Hello! Please note that this post is sponsored by Naked & Thriving. However, this was my honest comparison having used these products. Thanks for visiting!
Are You Tired of Trying Hyaluronic Acid Serums That Promise The World But End Up Delivering Little to No Visible Results?
Throughout my dermatology career, I’ve always considered Hyaluronic Acid (HA) to be one of those magical multi-use ingredients that really lives up to its promises.
It’s a fantastic hydrating powerhouse that can help tackle a number of serious skincare concerns; it’s known to combat the appearance of aging skin, help skin feel more firm, and visibly boosts skin hydration –- along with a whole list of other rejuvenation benefits.1 2 3 4
But, despite how wonderful this ingredient can be, my patients can really struggle to find HA serums that live up to the hype!
I have tried countless HA serums for anti-aging concerns. Yet time and time again I’ve come across low-quality Hyaluronic Acid formulations, or products that are expensive & often deliver subpar results.
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We all know the frustration of wasting our time and hard-earned cash on a new product only for the results to fall flat, or, even worse, for it to have unsightly effects on our skin because of a “questionable” ingredient or a low-quality formulation.
Thankfully, I have managed to find a handful of serums that are worth their weight in gold, and I wanted to share them to help you save time and money on your hunt for the best anti-aging Hyaluronic Acid serum for you.
As a very busy dermatologist who works in 3 different clinics, I have been fortunate to see a wide range of patients with varied skin concerns. I’ve chosen these Hyaluronic Acid serums because of their ability to help address three major aging-skin concerns:
I always opt for products that are suitable for sensitive skin where possible so that more of my patients can benefit. Ideally, I prefer products that prioritize clean, naturally-derived ingredients without the addition of unnecessary fillers or additives.
With that in mind, let me reveal my 5 top anti-aging Hyaluronic Acid serums…
So topping this list is Renew Resurfacing Night Serum from Naked & Thriving, I absolutely love this serum! It’s an all-in-one serum that’s designed to deliver serious results - and they’ve got clinical data to show it too!* 5
What instantly pulled me to Naked & Thriving’s Renew Resurfacing Night Serum was its ultra-enticing blend of powerful ingredients.
One of this serum’s most potent ingredients is multi-weight Hyaluronic Acid. Multi-weight HA is known to support skin hydration and reduce the visible appearance of aging.6 7
Why multi-weight? The size of the Hyaluronic Acid determines how it interacts with your skin - with larger Hyaluronic Acid hydrating near the surface, and smaller-sized Hyaluronic Acid sinking deeper into the skin.8
Renew is formulated with a multi-weight Hyaluronic Acid and designed to visibly hydrate and restore skin in a way that’s best for your skin type! 9
But let me reveal the real magic behind Renew!
Renew is also formulated with Ferulic Acid and Glycolic Acid. Studies show Ferulic Acid can help reduce the visible signs of aging and Glycolic Acids can help visibly brighten dull-looking skin.10 11 On top of this, Renew also contains fruit-derived Vitamin C . This is an ingredient that really needs no introduction - it’s been used in skincare for years to help improve the appearance of dark spots, making it super useful for those who reside in sunnier climates.12
I also found the texture of the Renew serum just right. I felt like it absorbed rapidly without leaving a tacky, sticky feeling behind.
And for those who want a serum that’s thoughtful about both your skin and the planet, this serum is a perfect fit. Renew Resurfacing Night Serum is created with naturally-derived, botanical ingredients and is certified cruelty-free and vegan too! And an added bonus: their bottles are made with recyclable glass.
Plus, isn’t the packaging just so cute? This is a bottle that will look at home on a shelfie from any bathroom.
What else can be said about Renew? It’s really one of those skincare products you hear about, give it a shot and then never, ever look back. I’ve been using it for a while and would heartily recommend it to any patient of mine looking for hydrated, radiant & visibly age-defying skin.
This one little bottle of magic can do so much, so give Renew Resurfacing Night Serum a try today!
I feel it’s a perfect combination of effective ingredients, good texture, and pleasant smell that kept me motivated to keep using it!
In my second spot is the DRMTLGY Needle-less Serum.
I loved the inclusion of Niacinamide in this serum as it's a bonus for those struggling with visible dark spots.13
Studies show Niacinamide can deliver similar results to Hyaluronic Acid & Peptides - helping to visibly firm the skin and helping to combat the appearance of aging skin.14 15 16
But my biggest disappointment with this Needle-less serum is the lack of Vitamin C. The benefits of Vitamin C in skincare are well-researched - which is why I felt its omission left me looking for another product to fill the gap.
