum contains many substances that SkinCeuticals can remove, such as alcohol and citrus essential oils known to cause allergic reactions.
The Desirables
- Paraben-Free and clinically tested formula designed to increase the Hyaluronic Acid levels present in the skin and improve firmness and elasticity.
- Created with a unique complex of purple rice and liquorice root extracts.
- It can be acquired online and through authorized retailers.
The Undesirables
- High-cost product ($138), which everyone may not acquire.
- The company does not offer free domestic shipping.
- SkinCeuticals animal testing policy is unclear.
The Final Word
While SkinCeuticals have done the right thing by not adding any fragrance and maintaining a paraben-free product, the blended ingredients leave a less-than-desirable vinegar-like scent. The purple coloring is derived from purple rice, and although the coloring has no physiological benefits, it is a visually pleasing feature. The biggest concern raised during our evaluation of SkinCeuticals H. A Intensifer was the use of alcohol to enhance penetration of ingredients into the skin as this often causes irritation (especially for sensitive skin) and can dry out skin, which is concerning given its well above average price point.
#5 Peter Thomas Roth
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum
Overall Rating (3.9)
3.8/5
- Quality Rating: 7.6/10
- Expert Rating: 7.5/10
- Users Rating: 7.7/10
This serum is made suitable for all skin types and claims to provide 120 hours of enhanced hydration and glowing skin, which our team put on to test. Like other serums tested, this product also contains Hyaluronic Acid in its formula, alongside ceramides and HydraFence.
However, our team was a bit disappointed that despite their claim to provide 120 hours of hydration and glowing, it only lasted through the day and a re-application is needed to replenish the moisture. The formula also lacks antioxidants and anti-aging benefits. The addition of a few more ingredients to shape the product better would have made this a more well-rounded serum for the price.
Finally, another downside: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum was the most expensive serum tested on the list.
The Desirables
- Peter Thomas Roth is a clinically proven skincare brand.
- Its formula uses Hyaluronic Acid Complex and ceramides.
- Free of synthetic dyes and fragrances.
The Undesirables
- High-cost product ($94), which everyone may not acquire.
- Lack of antioxidants and anti-aging benefits, which you expect from the high price point.
The Final Word
Despite the hydrating formula of this serum, the price point might be the biggest drawback of all. If it was priced a bit lower, despite the lack of antioxidant and anti-aging benefits, the serum would have been an easy purchase for some. However, if you are only looking for a formula to hydrate, and brighten your skin then this serum would be worth the try as it can provide you a full day of moisture without the need to re-apply until it’s time for your night routine.
Honorable Mentions
There is a clear winner amongst our top 5 and we recommend your interest center on them; however, to round off our top 10, here are the next 5 best products from the multitude we researched, trialed, and tested.
Glossier Super Bounce
Vichy Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Booster
Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
La-Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum
Final Thoughts
From providing intense hydration to maintaining a healthy moisture barrier to improving skin firmness, resilience, and smoothness; Hyaluronic Acid has quickly become one of the most popular skincare ingredients due to its anti-aging properties.
The advantages of using a Hyaluronic Acid product in your daily skincare routine are endless, but it can be challenging to find the right product.
After putting a multitude of brands up against our 10-point ranking system that takes into account the science, packaging, marketing, and consumer experience, it is clear that Habitual Skin’s Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum is the best on the market.
Citations
Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging
Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan): a review
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.513.5936&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Efficacy of a New Topical Nano-hyaluronic Acid in Humans