Hydrating Serums

Amalgamating the best Hydrating Serums so you don't have to!

Happy almost-fall, ghoul-igans! In celebration of everyone’s (i.e. every basic’s) favorite season, I have made the exciting decision to churn out double the newsletters for the time being(!!). Instead of every other Tuesday, you will now benefit from a weekly dose of The Fruits of My Labor, or FOML, which is a really horrible acronym. People usually fight their toughest skin battles as the weather goes from hot to warm to cool to cold, so there’s no better time to double down on research than the present!

To that end, we’re kicking off decorative gourd season with one of my very favorite products - hydrating serums. Now, with the first two product categories covered by FOML (Vitamin C Serums and Undereye Creams) I had tried zero and one of the reviewed items, respectively. Hydrating Serums are a different story, since my skin is notoriously drier than Drogon’s scales in Qarth and I’m constantly on the hunt for products that help me molt less frequently. I’ve used many of the items listed below, and after the Top 10 collection you’ll find my own additions that didn’t make it to the podium.

So why should you add a hydrating serum to your routine in addition to your La Mers and CeraVes (champagne taste on a lite beer budget, am I right)? Hydrating serums are able to penetrate skin more deeply than moisturizers and creams, basically creating a protective layer below the surface that keeps skin (*trigger warning*) moist and supple. They are, most obviously, targeted towards people with normal, dry, or super-dry skin, but are actually beneficial for all skin types, especially in le winter.

When selecting your serum, you should try to avoid fragrance, silicone, alcohol and witch hazel, each of which can irritate sensitive skin and dry out even the healthiest surfaces. Conversely, you want products that have hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, glycerin/glycol and Vitamin B5, each of which works to hydrate in different ways.

Compiling this list was blessedly less of a lift compared to the first two. While the number of lists reviewed was still high at 25, the number of individual products across those lists was lower than the previous two newsletters (118 compared to 123 and 231).

For this week’s #fulldisclosure: unlike my note on the similarities between most undereye creams, I genuinely think there is a wide variation in the quality and efficacy of different hydrating serums. While I am generally not a “you get what you pay for” type of girl (at least in terms of skincare…we can talk later about shoes), I have had better results with the items in this category that skew on the pricier side. I truly believe my ritualistic use of hydrating serums over the course of the past 7ish years has kept my skin looking (relatively) young and helped me avoid (most) visible signs of aging. Let’s get to it!

---

The Top 10 hydrating serums, based on the 25 lists and 118 products I reviewed, are:

1. SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier - $100 - SkinCeuticals, you saucy minx you. Taking top billing for the second time, today’s victor appeared on a staggering 16/25 lists reviewed. This “best overall” product is crazy - it provides long-lasting hydration, tightens, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, minimizes hyperpigmentation, improves skin texture and is a top pick by derms. Which leaves me very little else to say, other than sounds like we all should own it.

2. Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum - $48 - At it again, Drunk Elephant continues its FOML winning streak, this time tying for the second place spot with 15 mentions across the 25 lists. DE’s clean beauty approach, together with its adorable packaging and widespread derm support, has landed its products on all 3 of my lists so far. That being said, this is my least favorite Drunk Elephant product I’ve tried (womp womp); I just don’t think it does much! It touts itself for including antioxidants, targeting fine lines and wrinkles and hydrating, but compared to a lot of the other winners, I haven’t been blown away by this particular option (sorry B-Hydra!).

3. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 - $12 - I’ve been waiting for an Ordinary product to make a Top 10 appearance, and it took 3 lists but here we are. Tied in second place with a remarkable 15 shout outs, this dirt cheap choice ($12!) provides intense hydration while also soothing, nourishing and working to minimize inflammation. As a bonus, it’s fragrance-free (my fave; hate a fragrance).

4. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Serum - $65 - Whenever I see anything by PTR, all I think of is that 24K gold face mask he created a few years back that was so incredibly bizarre. This serum, however, seems less bizarre and more incredible. In a very respectable third place with 12 mentions, its high concentration of hyaluronic acid smooths fine lines and softens, nourishes and brightens skin.

5. SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator - $178 - OK so. My derm swears by SkinMedica products, so you know off the bat this pick must be legit. The price tag is not cute, but with 10 mentions and a laundry list of functions (hydrates, plumps, smooths, protects), it may be worth it. Thanks to its rich texture, it is supposed to be best for people with sandpaper-dry skin (lolz it me); add in the fact that it’s fragrance free and I mayyy have to splurge on this guy.