Despite this, I thought this serum had a nice, thin consistency, which felt gentle on my skin. I found it super-easy to apply right before my makeup because it seemed to soak up so quickly.
Not that it’s mega-important, but I also felt DRMTLGY’s bottle–and packaging in general–was lacking. To me it looks more like a sample product rather than something you’re excited to put on your skin.
Overall, while the additional ingredients of the DRMTLGY Needle-less Serum do help to deliver visible results, I found that it fell behind Naked & Thriving's Renew Serum because Renew included even more of the ingredients I prefer, like Ferulic Acid, Glycolic Acids, Vitamin C, and more.
Nevertheless, this serum is a contender for those looking for an effective anti-aging HA serum.
Coming up in third place is Trinny London’s Peptide+ HA Serum Plump Up.
I like the inclusion of both Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides in this serum, which separates it from other serums on my list. It’s a common occurrence for patients to ask about Peptides because of how frequently they’re talked about and celebrated on social media.
Having said that, I loved this serum’s beautiful packaging. It comes in a unique twist-up bottle that is fun to use. And although I thought this serum was on the thicker side, I still felt it applied fine. It didn’t feel too sticky or gooey like other serums my patients and I have tried.
My biggest disappointment with this product came when looking at its full ingredients list. It doesn’t have a lot going on.
My patients and I are always busy, so we don’t have the time for a 10-step skincare routine. When you compare Trinny London’s Plump Up ingredient list with Naked & Thriving’s Renew Serum, (which again, has a ton of my favorite ingredients) it makes you wonder if the lighter list in Trinny London Plump Up means means you’re not getting the bang for your buck that you could be.
Fourth on my list is Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench Hyaluronic Liquid Gel Cloud Serum. I came across this serum because a lot of my patients use it, and I wanted to try it myself.
The Gel Cloud Serum is the only serum on the list that includes Sodium PCA. Studies show this particular ingredient can visibly moisturize & hydrate your skin’s appearance.18
When I tried this serum, I felt like it gave me a luminous glow. My skin felt very moisturized and I looked less dehydrated after using it.
I felt like this serum was more like a cream because of its thicker consistency. However, some of my patients do prefer this cream-like texture – especially my male patients.
Why’s this one lower on my list?
I personally found the mild odor to be a deterrent for me - it made me not want to use it - which is something you never want in skincare.
One of my biggest gripes with this serum is its lack of powerhouse ingredients. Like Trinny London’s serum, this one is missing out on some of the hero ingredients that other serums on this list have, such as Ferulic Acid, Vitamin C, Peptides, Niacinamide, and more.
It’s also worth noting this serum includes Hydrolyzed Silk and Honey Extract, meaning it isn’t suitable for vegans.
While I feel Peter Thomas Roth’s serum is a strong contender in the world of HA serums, the lack of my preferred ingredients loses me. Still, I believe it’s a good option for those looking for a thicker, creamier HA serum.
Finally we have The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum.
Just like Renew, this serum has the coveted combination of Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin. Studies show both these ingredients work together to help visibly lock in moisture, helping your skin look healthier.19
One of this serum’s biggest benefits is its price point. It's affordable and celebrated by lots of younger people who are looking to get into skincare for the first time.
I also love the inclusion of Vitamin B5 in this serum. Studies show Vitamin B5 has the ability to help visibly support the skin’s vital building blocks.20
However… This serum is on the thicker side and I found it very sticky. Some of my patients have told me it caused a stinging sensation on their skin. This could be attributed to skin sensitivities - so I’d strongly advise that you perform a spot test and see if your skin reacts negatively before you start to use the serum regularly.
Either way, take note if you have sensitive skin yourself.
Unfortunately, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum is another one that is missing a lot of my favorite effective ingredients, such as Ferulic Acid and Peptides.
All in all, I felt it was important to include this product as an entry option into Hyaluronic Acid, but I feel like the short ingredient list means it’s missing lots of ingredients I would typically recommend to my patients looking for a virtually wrinkle-free complexion.
But if you want something simple and frills-free, consider giving The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum a try - but again, be cautious if you have skin sensitivities.
There you have it, my top Hyaluronic Acid serum is Naked & Thriving’s Renew Resurfacing Night Serum.
Beyond its incredible formula, the texture is a dream. If that wasn’t enough, Renew aligns perfectly with my ethical values, boasting naturally derived and vegan ingredients, as well as a cruelty-free certification.
So, if you're looking for a Hyaluronic Acid serum that exceeds expectations, I believe the choice is crystal clear –Naked & Thriving’s Renew.
