Hyaluronic acid is a 'game-changer for aging skin' — I put 5 under $50 to the test: Review of The Ordinary, L'Oréal, Neutrogena & more
When I hit 45, keeping my skin hydrated became a real challenge. As a breast cancer survivor who was put into early menopause as part of my treatment, I started to notice lotions that once kept my skin looking fresh and dewy were falling short.
Around that time, I discovered hyaluronic acid, which has been an absolute skincare game-changer. The potent product is so effective at keeping moisture in that one dermatologist calls it a "moisture magnet." I've always been a big fan of The Ordinary's affordable hyaluronic acid formula, but recently, I've been wondering about some of the other brands getting rave reviews. In particular, I was eager to give the Eva Longoria-approved favourite from L'Oréal a try, as I was already a fan of the brand's Revitalift moisturizer.
In total, I spent the past four months using five different hyaluronic acids — and I was a bit surprised by which one really stood out from the pack. I also reached out to a few experts to get their thoughts on these products. Did they agree with my assessments? Read my full reviews below for all the details.
Dr. Asmi Berry, a board-certified dermatologist, says that hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring sugar molecule found in our skin and connective tissues. Berry calls it a "moisture magnet" with the power to pull hydration into skin. Berry also says it holds "up to 1,000 times its weight in water, which helps keep skin plump, dewy and hydrated." She also explains that the lightweight and non-comedogenic qualities of the acid make it a great option for all skin types, including oily or acne-prone skin.
Dermatologist Dr. Anna Chacon calls the acid a "game-changer for aging skin," because it improves the look of fine lines by trapping moisture in the skin's cells for a plumped, youthful look.
While anyone can use hyaluronic acid, it can be especially beneficial for those going through menopause, where a depletion in estrogen can lead to drier, thinner skin. Berry says that's when hyaluronic acid can really help to "replenish lost moisture and maintain elasticity."
Berry recommends applying the product on damp skin and "sealing it in with a moisturizer to prevent it from pulling moisture out of your skin." She also says if you are a regular user of products that contain retinoids, hyaluronic acid is a "great buffer to help maintain the hydration" these ingredients can often deplete.
As someone nearing 50, I put 5 affordable hyaluronic acid products to the test. Check out my honest review — and scroll down to see what the experts think.
There's nothing ordinary about The Ordinary. This was the first hyaluronic acid I ever tried — and I've been obsessed with this ultra-affordable serum for years. A little bit of this lightweight formula goes a long way, and the moment it touches my face after cleansing, my skin gets an immediate moisture boost. In addition to five types of hyaluronic acid, it also contains pro-vitamin B5 and ceramides that help keep that much-needed moisture locked in. For regular daily use, this product is the way to go. The only downside? I wish it was offered with a pump dispenser.
My under-eyes have been rejuvenated thanks to Grace and Stella's Energizing Eye Masks, so I couldn't wait to give the brand's award-winning hyaluronic acid a try. This vegan serum is packed with hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, citric acid and panthenol to help maintain active hydration all day long. Also, it comes in a pump dispenser that makes application neater and more controlled. While I love my go-to from The Ordinary, I think the pump dispenser might actually give this one a bit of an edge. What can I say, convenience is key!
L'Oréal Revitalift is a line of products that have worked wonders on my middle-aged skin, and their hyaluronic acid is no exception. With 1.5% pure hyaluronic, this serum is hands down the best of the best. I now understand why it's the first product Eva Longoria puts on her face each morning, calling it the "basis of [her] skin." Longoria says, "You can't lay good makeup on bad skin," and credits the Revitalift series of skincare products as skincare products she "can't live without." And honestly, I couldn't agree more. It feels a little thicker than the other products, which is exactly what my super dry face needs. It has micro-epidermic hyaluronic acid, which can penetrate deeper into the skin to improve the look of wrinkles. Sometimes, this was the only product I used at bedtime, and I would wake up to plumper skin. You also don't need to use a lot of it to see a difference. Count this as one celebrity-loved product that actually lives up to its claims!
This fragrance-free serum is great for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin. While I don't mind the formula it wasn't my favourite. I needed to use it more liberally on my more mature, dry cheeks. While it contains both macro and micro hyaluronic acids to help lock moisture in all day long, but by midday, I felt like my face was less hydrated than with the other formulas. That said, I brought it with me on a recent trip to Florida, where it provided just the right amount of hydration amidst the humid weather — so it's a good option for summer.
There is no skincare brand I use more than CeraVe. The dermatologist-tested and developed brand always delivers. A few pumps of this gel-cream moisturizing serum are all you need to lock in hours of hydration. With three essential ceramides, highly concentrated hyaluronic acid as well as B5, this formula kept my skin from drying out on one of the coldest days of the winter. That being said, I don't like the texture of it as much as the others, which are more gel-like. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome product and works incredibly well on my over-40 face, but I ran out of it before the others, and for me, that's a bit of a turn-off.
