I’ve tried hundreds of hyaluronic acid serums, and this drugstore pick is the best

March 10, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC

Hyaluronic acid is the ultimate people pleaser of the beauty world: It’s recommended by every single dermatologist for keeping moisture within your skin, it works on all skin types, and it plays well with the rest of your routine. Because of its hydrating powers—and because I’m a beauty editor—you can bet that I’ve tried practically every one out there. My favorite? It’s a drugstore find: La Roche-Posay hyaluronic acid serum ($30).

When we talk about ghosts of HA past, my complexion has absorbed a very wide range, from over $300 options to those that cost less than $10 (and hundreds in between). This one won me over because it is incredibly effective in moisturizing my skin and you don’t really have to shell out a lot of money to reap its benefits.

Shop now: La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum, $30

The most important thing an effective hyaluronic acid serum needs is different molecular weights so that it can hydrate both the top and innermost layers of your skin. This one has that, plus added benefits of B5, which is a water-soluble vitamin that delivers moisture and helps to plump and protect your skin barrier. Studies have also shown that the vitamin helps to reduce redness and hyperpigmentation, which explains why my skin looks so radiant and even when using the serum.

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Dermatologists are fans of the drugstore serum, too. “It satisfies all the criteria: it’s hypoallergenic and great for all skin types,” says Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, board-certified dermatologist from Mudgil Dermatology. Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles, gushes that she loves it. “It’s smooth-feeling and hydrating,” she says, noting that the addition of B5 works to give your skin extra moisture as it “also promotes cell turnover.” In other words: The serum is a cocktail of ingredients that swirl together and transform your complexion into its most moisturized, dewy, plump, and redness-free ever. Grab one for yourself at the drugstore and thank me later.

Learn more about the beloved moisturizing ingredient in our episode of Dear Derm, below:

Other hydrating skin-care ingredients to check out are ceramides (commonly found in moisturizers), and niacinamide, which helps to protect and nourish your skin barrier. 

Author Rachel Lapidos | Well and Good
Selected by CWC