In the ever-expanding world of skincare, few ingredients have stood the test of time quite as well as hyaluronic acid. Once buried within the ingredients lists of your favourite dry skin moisturiser, the humectant (a substance that attracts moisture) is now a standalone skincare staple for many, be it in budget serums or luxury formulas that promise glass skin levels of hydration.
To get to the bottom of how the hero ingredient works, I spoke to Simon Ourian, MD, co-founder of the eponymous brand and dermatologist to the likes of Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga. Hyaluronic acid is “a naturally occurring molecule found in our bodies to help maintain moisture in our skin and lubricate the joints”, he explains. In skincare, it works by “drawing moisture from the environment and the deeper skin layers into the outer layers, creating a plump, smooth, and well-hydrated appearance”.
With such a popular skincare component comes the choice of formulas. Do you want a hyaluronic acid serum, cream or fluid? Would you like your formula to pile on peptides and niacinamide as a bonus? Pinning down the best one for you can feel overwhelming. So, with Dr Ourian’s advice in tow, I set about testing all manner of affordable, high-end and trending products to compile a definitive guide of the industry’s crème de la crème offerings. Here’s my final selection.
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The best hyaluronic acid products for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Vichy mineral 89 hyaluronic acid booster serum: £18.66, Boots.com
- Best budget buy – Simple 3% hyaluronic acid + B5 booster serum: £6, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for plumping – Rhode peptide glazing fluid: £32, Sephora.co.uk
- Best for dry skin – CeraVe hydrating hyaluronic acid serum with ceramides: £23, Boots.com
- Best for sensitive skin – E45 hydrating serum: £11.30, Amazon.co.uk
Read more: Best moisturisers for dry skin, tested
Vichy mineral 89 hyaluronic acid booster serum
Rating: 5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid overall
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) and ‘89%’ volcanic water, plus glycerin
Skin type: All
Cruelty free: No
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- It’s slippy, a little goes a long way
- Weightless while still feeling as though it’s added hydration
- Layers well with other skincare and make-up
The Vichy mineral 89 hyaluronic acid booster serum was one of the first serums I used, and it remains one of my favourite formulas for instant and lasting hydration. Not only does it revive dull skin, giving it a temporary boost in elasticity, but it also feels cooling.
After using the serum all these years, I’ve seen it bring my dry winter skin back to life each morning, not to mention being lightweight enough for the warmer months.
It pairs excellently with other products without leaving a greasy residue and, though it’s hard to put any fine line minimising results down solely to the regenerative properties of the volcanic water (with other anti-agers at play in my routine), the addition certainly didn’t hinder.
Buy now £18.66, Boots.com
Simple 3% hyaluronic acid + B5 booster serum
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: budget hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: ‘3% active ingredients’ (bonus - it’s actually 3.5%), broken down as 0.5% hyaluronic acid, 0.5% hydrating and barrier-boosting pentavitin, and 2.5% healing provitamin b5
Skin type: All
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Unscented but does smell clean like all
- Simple products
- Light as air on the skin
- Great value and a top pick for a first foray with skincare serums
Take note
- 3% hyaluronic acid branding is a tad misleading given the above breakdown shows only 0.5% HA in reality
It’s always a nice surprise to find affordable yet effective skincare and this serum from Simple is just that. It hydrates and softens without breaking the bank and, if you’re someone who’s overdone it with the AHAs/BHAs or perhaps a retinol, the included pentavitin here will be a welcome sight.
Plus, while it might not have the immediate clout of amber glass to protect its ingredients, it’s worth noting that this serums’s white glass is actually opaque for the same effect. For me, the formula felt both nourishing and quenching, working to negate tightness on the surface as well as providing hydration into my pores post-toning.
Buy now £6, Amazon.co.uk
Skinceuticals hyaluronic acid intensifier multi-glycan
Rating: 4/5
Best: hyaluronic acid serum for oily skin
Key ingredients: 1.3% pure hyaluronic acid in three forms (sodium hyaluronate), salicylic acid derivatives, soothing fermented bacteria (lactobacillus ferment), licorice root, rice, glycerin
Skin type: All, but particularly suited to dehydrated skin (which oily and combination types often are)
Cruelty-free: No
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Features three types of humectant to maximise long-lasting hydration
- Pairs well with existing skincare
- Non-greasy
Take note
- Expensive
- Doesn't stretch very far for price
Skinceuticals’s HA intensifier multi-glycan serum feels tailor-made for oily and combination skin types that want hydration without heaviness. The texture is definitely more serum-like than watery or oily, and leaves the skin notably chilled and invigorated after applying, which furthers the feeling of hydration.