Berry told Yahoo Canada that if you have normal to oily skin, she recommends the Neutrogena Hydro Boost serum. She likes that it's "lightweight, layers well under makeup and gives a nice hydration boost without feeling sticky." However, for dry or sensitive skin types, she would recommend CeraVe's hyaluronic acid as the ceramides "support the skin barrier." She's also a fan of L'Oréal's Revitalift hyaluronic acid, which she says is "great for aging skin since it uses different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid for deeper hydration."
Chacon told me that The Ordinary is a "great brand" — calling out their "transparency in ingredients" and "high-quality formulations" — and she praised their hyaluronic acid for "keeping skin hydrated and plump." She also praised CeraVe's serum for its ceramides which "help support the skin's barrier and overall skin health."
While each one of the five brands tested added much-needed moisture to my tired skin, there was a clear favourite me as a 48-year-old mom of two.
1. Without a doubt, L'Oréal Paris 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid was the runaway winner. It felt great on, noticeably boosted my weary skin, and kept my complexion fresh into the wee hours of the night. Do I wish the thick glass bottle were a little lighter? Sure. But regardless, it's coming with me on all my upcoming trips.
2. Coming in at a solid second is Grace & Stella Hyaluronic Acid. The lightweight formula feels refreshing on my clean skin, and the pump dispenser prevents me from using too much. As a breast cancer survivor, I also appreciate the product's clean ingredients.
3. A super close third is the first hyaluronic acid I ever used: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% and B5. I love all of the brand's high-quality, affordable products, and for everyday use all year long, this hyaluronic acid is an absolute must.
4. Of course, one of my favourite skincare brands has created a solid product with their CeraVe Hydrating Serum with Hyaluronic Acid. Its convenient plastic packaging means no worrying about a fragile glass container that could break. That said, I didn't love the texture of this one — which is why it lands in fourth place.
5. Rounding out the list is Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum. When I travel to Florida this summer, this super light formula will work well in the hot and humid weather — but I prefer a thicker formula for day-to-day in Canada.
The experts:
Dr. Asmi Berry, board-certified dermatologist, DO, FAAD
Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist, MD, FAAD
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All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn't quite remove all my mascara; the moisturizer too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it's spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralizing gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk, and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I'm well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I'd tried before. It was a powder, for starters. The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot, and gently massage it in. 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All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn't quite remove all my mascara; the moisturiser too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it's spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralising gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I'm well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I'd tried before. It was a powder, for starters. The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot and gently massage it in. 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When I received this product last month, I had the largest and most painful spot right in the middle of my nose. I never thought I'd say this, but it couldn't have come at a better time — so I made a beeline for Sulfur 10%. The opening where the product dispenses is teeny tiny, making it almost impossible to make a mess. I simply tapped a little onto my index finger, carefully brought it up to my nose, pressed it onto the spot and gently massaged it in until the powder transformed into a cream and then disappeared. The trick is to rub it in — just tapping it on only goes so far. From personal experience, you really have to work the product in to see a real difference in redness and size. Almost immediately, the redness began to fade. Much like translucent powder — my go-to trick for minimising the look of breakouts without concealer, which can appear cakey — The Ordinary says the smart formula helps absorb excess oil and reduce visible shine. In doing so, it kind of blurred the spot, making it much less noticeable. The real magic happened after about an hour: I couldn't feel the spot pulsating anymore and when I looked at it from the side, it had visibly deflated. The powder-to-cream feature is what makes this treatment unique. According to the brand, the formulation team combined powder and liquid at high speed to create 'mini capsules' of water encased in the powder. When you press the powder onto your skin, the pressure breaks these capsules, releasing the sulfur directly into your skin. There's no need to mix it with water or anything else to activate it. Genius, right? The next day, a spot appeared on my forehead, so I reached for Sulfur 10% again. Since the breakout was higher up on my face, it was a bit tricky to get the powder to the spot without half of it falling off my finger. 