Hyaluronic Acid is EVERYWHERE these days. It seems like brands are just shoving it into all their products cuz the skincare community is crazy about it. Personally, I think it’s just a bit excessive. Like, I don’t need HA in my toner, serum, moisturizer and sunscreen. That’s just… too much. And actually, because HA is so prevalent right now, I don’t really need a designated HA serum at all. But somehow, I still have a bunch of them. And don’t get me wrong, I like some of them a lot! But as I already mentioned, HA is in a lot of things these days. So I don’t really need a serum that just contains HA. That would be kind of pointless. So if I’m going to use a HA serum, I tend to prefer ones that contain HA as well as some other beneficial ingredients. Thus, all of the serums that I will be discussing today contain HA in addition to other great ingredients.
Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Dreamy Glow Drops*
Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid (5 types), Hemisqualane Oil Blend, Australian Emu Apple (Kunzea Pomifera Fruit Extract), Vitamin C (Ethyl Ascorbic Acid), Kakadu Plum (Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract)
Review: Even though Hyaluronic Acid isn’t in the (very long) name, this serum actually contains 5 types of HA! And that’s just one of the many things that I like about this serum. This serum comes out very light and watery. It glides over the skin easily and sinks in quickly. It doesn’t feel oily at all, even though it contains several different types of oil! This also doesn’t feel tacky in the slightest, which is a pretty common problem with some HA serums. As a result, this serum is both hydrating and moisturizing, but still extremely light and pleasant to use. It also contains Kakadu Plum (a source of Vitamin C) and Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C derivative) for brightening. This isn’t quite as effective against hyperpigmentation as some designated Vitamin C serums, but it’s also gentler and can be used in combination with one (I use a stronger Vit C every other day, and this one on the off days). There are also a number of other plant extracts in this serum, called “Glow Berries” by Sand & Sky, that are supposed to have anti-oxidant properties. When I use this serum, it does give my skin a little bit of a subtle glow. I usually apply this right after a toner, under another heavier serum, because it is so lightweight. Overall, I feel like this is a very well rounded multi-tasking serum. Because it’s so light but also both hydrating and moisturizing, I think this could work for all skin types. It is worth noting that this does contain essential oils and fragrance ingredients, although the scent is not very strong. The main downside of this product for me is just the price. I don’t think I would ever pick this up at full price, but if I saw it on sale, I would definitely repurchase.
Price: $55 for 1 oz
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to Buy: Ulta Beauty, Beauty Bay, Sand & Sky
Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum*
Notable Ingredients: “Full Spectrum” Hyaluronic Acid (I see 2 types in the INCI), Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Propolis Extract, Collagen Peptides, Amino Acids, Thyme Extract
Review: A lot of serums out there claim to plump up the skin, but many of them fall short in my opinion. However, this serum actually does what it claims! I have been so impressed by this — it really makes my skin look so hydrated, plump, and glowy. The texture of this is rich for a serum, it comes out semi-opaque with a liquid-y gel texture. You only need to apply a single pump because it spreads easily and can become quite tacky if you use too much. Although this serum as HA in the product name, I don’t really think of this as a HA serum because it contains so many other ingredients that are more exciting to me. I love that this contains honey, royal jelly, and propolis extracts. These ingredients always make my skin look extra glowy. They also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, among other benefits. This also contains collagen peptides and a number of other humectant ingredients. If you’ve read my recent post on collagen in skincare, you may know that I’m not crazy about collagen as a skincare ingredient. However, I don’t mind it, and I actually really appreciate that this serum doesn’t make a big deal about containing a collagen ingredient. Although I’ve been testing out a lot of different serums lately, this is the one that I actually want to use the most, just because it makes my skin look and feel so good. One thing worth noting about this product is the smell. This does contain some fragrance ingredients and it has a very strong scent. At first, I wasn’t a fan of the scent, it’s a very sweet honey scent, but also a tiny bit herbal. But over time, it grew on me, and now I kind of like it. I’ve just heard that some people are really put off by the scent of this, so that’s something to keep in mind. Because of how rich this serum is, I think it’s probably best for dry skin types. This could also be well-suited for acne-prone skin because of its hydrating and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Price: $44 for 1 oz
Rating: 5/5
Where to Buy: Sephora, Farmacy
Maelove The Hydrator*
Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid (1 type – Sodium Hyaluronate), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Resveratrol
Review: Compared to the two serums I mentioned above, this product has a much shorter and simpler ingredients list. Sometimes that can be nice, especially if you have sensitive or sensitized skin. Personally, I don’t find this product to be particularly exciting, but it’s still a very solid product and it’s good at what it does — hydrating the skin! This serum has what I consider to be a classic texture for a HA serum; it’s clear and rather viscous for a serum. Fortunately, I don’t find this to be tacky at all. It sinks in nicely and plays well with my other products as well. This contains just one type of HA, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since you might still be getting other types of HA in your other products. This serum also contains resveratrol, a potent anti-oxidant which also has some calming abilities. Additionally, this contains Panthenol, which is a nice soothing ingredient, but to me it’s just a bit boring. A lot of products I use contain panthenol so it’s not really something I look for in a new product. Overall, this product only contains 6 ingredients, making it nice and simple. It also does not contain any fragrance or have a noticeable scent. I really have nothing bad to say about this product, it just doesn’t excite me very much. However, I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a basic hydrating serum. The price point is pretty reasonable in my opinion, it’s quite cosmetically elegant for a HA serum, and I appreciate that it has additional benefits from other ingredients despite being so simple.
Price: $28 for oz
Rating: 4/5
Where to Buy: Maelove
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid*
Notable Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid (I see 2 types on the INCI), Matrixyl 3000 Peptide (Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1)
Review: At first glance, this appears to be a very basic HA serum. The ingredients list is quite short and simple. It’s fragrance free. However, in addition to containing 2 types of HA, this also contains Matrixyl 3000, one of the more promising and well-researched peptide ingredients. Matrixyl 3000 is actually a trademarked combo of two different peptides that work together to stimulate increased collagen production. Personally, I find this to be a really interesting and exciting ingredient to find in an HA serum! However if you are more interested in peptides than Hyaluronic Acid, the Inkey List also has a Collagen Booster serum that contains Matrixyl 3000 as well as another peptide (this serum also contains HA, but just one type). The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid comes in a small plastic bottle with a flip top cap. I’ve heard a lot of people dislike this cap because it gets crusty easily, but that hasn’t happened to mine yet. The serum itself comes out as a clear, somewhat viscous liquid. Like the Maelove serum I mentioned above, this has a pretty classic HA serum texture. It has a bit of a slippery feel to it and spreads easily. As long as I don’t use too much, I don’t find this to be tacky. It actually feels very nice and quite lightweight on the skin. I also haven’t experienced any issues with pilling from this. Finally, one of the best things about this serum is how affordable it is! For that reason, I would probably recommend this over the Maelove serum. Both serums are relatively simple, surprisingly cosmetically elegant, and are great for hydration. However, I find the Inkey List serum to be slightly more interesting as well as more affordable. I also think that the Inkey List serum would be great for all skin types — I know many people with oily skin who enjoy this and it also works really well for my dry skin too.
Price: $8 for 1 oz
Rating: 4.5/5
Where to buy: Sephora, The Inkey List, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic
Conclusions
I thoroughly enjoy all of these serums, but the one that impressed me most has to be Farmacy Filling Good. I just love the way it makes my skin look so plump and glowy. None of the other serums have given me quite the same results. I also think that the Farmacy serum is probably the best for my skin type — dry and prone to redness — which is probably one of the reasons I like it so much. However, I would still happily recommend any of these serums, depending on what you are looking for. The Farmacy serum is a bit pricey in my opinion, so I would probably me most likely to pick it up on sale. If you are looking for a more affordable option, I think that the Inkey List serum would have to be my top pick. It really is a great serum for that price. If you want something very simple, then the Maelove serum is a great pick. And if you want something that’s really lightweight but still super hydrating and also multi-tasking (and you don’t mind spending a bit more), then I would highly recommend the Sand & Sky Glow Drops.
I hope you found this post helpful! Please leave a comment below if you’ve tried any of these serums. And if you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe below to stay updated on my new posts! You can also follow me on Instagram @balancingproject for more frequent beauty content and reviews.
Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.
