Hydration is key to a healthy glowing complexion, and when your skin loses moisture, it loses its radiance too. If you’ve been struggling with dehydrated skin this summer or all year round, we’ve tapped the experts for their favorite hydrating serums for dehydrated skin.
Featured Experts
- Heidi A. Waldorf, MD is a dermatologist in New York
- Joel Schlessinger, MD and Daniel Schlessinger, MD are dermatologists in Omaha, NE
- Nerida Joy is an esthetician and skin-care expert
- Amy Peterson is a medical aesthetician
Who Needs a Hydrating Serum?
Before we jump into the products, it’s important to understand just what hydrating serums are doing for your skin. According to esthetician Nerida Joy, “A dryer skin type needs hydrating serums all year long. For other skin types, a hydrating serum is particularly important in the cooler months, where the elements are harsh, such as snow and wind. Hydrating serums are also important when living in high altitudes where you have clean air (no pollution to filter the suns rays ) and in the dry desert, where humidity is almost non-existent.”
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New York dermatologist Heidi A. Waldorf, MD adds that, while you don’t need a hydrating serum per say, they can be very impactful when used properly. “The reason to use a serum is generally to allow layering of products without a heavy feel,” Dr. Waldorf begins. “A serum feels light and works well for layering because it provides a high concentration of active ingredients without occlusives, the ingredients that seal actives in. A moisturizing serum is useful if your skin still feels dry after your current cream or lotion moisturizer but you don’t want the feel of something heavier. Remember, though, you must apply a cream or lotion over the serum to hold in the benefits.”
How Do Hydrating Serums Work?
“Hydrating serums with water-attracting ingredients like hyaluronic acid work by pulling water molecules from the air into the skin,” begins Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, MD. “While our body produces its own hyaluronic acid to keep skin hydrated and plump, we make less of it as we age, which in turn, causes skin to be more susceptible to dehydration. By incorporating a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid or other humectants into your routine, you can replenish some of this lost natural hydration.”
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So, if you’ve found your skin to be lacking hydration, plumpness and radiance as you age or just with the turn of seasons, here are some of our experts’ favorite hydrating serums for dehydrated skin to get your complexion back to its nourished, quenched state.
The 7 Best Hydrating Serums for Dehydrated Skin
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LovelySkin LUXE HA Peptide Serum ($130)
“I formulated LovelySkin LUXE HA Peptide Serum specifically to be my ‘go-to’ product,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, “It offers double the benefits of both a hydrating serum and a skin-rejuvenation product. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid, which is one of the best hydrating ingredients available, along with peptides, Persian silk tree extract and apple-derived regenerative cells to provide light hydration while addressing fine lines and the tell-tale signs of fatigue that often come with dehydrated skin. It’s great for all skin types, especially those who are experiencing both dehydration and signs of aging.”
Key Ingredients
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, peptides, sodium hyaluronate
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Revision Skincare DEJ Daily Boosting Serum ($225)
“I recommend the Revision Skincare DEJ Daily Boosting Serum, especially for patients who might be experiencing symptoms of dehydrated and dry skin simultaneously,” says Dr. Daniel Schlessinger. “It contains hyaluronic acid to help replenish hydration and plant oils like squalane and jojoba to address dryness. It also has THD Ascorbate (vitamin C) for antioxidant protection, acetyl hexapeptide to support collagen and patented sunflower sprout technology to address glycation, which contributes to wrinkles and dullness.”
Key Ingredients
Sunflower sprout extract technology, vitamin C, squalane, hyaluronic acid
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La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($40)
A great drugstore option for hydrating skin, Peterson recommends La Roche-Posay’s Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum. “It has key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamin B which work together to help soothe and moisturize the skin,” she says. “It is also suitable for all skin types making it a top recommendation for hydration.”
Key Ingredients
Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, vitamin B5,
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Biologique Recherche Serum Amniotique ($162)
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Peterson’s hydrating serum splurge product is Biologique Recherche’s Serum Amniotique. “It is one of favorite hydrating serums because it delivers powerful moisture that instantly transforms the skin,” she begins. “It is known for its unique formula, packed with cellular extracts that rejuvenate and plump the skin. Every time I use it, my skin instantly looks more youthful and radiant. I love how lightweight and easily absorbed it is, making it perfect for all skin types. It is an easy addition to anyone’s skin-care routine who is looking for that extra touch of hydration.”
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Rejuvi ‘q’ Flavonoid Complex ($65)
“For really dry dehydrated skin, I like a serum to have body, and not disappear quickly into the skin,” explains Joy, “So, I recommend serum that’s lipophilic—meaning it contains healthy fats and oils—to protect and hydrate the outer layer of the skin such as the Rejuvi ‘q’ Flavonoid Complex.” Packed with powerful ingredients like bioflavinoids and vitamin K1, this multitasking serum not only hydrates parched skin, but helps minimize the appearance of broken capillaries, spider veins and excessive redness and scaring too.
Key Ingredients
Bioflavonoid, arnica extract, sweet almond oil, polysorbate 20, vitamin K1, grape seed extract, methylparaben, essential oil
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Environ HA Intensive Hydrating Serum ($106)
“Environ HA Intensive Hydrating Serum is one of my absolute favorites because it delivers a deep, lasting hydration that makes skin feel soothed and hydrated,” Peterson raves. “This serum is packed with hyaluronic acid and is best known for its incredible ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water, ensuring maximum moisture retention. I love hearing my clients’ feedback when I recommend this to them. They always say how much it transforms their skin, looking plumper and more youthful with every use. I also love how lightweight the formula is because it makes it perfect for layering under other products.”
Key Ingredients
Hyaluronic acid, glycerin
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Caudalie VinoHydra Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($52)
One of Dr. Waldorf’s favorites for hydrating dehydrating skin, she recommends Caudalie’s VinoHydra Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum because “it contains both glycerin and hyaluronic acid which are excellent humectants, so they act like microsponges, pulling water into the skin.” She also appreciates the anti-inflammatory ingredients like grapeseed polyphenols as well as its light, fast-absorbing formula.
