Bring Dull, Dry Skin Back To Life With These 16 Hydrating Face Serums
Bright, clear, glowing skin. We all dream of it—and some days, it’s a reality. On other days, whether it’s due to moisture-sucking winter weather or a late-night Netflix binge, we wake up looking (and feeling) rather lackluster. If you want to put the pep back into your complexion, there are a number of things you can do from upping your H2O intake to applying hyaluronic acid-infused sheet masks. Whatever your approach, one thing holds true: almost all paths to radiant skin start with hydration. And when it comes to hydration, there’s a skincare product that dives deeper than the rest—hydrating face serums.
Serums are a go-to to target many of our skincare concerns from acne to hyperpigmentation, so it’s no wonder they're the first thing we reach for when we need a moisture boost. Board-certified dermatologist Deanna Mraz Robinson, MD tells us why. “Serums are formulated with a higher concentration of active ingredients than in a lotion or moisturizer. They are also designed to absorb deeper into the skin, reaching foundational structures that impact a variety of skin issues, including hydration.” So they help hydrate your skin from the inside out, but are they really different from other hydrators in your skincare stash? Dr. Robinson explains, “Hydrating serums are typically water-based and oil-free, so they can better absorb into the skin. They lack the occlusive quality that petrolatum or mineral oils provide in most heavier moisturizers. Hydrating serums also draw water into the skin’s deeper structures, while oil and lipid-based moisturizers lock that moisture in at the skin’s surface.” Sounds like a win-win for your skin, right?
If you’re ready to add a hydrating serum to your skincare routine, there are endless options to choose from in the skincare aisle. To make it easy, we’ve rounded up 16 amazing hydrating serums to keep your skin plump, radiant, and happy.
Meet the Expert
Deanne Robinson, MD, is a dermatologist based in Connecticut.
1. Best On a Budget (But Still Packs a Punch):
THE ORDINARY Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Chances are you’ve seen this brand all over your Insta. And, if you’re like us, been blown away by their super (and we mean, super) affordable formulas that promise just as much as pricier brands on the market. We always have a good hyaluronic acid serum on hand. You’ll find many on this list thanks to the ingredient’s ability to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. That means it’s your skin’s best friend when it comes to hydration, which this ultra-pure, vegan formula truly delivers. There’s nothing fussy or fancy about this stuff—it just works.
2. Best Skin Barrier-Boosting Serum:
CERAVE Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Have you heard of a little something called your skin barrier? Well, it’s key to keeping your skin healthy as your body’s first line of defense against the bad stuff (like pollution, UV rays, and more). A strong skin barrier also helps prevent moisture loss. CERAVE’S serum is made with three ceramides—aka lipids that make up part of your skin barrier—to help retain moisture that already exists, in addition to the vitamin B5 and this hyaluronic acid this serum delivers.
3. Best Brightening Serum:
SUNDAY RILEY C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
When your skin is healthy and hydrated, it’ll show in your glow. For an all-over radiance and moisture boost, look no further than this vitamin C serum that’s become a cult fave. It’s packed with vitamin C, known to brighten and even out skin, and fade dark spots. Plus, it helps protect against environmental aggressors like blue light, UV rays, and pollution thanks to a heavy dose of antioxidants.
4. Best for Pillowy Soft Skin:
GLOSSIER Super Bounce Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum
The name says it all. This super popular serum tops many lists for its ability to bring dull skin to life while softening, smoothing, and plumping. It’s all thanks to three (yes, three!) molecular weights of hyaluronic acid that work together to draw in moisture, and vitamin B5 (another major ingredient in hydrating serums) that helps your skin lock it all in for the long haul. We’ve also got to note the serum’s super satisfying lightweight texture—it absorbs so quickly and feels fresh on your skin.
5. Best Hydrating Gel Serum:
SKINCEUTICALS Hydrating B5 Gel
Introducing another vitamin B5-based skincare hero. This fresh gel-serum hybrid is a favorite of Dr. Robinson, who says, “This serum combines vitamin B5 (an antioxidant that promotes the skin barrier health) with hyaluronic acid to help bind moisture to the skin. It can be used alone or with a daily moisturizer to provide extra hydration, and is an ideal moisturizer for acne-prone skin.”
6. Best Vitamin C-Based Serum:
BUTTAH SKIN Vitamin C Serum
If you have darker skin that’s prone to dark spots, we know finding the right serum to fade them without being harsh can be a struggle. This brand is specially designed to deliver what your skin tone needs. This antioxidant-rich serum is made with vitamin C to help brighten and even skin tone, reverse photo-aging, and more, while ferulic acid stimulates cell turnover. A blend of grapeseed extract, green tea, and chamomile extract provides antioxidant protection while nourishing and soothing skin.
