Summer is all about glowey natural skin and showing off your true colours. There are hundreds of skincare products out there that claim to give you that perfect summer glow, but we’re on the hunt for that glow all year long. Look no further than these hyaluronic acid serums.
This little miracle ingredient is well known in the skincare world for its many benefits like reducing fine lines and wrinkles, alleviating dry skin, as well as expediting the healing process (I see all you pickers out there!). Technically speaking, hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule found in your body with 50% found between our skins moisture clinging cells. As we age and become more susceptible to stress, we loose hyaluronic acid – the reason our skin sometimes feels dull and dehydrated.
Consider it a little miracle ingredient you can easily add into your skincare routine for a much needed boost. I’ve spent much of the last three months overhauling areas of my life including my skincare routines, trying out a handful of what some have said were the very best hyaluronic acid serums out there.
Here’s six of them that made the cut and why.
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier, $130 CAD
I’m a bit of a newbie when it comes to Skinceuticals products, many of which come very highly recommended by many editors and beauty bloggers. Their H.A. Intensifier was the very first serum I tried from the brand and boy did it deliver! After only two weeks of using the serum, my friends were all commenting on how amazing my skin was looking. I should also note these comments were made on a zoom call, where I was wearing little to no make up. Needless to say I was delighted with the results and utterly gutted when I ran out of it.
This unique formula works to correct hydration, firmness, plumpness and smooth the skins texture through a combination of pure hyaluronic acid, proxylane™ (a sugar protein hybrid), and a mix of botanical extracts like licorice root and purple rice which work together to support your skins HA levels and amplify them by 30%.
I liked how compact the glass bottle was (as someone who travels i’m often on the hunt for compact products) and the light gel-like texture of the serum. It wasn’t overly watery like other products and almost felt as though my face was drinking it up super quick. I think that’s why I went through it quicker than the others on this list.
If you’re looking for a product that delivers quick and impressive results, this one is definitely worth a try.
Osea Hyaluronic Sea Serum, $119 CAD
We were super intrigued by this Malibu-based skincare brand that many absolutely *swear by*, and after trying a handful of their products we can confirm the rumours are true. The Osea brand is not only sustainable, vegan and cruelty free, but also uses ingenious bioavailable ingredients, like varying types of seaweeds and pure steam-distilled and cold pressed essential oils.
Their Hyaluronic Sea Serum comes packaged in a sleek frosted glass vile with a nozzle that doesn’t allow you to over do it when dispensing. It’s got a water weight gel-like texture that’s unscented and absorbs quickly into your skin. Made from a combination of gigartina, undaria, and macrocystis seaweeds that work together with hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate to leave your skin plump and glowing.
But let me break down why this magic combo actually works to leave your skin more youthful after just one application. Composed with three types of bioavailable seaweeds, the first of which is Gigartina seaweed, a red algae packed with polysaccharides, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. It hydrates while providing anti-aging benefits by forming a barrier of collagen protection. Next, Undaria seaweed, a brown marine algae packed with key minerals including iodine, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and a bioactive molecules called Fucoidan which work together to reduce redness and the appearance of those pesky wrinkles and fine lines. Then, Macrocystis seaweed is a brown algae that like the other two, is also rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and essential fatty acids that clear out pores and even out our skins texture (this is where the plumping comes in). Finally hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate work together to hydrate and restore the skin’s moisture barrier.
Dermalogica Phyto-Nature Firming Serum, $200 CAD
I started using this serum back when it launched in 2019 and I noticed a difference in my skins texture after about a month. It’s a dual-phase serum which works to target both the premature signs of aging as well as texture for a more firm bouncy appearance. In the firming phase Sapphire-bound biomimetic peptides work to strengthen the skins defence against things like lifestyle and environment that cause visible signs of aging, while the lifting phase relies on Phyto-Nature technology to visibly tighten the skin, meaning they use plant-derived bio-extracts like Amazonian Camu Camu, Antioxidant Moroccan Rockrose Extract, Madagascar Green Coffee Bean and of course Hyaluronic Acid.
While we’re not crazy about the packaging on this one, since the nozzle often gets a bit sticky and is overall kind of bulky, this nutrient rich product smells amazing (like all Dermalogica products), and most of all delivers visible results.
GOOPGLOW 20% vitamin C + hyaluronic acid Glow serum, $225 CAD
Goop has been slaying the skincare world with GOOPGLOW and when it finally arrived in Canada earlier this year I was beyond pumped to try it. Like the Dermalogica serum, this GOOPGLOW is a two-part design combining L-ascorbic acid and hyaluronic acid, packaged specifically with maximizing freshness and potency throughout the use of the product. To activate the serum you combine the 20% vitamin C powder with the hyaluronic acid serum into the amber glass bottle and it’s ready to go. Most serums have a shelf life of about six months (from the date you open them) where the ingredients are most active before they begin to expire, so this serum really maximizes the life span.
After about 3 weeks, I noticed general improvements in my skin including hydration and firmness for a generally more luminous appearance. While this is on the more expensive side, the synergistic mix of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidant superfruit Australian kakadu plum make this a potent option that boasts almost immediate improvements in the skins tone, texture, and radiance.
Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strenthening Super Serum, $94 CAD
I’ve been using Kiehl’s products for many years so I was delighted to find they had launched a brand new super serum utilizing something called fragmented Hyaluronic Acid, plus a proprietary adaptogenic herbal complex. This ultra light serum works to correct signs of aging caused by environmental stressors like sun exposure, pollution, diet, sleep and more to sort of turn back time. Utilizing a type of smaller Hyaluronic Acid that penetrates more deeply alongside Red Ginseng Root, Holy Basil and Schisandra Berry, three adaptogens traditionally used within Chinese, Korean and Ayurvedic Medicine, this serum will leave your skin bouncier, firmer, better hydrated, radiant and resilient to everyday stress.
Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum Tri-Hyaluronan Complex $118 CAD
I’ve been using Grown Alchemist body products off and on for a few years now since I discovered the brand on a trip to Australia. I didn’t realized they had such an expansive line of skincare for the face and I was delighted to be able to try this compact but nutrient dense serum over the past couple months. This serum is probably the lightest and cleanest feeling of all the serums on this round up. It’s completely unscented and mixes well with other products and brands you might apply after (for me that’s usually another serum or Dermalogica’s Skin Smoothing, followed by SPF). In terms of formula, this serum combines three weights of plant-derived Hyaluronan molecules that intensely hydrate and plump the skin, promote quicker cell turn over, slow aging and almost instantly smooth the surface. I love the serum not only because of the formula but also because the medical grade pipette bottle makes it the perfect travel friendly bottle to tuck into my skincare bag.