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Promising review: "I've been looking for a product to get rid of stubborn bumps, and this finally did the job! It really does help, but I didn't see noticeable results until I began using it daily. Totally works as long as you're consistent, but definitely worth it!" —Rec I'mPrice: $30 A Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide cream, because not all peptides are created equal! This cream has a whopping NINE different signal peptides that all work together to help restore plumpness, radiance, and moisture to your skin. It also comes in a handy airless container to ensure your skinvestment stays fresh 'til the last drop! Promising review: "This is my can't-live-without daytime moisturizer! It's the perfect texture, and not too rich to wear under makeup. I get that the price can be a lot, but I've tried to find cheaper alternatives and I keep coming back to this. Gotta love the packaging too!" —CarriePrice: $69+ (available in two sizes) A Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm that I use on my post-adult-acne dark spots, which I thought would never go away. This formula contains panthenol that will hydrate the area while beta-glucan works overtime to diminish the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Promising review: "I've been picking my face for the past five years due to anxiety, and this product has been such a holy grail for me. Any time I pop a pimple, I wash my face and apply this. I've seen a lot of improvement in the marks left behind by the pimples, and it's cleared my skin so much. It also has protected the open wounds from the pimples from makeup and other bacteria. I highly reccomend for anyone who picks a lot or has acne scarring." —Carl EPrice: $12.99 A beachy-scented Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 spray, because you apply sunscreen every day — but how often are you really reapplying it? This makes re-application as easy as a quick spray. The best part? It also helps add antioxidant protection with pongamia seed extract and niacinamide! Promising review: "I LOVE IT!!! This sunscreen is perfect; it gives my skin a hydrating look and feel. I was also not expecting it to smell exactly like their 87 perfume. 1,000% recommend to everyone." —EmmaPrice: $20+ (available in two sizes) A squalane facial oil if you like your skincare routine to feel à la carte. This facial oil is made with just one ingredient: 100% olive-derived squalane. It's a great noncomedogenic (meaning it won't clog your pores!) ingredient for helping fortify your moisture barrier while upping your overall ~glow.~ Promising review: "I have been looking for a product that would make my skin not dry out in the cold winter here in the Northeast. This does the trick. My skin is not tight after washing and feels good throughout the day. I use it right after washing my face before applying sunscreen." —SiePrice: $38 A hydrating rose sleeping mask, because the key to hydrated skin is locking moisture in while you sleep! Think of this mask as slugging in a jar — it creates a moisture seal to help hold all your replenishing skincare ingredients close to your skin! Promising review: "I have used this cream for slugging with skincare products a couple of times a month. I love this product; it is very lightweight and absorbs well. Does not cause breakouts in sensitive skin. Great product and smells like natural roses" —GoardenorgohomePrice: $30+ (available in two sizes) A Dermalogica vitamin C serum so that dull skin can be a distant memory, once and for all. This serum contains ultra-stable vitamin C to help brighten and protect from environmental aggressors, plus lactic acid and peptides to help firm the skin. Promising review: "I started to notice results after one month. I was surprised to notice how bright my skin looked with this product. I switched to a different product and could definitely tell the difference. I love this serum!" —cPrice: $99+ (available in two sizes) A bottle of Magic Molecule's The Solution that you can spritz on whenever you sense that a breakout or redness is coming on. This spray has hypochlorous acid, which, while it can sound scary, is actually one of the top ingredients for relieving redness and soothing sensitive skin types! Promising review: "I have more dry/sensitive skin and use a low-dose retinol. I needed something to help with sporadic breakouts without dying my face. I use this most days on my face and upper back, and my skin has never been clearer. It's made a huge difference. I'm getting more compliments on my skin, too. It doesn't strip it dry when I use it." —StephPrice: $20 A Kiehl's microdose retinol serum, because retinol, while it's great for stimulating collagen and elastin production, can sensitize a lot of skin types! Retinol is typically synonymous with dry skin and irritation — but this retinol serum aims to neutralize those effects with moisture-rich ceramides and skin-firming peptides so that you can enjoy plump, clear skin without the downtime. Promising review: "I am able to use this product. It works well to diminish fine lines and wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. It is not drying, and I've experienced no irritation. I do use it at night and use sunscreen during the day. I will purchase again and highly recommend." —KayPrice: $65+ (available in two sizes) A Bushbalm ingrown hair oil that will help to soothe your skin all over, whether you shave, wax, or go au naturale! This formula contains a rejuvenating blend of grapeseed, tea tree, and jojoba oils to help moisturize and soothe the skin, and help minimize ingrown hairs! Promising review: "This serum has truly helped me to feel more confident in my bikini line! I have struggled with ingrown hairs after waxing, but now I don't have to worry about this! This is the only stuff that works for me. HIGHLY recommend if you are looking for something to help!!" —Hwood20Price: $26 (available in three scents) A PMD cleansing device so that you can FEEL a deep clean during your at-home spa day. This silicone cleansing brush is more delicate on the skin than traditional brushes, while its SonicGlow Technology delivers 7,000 vibrations per minute (!!) to help break down gunk from within the skin! Promising review: "This brush is truly amazing, my skin has never felt so soft and been so deep cleaned and clear! Any other brush I've ever had my whole life is not even worth comparing. This is truly an elite product! As a single mom, I don't have extra money like this to spend often but this was a must and so worth it! Couldn't be happier!" —KellynPrice: $99 (available in four colors) And an advanced night repair serum, because your skin does most of its recovery while you're asleep — this serum just helps it out! It contains a proprietary Night Peptide to restore firmness, plus hyaluronic acid to add a juicy glow. Even though this serum has the word "night" in its title, you *can* totally use it during the day for extra antioxidant protection! Promising review: "I recently added this serum to my daily skincare routine and it has made my skin so incredibly soft, moisturized, balanced, and blemish-free. I will continue to buy this product!" —CamPrice: $55+ (available in four sizes)