It melds neatly with other product and neither pills nor leaves skin feeling slick. This also means there isn’t a huge amount of slip, so drier complexions may find themselves reaching for around two full pipettes to comfortably cover the face, which does make the high price point feel steeper still.
That said, I noticed it beginning to remedy my skin’s dullness after just one use and, regarding my pores (something oily types typically see more of), its plumping abilities rendered them less gaping and eye-drawing within seconds. If your skin is prone to shine but you still need a moisture boost, and your budget isn’t limiting – look no further.
Buy now £120, Lookfantastic.com
Boots Ingredients collagen booster
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid for anti-ageing
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), plant-derived acacia collagen and glycerin
Skin type: All, but specifically mature
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- A great alternative to animal-derived collagen
- Bonus that it’s a two-in-one anti-ageing/hydrating serum
- Dries into the skin in less than a minute
Take note
- Pump is a little cheap (it squirts the product at you a little vigorously)
Admittedly, the packaging of this serum is a tad unsightly and it’s not going to garner you oodles of likes on your next #bathroominspo Instagram venture. That said, the formula is a repeat sell out with Boots and it’s no surprise. If you’re using a stronger retinol at night, then the plant-derived collagen will work as a lighter means of keeping that anti-ageing theme going in the daytime, not to mention saving you from investing in two separate treatments.
Certainly, the collagen serum hydrates, plumps and – I found – leaves the skin looking and feeling satiny smooth in anticipation of your moisturiser, SPF and foundation.
Buy now £6, Boots.com
Glow Recipe plum plump hyaluronic serum
Rating: 5/5
Best: best Korean skincare hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: Five different weights of hyaluronic acid to treat both the surface and deeper levels of the skin, vitamin C from plums, plant-derived acacia collagen and peptides
Skin type: All bar sensitive
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: Yes, but naturally
Why we love it
- So, so many benefits for the skin from brightening to anti-ageing
- Smells lovely
I was wowed at all the benefits offered by this serum from Glow Recipe. It works to minimise the appearance of current wrinkles and fine lines with peptides; it helps to prevent the creation of new wrinkles and fine lines with collagen; vitamin C aids with firming and brightness; and of course the hyaluronic acid helps to hydrate.
What’s more, thanks to the different weights of HA, it will not only hydrate but soothe, too, with the heavier molecular weight HA helping to heal and comfort inflammation while the lower molecular weight can provide moisture at a deeper level. For me, this serum was not only pleasant to apply from a scent POV (something Glow Recipe is known for), but left my skin feeling cooled, non-tight and flush with hydration.
Buy now £41, Cultbeauty.co.uk
CeraVe hydrating hyaluronic acid serum with ceramides
Rating: 5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid for dry skin
Key ingredients: Three types of ceramides, healing vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) and glycerin
Skin type: All, especially combination and dry
Cruelty free: No
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Great for skin that feels tight
- A top pick for a pared back skincare routine
It’s no secret that we love CeraVe here at IndyBest and, as such, it’ll come as no surprise that this serum wowed just as much as our other vitamin C and eye cream faves. While I have oily skin, I had no issues with the creamier texture of this formula compared to traditional liquid-style products. I did acknowledge the aptness of the product for dryer skin types however, with the smoothing and comforting feel of the included ceramides making CeraVe’s hyaluronic acid a two-in-one nourishing and thirst quenching product, ideal for any winter dry patches.
In fact, with the added B5 (which helps to fast track healing), I actually think this formula comes into its own in the chillier months, especially for those of us who suffer with any flaking around our nose come cold/flu season. I was suffering with some cracking around the mouth area during this trial, and found this to feel eased and less brittle post-application. Another clean sweep for CeraVe, it would seem!
