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There’s only a handful of skincare products that can make a huge difference in your complexion. And a hyaluronic acid serum is better than those! Because it does it instantly with only a few drops! Slathering your face with a hyaluronic acid serum is like running a bone-dry sponge under the water and watching it come to life, change color, and plump up. The best drugstore hyaluronic acid serums rattle the cages of your skin and wake it up for a radiant, fresh, and plump look.
So what exactly does hyaluronic acid (HA) do for your skin? And what might be the obvious and not-so-obvious benefits of it? To simplify things, I give you these tiny chewable bits of information on all things hyaluronic acid.
- It’s an incredible humectant and is already present in your skin.
- It decreases over time and topical hyaluronic acid application is the next best thing.
- It literally keeps the juice flowing because it’s a hydrator.
- 1 tiny HA molecule can hold 1000 water molecules. Chew on that for a second. It’s that hydrating.
- It draws water in either from the air or up from the deeper layers of your skin.
- We want the former, not the latter. And the key to that is humidity.
- 50+% humidity is ideal for your skin.
- HA has a plumping effect on the skin which is the result of intense hydration.
- It fills in wrinkles and softens their look.
- Hydration = Radiant + Smooth + Soft Skin.
- All skin types, dry/normal/combination/oily, need water. So, HA is suitable for all.
- For best results, apply on clean face and lock it in with your moisturizer.
Hyaluronic acid can be found in several skincare products like anti-aging serums, moisturizers, face washes, and even toners! It goes well with almost everything and it’s easy to combine with other ingredients.
So, even though you can benefit a lot from pure hyaluronic acid serums, you can also benefit from HA serums that have other ingredients too. It doesn’t decrease efficacy, it just means more bang for your buck!
The Best Drugstore Hyaluronic Acid Serums
Scroll down for the best drugstore hyaluronic acid serums on the market.
1. La Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant of the gods, but this drugstore serum adds vitamin B5 into the mix to enhance the formula. Because vitamin B5 is also moisturizing for the skin, besides having some serious anti-inflammatory benefits. The two soften the skin while madecassoide (derived from Centella Asiatica) calms the skin and reduces redness.
The serum instantly absorbs into the skin and visibly plumps it up. The super-hydrated skin ends up looking supple, which reduces the visibility of wrinkles and lines. Simple as that! The hyaluronic acid serum is oil-free and like most La Roche products, suitable for sensitive skin. But it does contain fragrance, so keep that in mind.
Other Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin B5, Centella Asiatica
Skin Type: All, including sensitive
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, paraben-free
2. Olay Deep Hydration Serum B3 + Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrating is one thing, keeping the water in is another thing. A healthy skin barrier function is essential for the skin to keep moisture in. This hyaluronic acid serum reduces moisture loss with niacinamide aka vitamin B3. Because niacinamide is super helpful in improving the skin barrier function.
By doing that, the serum actually helps your moisturizer to last longer. The lightweight formula replenishes the skin, which people with dry skin will especially appreciate. FYI, niacinamide is on our list of ingredients to look for in hydrating serums for dry skin.
Other Ingredients: Niacinamide, glycerin, vitamin B5
Skin Type: All
Size: 1.3 oz
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, paraben-free
3. CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Speaking of dry skin, ceramides are also among the ingredients that dry skin types benefit a lot from. Ceramides create a protective layer on the skin to prevent anything useful from going out and anything harmful from coming in. This drugstore serum has hyaluronic acid for intense hydration and ceramides for intense protection.
Additionally, it has vitamin B5 to enhance moisture and calm irritation, which is highly common in dry and dehydrated skin. The fragrance-free formula plumps up the skin and boosts up radiance, and is amazing for sobering up hangover skin.
Other Ingredients: Ceramides, vitamin B5
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Paraben-free, fragrance-free
4. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
A quick reminder; hyaluronic acid as a skincare ingredient can come in different molecular sizes. Because bigger molecules help with the surface of the skin whereas smaller molecules penetrate into the deeper layers. When your serum has both, your skin can benefit from the ingredient on all possible levels. Having said that, this affordable serum contains hyaluronic acid in different molecular sizes to hydrate the skin inside and out.
And seriously, it does not get any more affordable than this! The product boasts 2% hyaluronic acid combined with vitamin B5. While increasing the water content in your skin, you get to collect anti-inflammatory benefits. Stock up and layer on bare skin to revive your complexion, eliminate dehydration, and get rid of dullness.
Other Ingredients: Vitamin B5, glycerin
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free, oil-free, silicone-free
5. L’Oreal Revitalift Derm Intensives Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum
This is another one of the best drugstore hyaluronic acid serums to bathe your skin in. The formula has a combination of different size HA molecules to improve the skin’s outer layers as well as the deeper layers.
The fragrance-free serum is a simple yet targeted concentration and absorbs easily into the skin, leaving it glowy and luminous. It’s the quickest way to restore hydration whether it’s caused by harsh weather or too much sun exposure. You can’t smell the hydration because it’s fragrance-free, but you’ll definitely feel it.
Other Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin B5
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic
6. Versed Moisture Maker Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum
If you’re not familiar, polyglutamic acid is touted to be as hydrating as hyaluronic acid, if not more. But what makes it superior is that while hyaluronic acid attracts and binds water to the skin, polyglutamic acid helps retain that water!
