Best Hyaluronic Acid Skincare For Plump Skin
Hyaluronic acid has been keeping a high profile… Everyone's talking about the plumping, hydrating and ‘wrinkle smoothing’ abilities of this ingredient. It’s almost too good to be true! It’s found naturally in our skin and behaves there like a sponge, holding onto water and keeping it in the epidermis. It’s a gigantic molecule that’s too big to actually penetrate our outermost layer of skin. But there’s a way around this problem: it can be ‘chopped up’ into different molecular weights that are absorbed at varying levels within our skin. This is why you’ll unlikely see ‘hyaluronic acid’ on your product’s ingredient list. It’s an epic hydrator and does its job extremely well but remember, this plumping action is a temporary one. Just apply it morning and/or evening to slightly damp skin to get the most out of this great ingredient.
GEEK & GORGEOUS HA 5 RICH (Best for plumping)
This serum offers serious hydration for the plumpest, dewiest skin all day! This is the product I reach for when I’m not really sure what my skin is trying to tell me, plus you can never be too hydrated right? It layers really well with other products and I love making a ‘moisture sandwich’ by applying a hydrating mist between two layers of this serum. It contains 5 different forms of HA in varying molecular weights and structures, meaning it penetrates and works at different levels within the skin. These different weights of HA are within a medium to large size range that stay closer to the skin’s surface and focus on supporting your skin’s barrier and natural healing mechanisms. It’s perfect if your skin gets irritated by ‘low molecular’ hyaluronic acid as it doesn’t travel to the deeper layers. If you have oily skin, there's a lighter version made just for you - HA 5 Light.
TIMELESS SKIN CARE HYALURONIC ACID + VITAMIN C SERUM (Best all-in-one)
This is a multi-tasking serum that’s perfect when I’m in a rush or too tired to overthink my routine. It has hyaluronic acid, vitamin C as well as peptides to cover three main ingredient groups in the one product! Just slap on some sunscreen over the top and you’re out the door. It brightens, hydrates and plumps and is a total no-brainer. It contains a 5% concentration of a gentle vitamin C derivative (magnesium ascorbyl phosphate) so it’s not the most effective option for antioxidant protection (like pure ascorbic acid is) but it really shines in the hydration department.
TIMELESS SKIN CARE HA MATRIXYL 3000 WITH CUCUMBER SPRAY (Best for Soothing )
The quickest and easiest way to get hyaluronic acid into your routine and onto your skin? A mist! Timeless has created the ultimate HA 'sandwiching' tool in this product. I love giving a spritz of this in between my toner, serum and moisturiser to really pack in hydration and get that hyaluronic plumping effect. It also has Matrixyl 3000 which is a peptide that targets fine lines and wrinkles and soothing cucumber extract. It’s way more than just hyaluronic acid and water like a lot of hydrating mists on the market. I like to keep this in my bag for when my skin needs a drink throughout the day and it works over makeup too!
KLAIRS FUNDAMENTAL WATERY OIL DROP (Best for dry skin)
This is a very unique product and at first, it had me confused. It’s a water-based serum that feels and acts like a light facial oil. You get the hit of hydration with the nourishment of fatty acids and there’s no oil in sight! It is jam packed with skin-loving ingredients and isn’t just a simple hyaluronic serum. It boasts copper peptides, amino acids, ceramides and postbiotic ferments for an advanced skin-supporting formula. It’s great if you’re wanting to target early signs of ageing like fine lines, but not ready for a ‘heavy hitting’ product. It plays a great supporting role in my routine alongside my retinoid serum. If you dislike the feel of anything oily on your skin, skip this one. When I apply it under my makeup, I always get a compliment on my skin. It’s a guaranteed good skin day in a bottle.
I'M FROM VITAMIN TREE WATER GEL (Best for oily skin)
This product is ‘glass skin’ in a jar. It gives me plump, juicy skin that lasts all day and has a perfect amount of dew (without looking oily). It is full of humectant ingredients that pull water from the environment and lock it into the upper layers of our skin. The gel format is cooling and calming and my oily + dehydrated skin loves this the most in Summer. It contains aloe, glycerin and niacinamide alongside hyaluronic acid for brightening and lightweight hydration. If you have combo or oily skin, this is perfect for you. But if your skin is normal/ dry you’ll need to layer a cream over this for comfort.
Get your plump on with these Hyaluronic formulas:
Words by Julia Pratt
Julia is a self-confessed skincare nerd and co-founder of The Formula. She has been obsessed with skincare for many years and researches and talks about skincare almost every hour of every day. After many years working for some of the world’s top skincare brands, she is focusing on sharing her experience and knowledge learned from her countless hours of research and experimenting with every product she can get her hands on.