Buy now £23, Boots.com
Éclat hyaluronic acid serum for face
Rating: 5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid on Amazon
Key ingredients: Soothing witch hazel, vitamin E, aloe vera, two types of hyaluronic acid, nourishing jojoba oil, vitamin C and anti-ageing Chinese ginseng
Skin type: All, specifically sensitive or acne-prone skin
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Loads of skincare buzzwords to nourish, brighten and firm
- An excellent ‘does it all’ serum for lazy and new skincare comers alike
I must admit, our expectations for this serum were low. I can be guilty of overlooking products listed on Amazon, but upon discovering that Éclat’s hyaluronic acid serum was supremely popular with my friends in the ‘States, I knew I had to give it a whirl. And I’m so glad I did.
Much like Glow Recipe above, the sheer number of skin-loving ingredients here (especially for its superb price point) is sensational. In a unique two fold approach for the brand, the witch hazel will soothe and tend to inflamed blemishes for teen/acne-prone skin while, for more mature skin the Chinese ginseng will encourage elasticity and revitalised ‘skin energy.’ It’s really a serum for all, and upon reviewing it I enjoyed how my skin both looked and felt awake after use, even in the early hours of the morning.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon.co.uk
The Ordinary hyaluronic acid 2% and B5
Rating: 5/5
Best: concentration of hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: Five types of hyaluronic acid, broken down as low, medium and high molecular weight varieties for both surface and deeper skin efficacy, a hyaluronic acid crosspolymer and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid. Plus ceramides, pro-vitamin b5, fatty acids and glycerin.
Skin type: All
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Penetrates the skin as much as possible with three weights of HA
- Caters to the needs of both dry and oily skin
- Ultra affordable for everything it’s offering
Much like CeraVe, The Ordinary is an affordable skincare brand that I find myself impressed with time and time again. For its price, aesthetic packaging and FIVE types of hyaluronic acid, you probably can’t get a more effective form of HA alone. And The Ordinary’s product is much more than ‘just’ HA, too, featuring ceramides to combat flaking and dryness, pro-vitamin b5 to heal inflammation and fatty acids to prevent the development of fine lines.
As always, The Ordinary’s formulas are simple in an application sense – scent-free and without any capsule-bursting bell and whistle-elements – but I found this one to be a solid hydrator come morning or night, with a more liquid versus stretchy feel. Layer it with a moisturiser to suit your skin type, as we did, and you’ll be left with a healthy-looking glow all day long.
Buy now £8.8, Boots.com
Medik8 hydr8 B5 serum
Rating: 4/5
Best: ‘to the point’ hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: Small, medium and large molecular weights of hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) for more widespread hydration, two types of vitamin B5 (calcium pantothenate and panthenol) and skin softening glycerol
Skin type: All
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Doesn’t over complicate things and seven ingredients are easy enough to figure out without a science degree
- Pipette is handily marked with dosage amounts
Take note
- The price
- Not as slippery and easy to distribute
A serum that’s quite premium at just shy of £40, Medik8’s hydr8 serum doesn’t impress on the packaging front. It’s simple and understated, but the matte coating on my bottle did start to shed after a few months. This leads me to believe that the brand’s budget went largely into ingredients, which I’m certainly not opposed to. Indeed, the brand does describe how the serum possesses multiple molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to give shoppers skin hydration that delves beyond surface-level.
With this in mind, I did feel that my skin was left hydrated more so than, say, with a face mist, but the brand does call for six drops upon application – something which felt like a lot given both the small quantity (30ml) in the bottle and the high price.
Buy now £45, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Rhode peptide glazing fluid
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid for plumping skin
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), peptides, niacinamide, fatty acids
Skin type: All bar acne-prone or very sensitive
Cruelty-free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Multi-tasking
- Skin feels instantly hydrated
Take note
- 'Glazing' description feels inaccurate
If leaving the shower renders your skin gasping for a drink of water, Rhode’s peptide glazing fluid will be the solution to your woes. The milky formula disappears almost instantly, and my oily yet dehydrating skin slurped it up in less than a minute, with three pumps comfortably covering my face in full.
Despite the ‘glazing’ name, the finish is more plump, fresh and quenched than overtly glassy – but that’s not to say I didn’t like it. Though the difference isn’t drastic, I felt my skin looked healthier after application (as shown below), with a touch more fullness between my brows and across my cheeks.
Fragrance-free and fuss-free, it layered beautifully beneath moisturiser, with no pilling or residue, and it felt as though my usual cream had saturated my skin more thoroughly afterwards. That said, drier skin types will still want to follow quickly with moisturiser, as I noticed a slight itchiness before sealing everything in.