That’s why this serum with polyglutamic acid is amazing for dry, dehydrated skin. The gel-textured serum contains several forms of hyaluronic acid to ensure maximum hydration. It’s clean, it’s minimal, and it’s super lightweight. And budget-friendly!
Other Ingredients: Polyglutamic acid, vitamin B5, snow mushroom extract, gluconolactone
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily, acne-prone
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Paraben-free
7. No 7 HydraLuminous Water Concentrate
Stepping into anti-aging for a bit, this face serum packs your favorite antioxidants to take care of your skin while HA quenches the thirsty skin. The usual suspects, namely vitamins C & E, prevent and treat the signs of photodamage while reducing pigmentation.
HA instantly plumps up the skin for a smoother texture and a bouncy feel. And the antioxidants combat wrinkles for long-term benefits. The budget-friendly serum is perfect for dull and dehydrated skin.
Other Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B5, glycerin
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
8. Vichy LiftActiv Supreme H.A. Wrinkle Corrector
And speaking of anti-aging, the best part about hyaluronic acid for people who are dealing with wrinkles like me is its instant skin-plumping effects. It just fills in wrinkles and smoothes them out. And that effect of hyaluronic acid is super noticeable with this formula. This 1.5% hyaluronic acid serum is like water.
And ‘fast absorbing’ is an understatement. Because it disappears into the skin, leaves no uncomfortable feeling, and instantly illuminates the complexion. Plus, it has a gentle form of vitamin C to neutralize free radicals, and vitamin B5 to soothe the skin too. Everyone’s raving about Vichy’s Mineral 89 HA Serum. But trust me, this is much better! Apply it around the eye area to plump up under-eye wrinkles too!
Other Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin B5, glycerin
Skin Type: All, including sensitive
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic
9. Physicians Formula Skin Booster Vitamin Shot Hydrating
This is a bottle of water for your skin and it’s packed with all the skin-replenishing and barrier-restoring goodies. Besides hyaluronic acid, it has aloe water, vitamin B3, and vitamin B5.
Plus, it has vitamin E to add some antioxidant benefits to the mix to fend off free radicals. The serum draws water into the skin and gives you a beautiful base for long-lasting moisture. It’s vegan, fragrance-free, and suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
Other Ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin B5, licorice extract, aloe
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, fragrance-free
10. Bliss Glow & Hydrate Day Hyaluronic Serum
Similar to the one above, this serum also contains additional goodies to enhance hydration. Hyaluronic acid, vitamin B3, vitamin E, and aloe -all the favorites!
With the help of niacinamide, the clean serum boosts radiance and helps repair the compromised skin barrier. That way, you enjoy soft, smooth, and radiant skin with a healthier barrier.
Other Ingredients: Niacinamide, glycerin, aloe
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
11. The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
Keeping it budget-friendly and straight to the point, The Inkey List offers one of the most affordable hyaluronic acid serums. The formula has 2% hyaluronic acid in different sizes. Moreover, it has signal peptides for added anti-aging benefits. Signal peptides stimulate collagen synthesis to improve the look of aging skin.
And even though they’re potent anti-agers, they’re not irritating. If you have sensitive skin, they are among the ingredients to look for in your anti-aging products. Combining peptides with hyaluronic acid, the serum gives you plump and smooth skin instantly and over time.
Other Ingredients: Peptides, glycerin, sodium lactate
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
12. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Serum
The whole Hydro Boost collection revolves around hydrating with hyaluronic acid really. And this serum is the lightest of all containing our star ingredient as the ultimate humectant. All skin types, especially people with oily skin, can use it comfortably as it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy on the skin.
If you’re suffering from dryness, dehydration, flakiness, and tightness and want to focus on a single product to increase your skin’s moisture levels, this is one of the best drugstore hyaluronic acid serums that offer nothing but hydration. And it’s also enhanced with other humectants like sodium PCA, glycerin, and lactic acid.
Other Ingredients: Sodium lactate, sodium PCA, glycerin
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free
13. Avene PhysioLift Smoothing Plumping Serum
Most hyaluronic acid serums have clear, water-like, transparent consistency. But this is unlike any other hyaluronic acid serum I’ve ever used. This has a lotion consistency, which is amazing if you have the right skin type for it. It has hyaluronic acid in different molecular weights and vitamin E for antioxidant benefits.
Its thicker formula wraps your skin, making it instantly plumper and smoother. It does contain silicones, which is why this can work like a moisturizer for winter if you have oily, acne-prone skin. But other than that, if you have dry skin, this is an amazing drugstore hyaluronic acid serum with some serious anti-aging benefits.
Other Ingredients: Vitamin E, glycerin, thermal water
Skin Type: All, especially dry skin
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Paraben-free, vegan, non-comedogenic
Final Verdict
My overall top pick for the best drugstore hyaluronic acid serum is La Roche Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It’s non-sticky and visibly makes my skin plumper and more radiant. But more importantly, as someone who likes to layer lots of serums, this one is super easy to layer on because it doesn’t pill. Also, it’s suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, and for people like me dealing with rosacea.
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Read Next: The Best Drugstore Anti-Aging Serums