7. Best Hyaluronic Acid-Packed Serum:
GLOW RECIPE Plum Pump Hyaluronic Serum
This brand always wins points for super fun packaging and even more fun formulas. This one’s made with three antioxidant-rich plums including Kakadu plum, known to have one of the highest concentrations of skin-brightening vitamin C out there. But there’s a reason we’re calling it “hyaluronic acid-packed”: It’s made with five molecular weights of hyaluronic acid for a hydration boost like no other. It also helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and it’s made with vegan collagen to promote a healthy skin barrier.
8. Best Anti-Aging Serum:
LA ROCHE POSAY Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
From one of our favorite drugstore (OK, fancy drugstore) brands comes this vitamin b5-rich hydrating serum that’s perfect for when you’re seeing fine lines on your face and neck. It helps minimize the appearance of signs of aging by helping to smooth, firm, and plump skin, and it helps maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier. Madecassoside, derived from the Centella Asiatica plant, helps nourish your skin, too.
9. Best Collagen-Infused Serum:
FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Hydrating Skin
We know we can count on FIRST AID BEAUTY on our driest skin days. Their skin-quenching formulas are rich in healthy ingredients that treat your skin both instantly and over time. Case in point: This water-based serum that’s made with hyaluronic acid and collagen to help lock in moisture and improve skin’s overall appearance and texture. It’s the perfect serum to show your skin some TLC whenever it needs a boost.
10. Best Under Makeup:
PETER THOMAS ROTH Water Drench Hyaluronic Liquid Gel Cloud Serum
This gel-serum formula is like a wave of moisture for your skin. It’s lightweight, fast-absorbing, and does the job without feeling heavy or sticky. In fact, it hydrates and leaves nothing but soft, supple skin behind. Dr. Robinson is a fan as well and adds, “The clear gel serum has 75% HA that quenches dehydrated skin without weighing it down. It’s perfect for layering with skincare and makeup for a soft, matte finish”.
11. Best for Banishing Dullness:
DRUNK ELEPHANT B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum
Aside from loving DRUNK ELEPHANT’s adorable packaging, we’re huge fans of their unique formulations made with ingredients we never knew our skin loved. This popular formula is made with vitamin B5 and pineapple ceramides that help boost your skin barrier and your radiance. A complex of lentil, apple and watermelon help combat dryness and dullness, and minimize fine lines for an overall younger, glowier complexion.
12. Best Hyaluronic Acid Ampoules:
ISDIN SKINCEUTICS Hyaluronic Booster Intensive Hyaluronic Acid Ampoules
Ampoules are a great way to deliver exactly what your skin needs, where it needs it. Dr. Robinson recommends these hyaluronic acid-based ones and says, “These are a great way to treat your skin during the winter months and give it a boost of hydration. Ampoules are highly concentrated with hyaluronic acid and peptides to plump dehydrated skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.” She adds, “These are meant to be used to jump-start a hydrating skincare routine, or to boost your skincare routine as needed. These are oil-free and non-comedogenic, so they are great for all skin types, even acne-prone.”
13. Best for Plump, Bouncy Skin:
HERBIVORE Cloud Jelly Pink Plumping Hydration Serum
For skincare that feels and looks like a dream, this brand of plant-based skincare is your holy grail. Each bottle looks like a little gem on your vanity and treats your skin like a treasure with heavy-hitting (and rare) ingredients. This hydrating serum uses tremella mushroom, a hyaluronic acid alternative) and vegan collagen to leave your skin feeling soft, plump, and quenched. Plus, the bouncy, jelly-like texture feels so fresh on your skin.
14. Best for Dewy Skin:
ÉVOLUÉ SKINCARE Hydrating Serum
A great sign that you’ve achieved a happy, hydrated complexion is when you see that coveted dewy glow. This luxurious-feeling serum uses three types of hyaluronic acid to make it happen and has an instant plumping effect to boot. Use it to kiss dullness goodbye and wake up tired skin—trust us, your skin will thank you for it.
15. Best Skin-Soothing Serum:
111SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Booster
When our skin is calm and soothed, so are we. This daily formula is here to do just what its name promises: bathe your skin in much-needed moisture by delivering highly concentrated ingredients into your skin. To get sciency, it uses a low molecular weight hyaluronic acid that travels deep into your skin, to hydrate its lower layers and plump things up from the inside out. Plus, it’s perfect for all skin types.
16. Best Niacinamide Serum:
VERSO SKINCARE Hydration Serum
Speaking of science, this brand’s smart formulas are backed by it, so you know they work. This milky-gel formula is made with a mix of oat lipids that are rich in ceramides, beta-glucans, vitamin E, and skin-identical fatty acids, and more that help protect, nourish, and bind water to your skin. A high concentration of niacinamide (rich in vitamin B3) helps repair your skin barrier to lock it in. Dry skin? See ya, never.
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