Buy now £32, Sephora.co.uk
Skin1004 Madagascar centella matrixyl 10% boosting shot ampoule
Rating: 5/5
Best: hyaluronic acid serum for microneedling
Key ingredients: Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, peptides, glycerin, centella asiatica, volufiline, panthenol (provitamin b5)
Skin type: All, though patch testing is recommended for sensitive types
Cruelty-free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Spicules are gentle
- Multiple benefits across hydration, anti-ageing and skin soothing
- Subsequent skincare absorbs better
Take note
- Pipette performance is poor and takes multiple attempts to release product
Skin1004’s centella matrixyl serum offers a lot of bang for your buck and, for less than £20, you can bring a bit of the spa into every morning. That’s because it mimics a microneedling treatment with spicules, which are tiny, needle-like marine sponges designed to create micro-channels across the skin’s surface. Not only do they aim to boost the absorption of the included HA, but they can help your subsequent skincare to penetrate better, too.
Upon application, the spicules are noticeably tingly, but not painful. This feeling continues as you layer on your moisturiser and SPF, which, I felt, lets you know that the formula is really getting to work.
Unlike some HA serums that deliver an instant quenched feeling (see Rhode above), this one is more subtle upfront, with the real benefits following afterwards as you feel your moisturisers and creams being slurped up and into the skin. After my full skincare routine was complete, my face definitely feel cooler, more alive and ready to face the day ahead.
The pipette is frustrating and required more than five squeezes to dispense enough product to cover my forehead, cheeks and chin. Thankfully, the versatility of this formula – from its plumping peptides to calming centella asiatica – make the fiddly application worthwhile.
Buy now £16.99, Justmylook.com
Revolution skincare plumping and hydrating serum - 2% hyaluronic acid
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: vegan hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: Two types of hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer), glycerin and glycerol
Skin type: All
Cruelty free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- A real positive to see two types of HA for the price, as well as two types of the glycerol compound
- The same type of glass bottle as its high-end counterparts
- Feeling plumping and adequately preps the skin for your next step
Take note
- No benefits outside of hydrating, but we can’t complain for the price
It does what it says on the tin is the theme with Revolution’s 2% HA and I’m perfectly satisfied with that for its sub-£10 price. Plus, with a guaranteed 2% (versus some brands including a mere sprinkle of the stuff), this is a great dose of pure hydration to send you out on your way in dry, winter weather and, equally, the dry heat of summer.
It’s without fragrance (and it’s natural scent is inoffensive) and I found it to put my skin in a springy state, perfectly spongy and ready to absorb all the goodness from my oncoming moisturisers and SPFs.
Buy now £10.11, Amazon.co.uk
Summer Fridays jet lag deep hydration serum
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: trending hyaluronic acid
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, glycerin, oat, arnica, ceramides, centella asiatica, niacinamide, amino acids
Skin type: Dry to combination, including sensitive
Cruelty-free: Yes
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Heaps of skin-loving ingredients to justify high price
- Largely non-comedogenic (1x emollient – cetyl ethylhexanoate – has low comedogenic rating, but not zero)
- Absorbs into skin quickly
Take note
- Can pill if layered with too many creamy make-up products
Launched in August 2024, this serum has garnered some serious love over the past year. It’s no surprise thanks to its huge list of skincare actives. Generally speaking, hyaluronic acid serums tackle dehydration, but with niacinamide to regulate oil production, Summer Fridays’ blend also tends to under nourished skin (aka, skin that’s lacking natural sebum/oil).
It features a few film-forming ingredients to add further moisture, so I was slightly hesitant that it would feel heavy on the skin. Thankfully, I needn’t have been, and the creamy serum absorbed swiftly without any greasy residue.
My skin often appears lacklustre and dull first thing in the morning, but the jet lag serum was an instant remedy, giving my face a healthy-looking bounce before I went about my day. If you’re one to layer lots of skincare and make-up products, you might see a slight pill. However, this was easy to avoid if I didn’t overwork my various foundations and cream bronzers.
