Oe M, Sakai S, Yoshida H, et al. Oral Hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2017. 10:267-273. doi:10.2147/ccid.s141845 Voigt J, et al.(2012). Hyaluronic acid derivatives and their healing effect on burns,epithelial surgical wounds, and chronic wounds: A systematic review andmeta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DOI: Hyaluronic acid is] an effective moisturizer because it can hold one thousand times its weight in water,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist practicing at Shafer Clinic in New York. Dr Lynch explains why. “The best hyaluronic acid serum can provide a potent hydration boost compared to regular moisturisers," he says. "Regular use can help maintain a healthy skin barrier, preventing dryness, dullness, and flaking, and keeping skin looking youthful.” Hyaluronic acid attracts and binds to water molecules and increases the water content of the skin,” says Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in New York City. It can absorb more than 1,000 times its weight in water, Dr. Marchbein says.

As a rule, Dr. Kobets says it's best to choose a hyaluronic acid serum that's paraben-free, fragrance-free, and essential oil-free. Pay attention to the texture. Use With Other Skincare Products: If you use a topical medication prescribed by your dermatologist, it may come before any serums or moisturizers. In that case, you would apply a hyaluronic acid serum on top of it, Dr, Robinson explains, adding that this can also help alleviate sensitivity from prescription-strength ingredients like retinoids. Since hyaluronic acid’s whole gist is that it draws water into the skin, applying it to damp skin helps it do its job even better, Dr. Yadav adds. The most important step, Dr. Brauer says, is to seal it in with a moisturizer. This prevents the hyaluronic acid from escaping. This serum is perfect for combination skin or for anyone who wants to even out their skin tone. Our editor noted that it also dramatically reduced acne breakouts on her chin.

The best hyaluronic acid serums to buy

Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is hyaluronic acid that has been broken down into elements small enough to penetrate the skin, Gasquet says. It’s moisturizing, but not the most moisturizing option, so it’s best for people who have oily or combination skin, since these skin types want to avoid over-moisturizing. Hung MJ, Tsai CP, Lin YH, et al. Hyaluronic acid improves pain symptoms more than bladder storage symptoms in women with interstitial cystitis. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;58(3),417–422. doi:10.1016/j.tjog.2018.11.033 Caitlyn Martyn is a commerce writer on staff at Byrdie, where she covers all things beauty and style. She gathered insights and testimonials from our experienced team of editors and in-house lab testers to curate this list of hyaluronic acid serums that actually do what they say they will. Our skin gets wrinkled with age thanks largely to hormonal changes that make skin drier and less elastic. Oxidative damage (from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and the body’s regular metabolic functions) also impacts the synthesis of collagen, the protein that makes up skin and other connective tissues. Hyaluronic acid

This serum is a good choice if you’re looking for anti-aging benefits, says Dr. Yadav, since it contains a blend of peptides that promotes collagen production and provides a plumping effect. Even active ingredients that don’t always mix well with others, such as vitamin C and retinol, play nicely with hyaluronic acid. You can use them in the same routine, and hyaluronic acid can even counterbalance any sensitivity or dryness caused by certain active ingredients. The Mad Hippie serum contains quite a few antioxidants along with hyaluronic acid to combine brightening and hydrating benefits.CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum ( Ulta.com) is easy to find, gentle on the skin, and combines hyaluronic acid with moisture-retaining ceramides. Because hyaluronic acid can be a large molecule, it's difficult for the ingredient to penetrate the top layers of the skin, so you want to look for a formula that features varying weights and sizes of hyaluronic acid molecules, instructs Dr. Gohara. If you use one with just one size that’s too big, the product will just sit on top of your skin and you won’t get any long-term hydrating benefits. Think about other ingredients in the formula. While not a requirement, multiple types of hyaluronic acid certainly make a serum stand out from the fierce competition. Tula 24-7 Ultra Hydration serum contains three molecular weights of the humectant douse skin with hydration. We love a hyaluronic acid serum with low molecular weight in particular since it’s the most effective type at hydrating those deeper layers of skin. HA between 50 to 1,000 kDa is the most beneficial for skin, with about 130 kDa being the best, according to the most recent human studies. Anything higher won’t make too much of a difference. Anything lower might cause inflammation.