Hyaluronic acid is one of those names that gets bandied about a lot in the skincare industry. But what exactly is it and does it really work? British Vogue does a deep dive into the must-have ingredient.
“Hyaluronic acid is one of the major components of our natural extracellular matrix, which is the framework our skin sits on,” says Daniel Isaacs, director of research at Medik8. “With a unique ability to attract and retain more than 1,000 times its own weight in water, hyaluronic acid can draw moisture from the surrounding atmosphere and lower skin layers to the top levels of the epidermis.” Ultra-hydrating, it’s what gives your skin that supple, plumping effect.
While naturally occurring, our levels of hyaluronic acid deplete as we age, leaving our skin increasingly unable to retain water, which results in dehydration, sallow skin, and ultimately fine lines and wrinkles. The good news is that there is a wealth of products that can combat all this.
Enter hyaluronic acid skincare. When applied topically to the skin, hyaluronic acid works to reduce trans-epidermal moisture loss and fortify the epidermal barrier function, leaving your skin hydrated and protected throughout the day.
Read more: The Best Hydrating Serums For Dry Skin, Expert-Approved
The hero ingredient of any skincare routine, hyaluronic is perfectly safe to use every day. In fact, most experts would encourage you to apply it twice a day, every day, as part of your morning and evening rituals. “It should be applied immediately after washing your face and before the application of lipid-based moisturisers.” Dr Barbara Sturm advises.
Vogue’s best hyaluronic acid serum shortlist:
When it comes to applying hyaluronic acid, it’s best to use high concentrations but in smaller doses, so anywhere between one to two per cent if it’s over the counter. “As a raw material hyaluronic acid is thick and gloopy,” says Dr AJ Sturnham, a GP who specialises in dermatology and founder of Decree, a cult skincare brand that offers an array of different hyaluronic acid products. “Your skin utilises it more effectively in smaller concentrated doses, staggered across the day and night regimen.” Sturm agrees. “The ideal formulation should be at its highest, optimal and absorbable dose or concentration so that it is able to pass the skin barrier to reach the dermis,” she says. Which is why it’s so important to always read product labels. If hyaluronic acid is not at its highest dose, it will be thin, watery and, therefore less effective.
Perhaps the best thing about hyaluronic acid is that it has the unique ability to enhance the power of any and every product you layer on top of it, which means it’s not only safe to use with all your other products and ingredients (like your vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol, moisturiser), it will actually increase their effectiveness, making it one of the best additions you could make to your skincare routine.
Below, shop British Vogue’s edit of the best hyaluronic acid serums and lotions to try now.
Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Potent formulas that are pleasant to use set Medik8’s professional-grade products apart. Here, that’s a quick-absorbing, weightless serum where hyaluronic acid is complemented by vitamin B5. Both work synergistically to boost moisture retention, granting soft and supple skin with fine lines that are smoothed.
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
The Inkey List’s budget-friendly option doesn’t scrimp on benefits. Made with 2 per cent hyaluronic acid (a concentration ideal for absorption) we love that this one melts into the skin without leaving any residue. It layers well under skincare and make-up to hydrate skin without stickiness.
Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
This is a serum that comes with much fanfare. After putting it to the test, we can see why. It’s an impossibly light fluid (considering it’s formed of five different types and weights of HA) which softens skin within seconds of applying. A mixture of silk proteins and vitamin C-packed plum extracts only add to its plumping effect, with the former restoring a healthy bounce and filling in fine lines.
Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Revitalising Toner
Why it’s Vogue approved:
After a fuss-free way to introduce hyaluronic acid? Try this toner from K-Beauty brand Laneige. Supercharged with ferment, gentle exfoliants and the brand’s patented blue hyaluronic, it primes the complexion to better absorb any product you follow it with. Unlike most resurfacing toners, it leaves skin feeling super comfortable and soothed, with micro-weight hyaluronic acid hydrating skin at the deepest layers.
La Roche-Posay HyaluB5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
With added niacinamide, vitamin B5 and thermal spring water, this serum offers a barrier-repairing boost. Great for restoring volume to dehydrated skin, its large molecule hyaluronic smooths wrinkles on the surface whilst a smaller molecule sinks in deeper to plump skin from within.
Tom Ford Hyaluronic Energising Mist
Why it’s Vogue approved:
We love it when great skincare is made simple and easy. Tom Ford’s spray takes all the hard work out of adding the hero hydrator to your existing routine, with a fine mist spray that lets you keep things hands-free. Plus, with caffeine and vitamin E, it’s an excellent pick-me-up to rehydrate with at any time of day.
Alpha H Hyaluronic 8 Super Serum with PrimalHyal UltraFiller
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Billed as a non-invasive alternative to injectable dermal fillers, the allure of this serum is its flash-filling formula. A whopping 8 molecular weights of hyaluronic acid ensure hydration plumps tissues at every level, whilst the addition of antioxidant cureberry extract preserves skin’s stores of collagen and elastin. Thick and tacky, it binds moisture to the skin instantly, and best of all, leaves no residue when massaged in.
Neal’s Yard Hyaluronic Hydrating Booster
Why it’s Vogue approved:
With organic aloe leaf juice and hibiscus extract, this serum draws on the power of plants to hydrate. This is a hyaluronic acid with some substance to it, with a rich, thick texture that is surprisingly quick to sink into skin. We recommend patting it over a face that’s dripping wet, then relaxing as it helps dry skin drink up every last drop of moisture.
Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator Lotion
Why it’s Vogue approved:
If you prefer formulas that are lightweight, look no further than this lotion from cult Japanese brand Hada Labo. Its thin, watery texture disappears into skin within seconds, but rest assured it’s working hard to rehydrate with three different types of hyaluronic acid. One you’ll want to follow with a moisturiser for the best results, it pulls in water from your skincare for a deeply hydrated complexion.
L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Filler 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Like filler in a bottle, L’Oreal’s fast-absorbing serum gives a plumping boost to faces that are feeling a little lax. Thanks to macro and micro molecules of hyaluronic acid, it works both on the surface and internally to smooth wrinkles, restoring lost volume with an optimal concentration of 1.5 per cent.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Dr. Barbabra Sturm has developed this serum to suit those with darker skin tones. Featuring multiweight hyaluronic acid enriched with skin-balancing Purslane and Lumicol, it tackles dryness, wrinkles, irritation and pigmentation with every full pipette. Hero ingredient Lumicol works to break down dark spots over time, making this one a sound investment for skin that’s hydrated, radiant and visibly renewed.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydration Support Formula
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Having democratised the industry with simple, super affordable, single-ingredient skincare, we can’t discuss the best hyaluronic acids without mentioning The Ordinary. The brand’s offering is a viscous serum that the driest skin types will love – just make sure you apply it on wet skin to make the most of the moisture-magnetising formula.
111Skin Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Booster
Why it’s Vogue approved:
The most sophisticated hyaluronic acid formulas boost moisture without leaving uncomfortable residues or stickiness, and here you’re looking at a fine example. Light enough to be dropped into your other skincare, this potent serum uses low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to penetrate the deepest layers of the skin. Skin is moisturised from the inside out, plus brightened and protected by the addition of niacinamide and urea.
CeraVe Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Why it’s Vogue approved:
Rich in ceramides and emollients, this serum has a consistency you might not expect. More like a moisturiser than a lightweight liquid, it combines all-important hyaluronic acid with nourishing ingredients. A great hybrid product with all the essentials for skin repair at every level, it attracts water and then keeps it locked in by fortifying the moisture barrier.
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