Finding some of the best hyaluronic-acid serums is one way to combat dehydrated skin, as hyaluronic acid can hold “one thousand times its weight in water,” says Harvard-trained dermatologist Michelle Henry. 

“It’s a sugar that is found in our skin and naturally depletes with age, which is why it’s important to incorporate it into your skin-care routine via topical products,” explains Orit Markowitz, dermatologist and founder of Optiskin Medical in New York City. “It works to retain moisture within, which leads to hydrated, plump skin and a more youthful appearance.”

Markowitz recommends that her patients use a hyaluronic-acid serum a few times a week and only once per day. “If you use H.A. every day, your skin will adapt too quickly and the results won’t be as impactful,” she says. Another pro tip, courtesy of aesthetician and Dior skin-care expert Sean Garrette, is to apply the serum onto damp skin. Aesthetician Samantha Mims of Dermasaa and Brooklyn Face & Eye is quick to second that application technique: “It aids in penetration and helps the hyaluronic acid to perform optimally in the skin, creating a plump, dewy look and feel.”

Below, six skin experts share their recommendations for the best hyaluronic-acid serums to help you achieve your most radiant and hydrated skin in any season.

SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier

“This serum features a high level of H.A. (1.3%), making it extremely potent and effective. It is also considered a corrective serum since it targets fine lines and wrinkles with ingredients like licorice root and purple rice,” says Markowitz. “It is the perfect combination of ingredients to deliver hydration, which will, in turn, improve the overall texture of the skin.”

PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum

“This isn’t just an ordinary hyaluronic-acid serum,” says Garrette. It features multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, including sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, which “help to penetrate and deeply hydrate all layers of the skin,” he explains. “This formula also includes ceramides and niacinamide—two nourishing ingredients that are crucial for proper skin-barrier function. This blend of ingredients helps to soothe, hydrate, and nourish the skin.”

iS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum

“This is a hyaluronic-acid serum on steroids, and my favorite H.A. serum for so many reasons,” admits aesthetician Candace Marino of this formula that’s suitable for all skin conditions. She notes its lightweight texture as well as calming, cooling, and anti-inflammatory properties. “It features hyaluronic acid for hydration alongside vitamin B5 to promote skin health and cell metabolism; mushroom extract, an antimicrobial ingredient that’s also brightening; and centella asiatica, an antiaging and healing powerhouse antioxidant.”  

Skin Regimen 1.85 HA Booster

This formula is “a plumping concentrate made with three molecular forms of H.A. to deliver optimal hydration,” says Mims. “It’s a splurge but well worth it for its top-notch results and hydration support.”

Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum

Henry reaches for this serum because it “contains a small molecular-weight hyaluronic acid that gently penetrates to effectively hydrate the skin. It also contains ginseng root, holy basil, and other antioxidants to protect the skin from external stressors.”

Furtuna Skin Porte Per La Vitalitá Face & Eye Serum

Marino is partial to this face and eye serum by Furtuna Skin—and not just because the chic, sustainable UV-coated packaging is vanity-worthy. “It will help restore hydration while delivering potent antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids to restore a more even youthful and radiant complexion,” she says. “Their formula also contains olive oil (J.Lo’s claim to fame) that comes from one of the 12,000 olive trees on the estate and is cold-pressed right on the property at their olive mill.”

Vichy Minéral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum

“Hyaluronic-acid serums should make your skin feel hydrated without drowning your skin,” explains double board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp of this French-pharmacy find. “This lightweight, transparent, fast-absorbing, easy-to-apply H.A. serum does just that. It also includes volcanic water rich in nourishing minerals to strengthen skin and restore moisture.”

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

Markowitz loves this serum because it includes two ingredients she always recommends to her patients: a humectant and a sealant. The serum uses “H.A. as its humectant, but it’s also formulated with ceramides, which are sealants that create a barrier to your skin, sealing in the moisture,” she says. “I also love that this is considered a clean formula.”

Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%

Garrette leans on this as an affordable recommendation for his clients. He loves it because it contains multiple forms of hyaluronic acid accompanied by apricot-kernel oil, all working together to restore the lipid barrier of the skin.

SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

SkinMedica HA5 is another of Henry’s favorites: “It has many different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to penetrate and hydrate at different depths of the epidermis.”

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Liquid Gel Cloud Serum

According to Camp, “this product boasts a 75% composition of hyaluronic acid to deliver intense skin hydration. It offers a matte finish to easily layer under a moisturizer and leaves skin feeling silky smooth.”

StriVectin Hyaluronic Dual-Response Serum

“This is a super-lightweight serum that also contains the power duo of H.A. and ceramides,” says Markowitz. “When you combine the serums within the dual chamber, not only will skin look plump but the powerful formula locks in moisture, preventing any further water loss.”

Dermalogica Circular Hydration Serum With Hyaluronic Acid

As the name suggests, Dermalogica’s serum offers “full-circle” hydration, according to Camp—without leaving a tacky finish. “It includes hyaluronic acid for penetrating hydration that leaves skin soft and supple, an algae-extract-infused moisturizing matrix that provides long-lasting moisture, and polyglutamic acid from fermented soy to boost the skin’s own natural hydrating reserves,” he says.

Jan Marini Hyla3D Face Serum

Jan Marini’s Hyla3D serum is Marino’s pick for normal to dry or mature skin. “Its patented formula features four different types of H.A. at different molecular weights to address hydration and different levels of the skin, in conjunction with calcium ketogluconate, which is a hyaluronic-acid booster,” she explains. “This serum helps to hydrate and replenish the skin while restoring volume, delivering a more youthful, bouncy complexion.”

Rodial Dragon’s Blood Hyaluronic Mask

Mims loves this hyaluronic-laced mask because it “includes dragon’s blood, which is a natural plant resin that reduces inflammation and can be worn on parched skin while in flight or running errands or as a weekly hydrating treatment.”