6. Vichy Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster - $30 - Every time a drugstore pick makes a Top 10 list I ask myself “what have I been missing all these years?” This hydrating stalwart, with 10 hits, sounds awesome - it’s affordable, fragrance-free, great for very dry skin and provides long-lasting hydration. As a result, it has a cult following few of these other products seem to boast.

7. Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum - $300 - I would like to discuss spending $300 on any one skincare product. Would I do it? If it was guaranteed to eliminate my dragon scales once and for all, maybe. If not, uh, no. That intro aside, people are obsessed with this stuff. A beauty editor favorite (of course), this fast-acting serum appeared on 9 lists and provides intense hydration, smooths fine lines and supposedly produces visible results. HMU if you try it out.

8. Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster - $46 - This is one of those brands whose existence I did not know about prior to starting these newsletters, and now it seems to be everywhere. Their hydrating serum sounds pretty great, as it is formulated to counteract the effects of the cold winter months (specifically wind and indoor heat). Appearing on 9 lists, it also plumps and smooths while it hydrates. A winner for anyone in the chilly Northeast.

9. Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster - $68 - The first Dennis Gross product to make a FOML appearance, this serum got 8 call-outs across the 25 lists. A straightforward hydrator, it also reduces fine lines and boosts collagen. A popular derm pick as well.

10. Neutrogena Hydroboost Hydrating Serum - $14 - Can’t have a list without having a Neutrogena appearance! Bringing up the rear today is this drugstore/Amazon favorite, clocking in at 8 mentions. Since this option is best for people with oily skin it’s no surprise I didn’t like it. That being said, if you fit the bill it is lightweight, absorbs quickly, provides long-lasting hydration and makes skin dewy and glowy.

---

Despite this Top 10 being a LIT list, I would be remiss not to mention my personal favorite hydrating serums, which, when used consistently, have kept my overall appearance generally stable since high school.

On repeat every day since 2013: SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel ($83)

On repeat every night since 2017: Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum ($49)

On repeat whenever I travel: Clarins Hydra-Essential Bi-Phase Serum ($59)

Me in HS:

Me right now:

Since comments seemed to have worked last time, another moment!

And for the newbies:

Up Next: Lip Balms & Chapsticks!!

See you next week,
Ariel Hy-Lauren-iC Colangelo

The following lists were amalgamated to create this Fruits Of My Labor collection:

• allure.com - The 24 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums, According to Skin-Care Experts

• oprahmag.com - The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums to Hydrate Your Skin

• vogue.com - These 10 Hydrating Serums Will Make Dry Skin Vanish

• byrdie.com - Skin That's Both Dehydrated and Sensitive? Then You Should Try These Serums

• byrdie.com - These Hyaluronic Acid Serums Will Make Your Skin 10 Times Dewier

• health.com - The 7 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums Dermatologists Love for Hydrated Skin

• dermstore.com - The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Dehydrated Skin

• dermstore.com - 7 Face Serums That Will Plump and Hydrate Dry Skin

• bustle.com - Your Ultimate Guide To The Best Hydrating Serums For Dry Skin, According To Dermatologists

• rankandstyle.com - 10 Hydrating Serums for Every Skin Type and Beauty Budget

• theskincareedit.com - Editor’s Picks: 24 of the Best Face Serums to Hydrate Your Skin

• businessinsider.com - The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serum You Can Buy

• refinery29.com - 8 Hydrating Serums That Will Make People Ask How Much Water You Drink

• goodhousekeeping.com - 12 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums to Hydrate Skin, According to Skincare Experts

• marieclaire.com - The Best Hydrating Serums to Quench Thirsty and Dehydrated Skin

• cosmopolitan.com - 13 of the Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Seriously Thirsty Skin

• coveteur.com - The 9 Best Hydrating Serums for Extra-Bouncy Skin

• womenshealthmag.com - The 20 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums For Dry, Dehydrated Skin

• elle.com - 15 Of The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums For Smooth, Plump And Hydrated Skin

• glamour.com - Everything You Need to Know About Hyaluronic Acid

• whowhatwear.com - Plump Up the Volume: These Are the Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums Out There

• popsugar.com - 14 Hydrating Serums That Should Be Staples in Your Summer Beauty Routine

• townandcountrymag.com - The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums to Give Your Skin a Moisture Boost

• prevention.com - 15 Best Hyaluronic Serums and Creams for Hydrated, Glowing Skin in 2020

• harpersbazaar.com - 13 Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Your Most Hydrated Skin Yet