2024's Top 5 Hyaluronic Acid Serums
2024's Top 5
Hyaluronic Acid Serums
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly - We've Got You Covered!
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.
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 characterises 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.
Best hyaluronic acid serum: At a glance
- Best Overall Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Habitual Skin Hyaluronic Acid Serum 30ml
- Best Acne Prone: Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum 30ml
- Best Splurge: Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum 50ml
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
- 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 ageing). 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
- 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
- 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.
Save on our favourite hyaluronic acid serum
Right now at Habitual Skin, you can save up to 10% on best sellers and up to 35% off bundles. This includes the Hyaluronic Acid Serum from our roundup – a lightweight serum that hydrates, smoothens fine lines, and enhances the appearance of dry skin while combating signs of ageing. Use code JUNE24 at checkout to bring the price down to just £38.70.
Habitual Skin | Was £43.00 | Now £38.70
The Guide - How We Evaluated the Top 5
- 20 hours of research went into this list.
- 5 experts analysed and evaluated each product.
- 60 Customer Experience Interviews.
All products featured on Honest Reviews are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
TOP 5 HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS IN 2024
#1 Habitual Skin
Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
- 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 moisturises 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-ageing 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 moisturise, 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. In addition, Habitual Skin provides free shipping to the U.K. on orders over £40 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 over £40 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 capitalise on what they spend.
#2 Drunk Elephant
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive
Hydration Serum
- 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 moisturiser, 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 favourite 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
#3 Beauty Pie
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Lipopeptide Serum
- Quality Rating: 8.7/10
- Expert Rating: 8.6/10
- Users Rating: 8.5/10
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Lipopeptide Serum is a miracle-serum for dewy, glowing, and healthy-looking skin. Made with three weights of Hyaluronic Acid, peptides, and ceramides, our team liked that this formula uses essential anti-ageing ingredients to fight off fine lines and wrinkles.
Beauty Pie promotes their membership to save up to 50% off on their products, which means that each bottle may be made more affordable than the listed price at only £19. They offer a free trial for the Beauty Pie Plus and an annual membership of £59 per year billed after the trial.
The Desirables
- Beauty Pie is a certified vegan and cruelty-free skincare brand.
- Made with three weights of Hyaluronic Acid for intensive hydration and healthy glowing skin.
- Blended with peptides and ceramides that prevent visible sagging and ageing.
- Beauty Pie offers up to 50% off if you were to opt-in to their Beauty Pie Plus membership.
The Undesirables
- Costly compared to some of the serums tested with no membership.
- Membership can be costly, especially for moderate users.
The Final Word
Beauty Pie offers memberships to offer the best possible prices for their loyal customers showing value to their products and brand. However, if you are only meaning to try out the brand, it may be best to reach out to a friend with a membership or try their 30-day free membership trial to know if the brand will work best for your skin. They also offer a 14-day money-back guarantee, the shortest return policy among the products reviewed.
#4 SkinCeuticals
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier
- 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, £72 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 the firmness and elasticity.
- Created with a unique complex of purple rice and liquorice root extracts.
- It can be acquired online and through authorised retailers.
The Undesirables
- High-cost product (£72), which everyone may not acquire.
- The company does not offer free domestic shipping.
- SkinCeuticals animal testing policy is unclear.
The Final Word
#5 Peter Thomas Roth
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum
- 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-ageing 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 (£60), which everyone may not acquire.
- Lack of antioxidants and anti-ageing 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-ageing 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.
Honourable Mentions
Boots Ingredients Hyaluronic Acid
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-ageing 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
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886//
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
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3970829//
Julie McHendry
Health & Beauty Senior Writer
julie@honest-reviews.co.uk
Hi, I'm Julie. With over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry and a real passion for health & wellness, my job is to present the facts in plain English so our readers can make informed decisions. When I'm not knee-deep in research, you'll likely find me spinning up a new creation on a pottery wheel or out walking with my pups!
Hi, I'm Julie. With over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry and a real passion for health & wellness, my job is to present the facts in plain English so our readers can make informed decisions. When I'm not knee-deep in research, you'll likely find me spinning up a new creation on a pottery wheel or out walking with my pups!
Julie McHendry
Health & Beauty Senior Writer
julie@honest-reviews.co.uk