Buy now £44, Spacenk.com
E45 hydrating serum
Rating: 4/5
Best: hyaluronic acid for sensitive skin
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), microalgae, glycerin
Skin type: All but especially sensitive
Cruelty-free: No
Fragranced: No
Why we love it
- Affordable
- Slippery and doesn't drag on irritated skin
- Gives skin a glow when used under make-up
Take note
- Slightly sticky after drying down
E45’s hydrating serum is a no-frills hyaluronic acid that, for less than £15, does what you want it to and not much more. Two pipette squeezes proved more than enough for my whole face, largely because the formula has stretchy slip to it that spreads easily across skin without dragging.
Fragrance-free and only faintly clinical-smelling, it feels well suited to sensitive skin types. While it definitely boosted my skin’s hydration, it left behind a slight tackiness that turns into a tighter feeling as the minutes pass, so I’d still recommend following with your moisturiser swiftly, particularly on drier skin types.
Admittedly, I didn’t notice a dramatic visible difference to my bare skin after application (as shown below), but it gave my complexion a fresher, more radiant look beneath make-up – I even received compliments on my skin’s “glow.”
Buy now £11.3, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about hyaluronic acid answered
What is the best hyaluronic acid?
The HA serum I enjoyed the most after my 12 week trial (and the two years of subsequent testing) was Vichy’s mineral 89. Everything from its price and slightly bigger 50ml size, to its fragrance-free, springy formula impressed, and my skin and wallet were left feeling comforted. Honourable mentions certainly go to Glow Recipe’s plum plump and Rhode’s peptide glazing serum for their sheer quantity of skin-loving actives (think: peptides and vitamins C + E), while The Ordinary’s HA + B5 formula wowed with its hefty concentration of hyaluronic acid itself. The overall feel was that fleshing out lots of cash to secure an effective hyaluronic acid formula wasn’t really necessary, but that’s not to say that the likes of Medik8 and Skinceuticals didn’t prove suitable, I’d merely suggest investing your skincare budget elsewhere – e.g. on a retinol or LED mask.
When should I use hyaluronic acid, and how often?
For the best results, use your hyaluronic acid products both morning and night, post-cleansing. Like moisturiser, it’s a great way to seal in the rest of your skincare products. Dr. Ourian says: “It’s best to apply it on damp skin and follow up with a moisturiser to lock in that moisture—this way, it doesn’t pull hydration from the skin itself, especially in dry climates.”
Can hyaluronic acid be used for all skin types?
Part of the beauty of hyaluronic acid is it suits all skin types, even sensitive or acne-prone. While some brands may specialise their product towards certain skin types, it’s generally a very safe and kind product for all to use.
Can hyaluronic acid and retinol be used together?
In short: yes. Retinol is a very strong skincare product (read our article on the best retinol, for more information on how best to use it) and, when combined with hyaluronic acid, they work together to help with a multitude of skincare concerns, creating a more youthful and radiant complexion when combined.
What does it mean when hyaluronic acids have different molecular weights?
While it sounds scientific and technical, Dr. Ourian breaks down the meaning of molecular weights for us in layman’s terms. “Hyaluronic acid molecules come in different sizes and are used in skincare products for various purposes,” he explains. “Small molecules penetrate deeper to improve elasticity, while larger ones sit on the surface, providing an immediate hydration boost.”
He adds that both weights of the ingredient can boost your skin’s moisture level but explains how “when you have different molecular weights, it’s the best possible outcome for immediate and long-term benefits, and ensures hydration reaches all layers of the skin”.
How I tested hyaluronic acids
My guide to the best hyaluronic acids has now been the work of more than two years. Back in 2024, I spent a period of three months testing a range of popular, affordable and high-end HA formulas. Now, two years on, I’ve reassessed my initial choices, swapping out any that didn’t stand the test if time and supplementing my picks with a handful of new favourites. Between 2024 and now, I tried a selection of multitasking and pure hyaluronic acid formulas, taking into account both recent launches and long-standing industry performers. I noted my first impressions of each product, plus my opinions after extended use, giving each formula at least five days of AM and PM use. Specifically, I considered the following criteria:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lucy Smith is The Independent’s senior shopping writer. She specialises in skincare and make-up and has a wealth of knowledge on everything from SPF moisturisers to micellar waters. She’s also a lifelong user of hyaluronic acid serums and has spent months researching everything from ingredient lists to formula concentrations to discover those that work – and the ones that miss the mark.
Meet the expert
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