goPure's Dramatically Dewy Serum sits at the top of my list and it's not even close.

The Dramatically Dewy Serum is a thin, milky consistency that absorbs well and leaves the skin looking soft and bouncy. It is not overly shiny and doesn't leave you with a sticky feeling.

Upon sampling the Dramatically Dewy Serum, the first thing I noticed is the almost instant hydrating, tightening effect it has on the look of my skin. It penetrates the skin with satisfying hydration, while also providing a visible glow and noticeable tightening. Over time, this product would likely make a great impact on the look of tightening wrinkles and smoothing skin.

I've been using this product myself for about 6 months and I love the way that it dealt with the rough patches I developed on a skiing holiday. I also have some fine lines around my eyes and mouth, which are a perfectly normal occurrence in maturing skin. I love how goPure has softened and plumped up those lines. I would expect other users to see this type of tightening and smoothing too.

I use this product directly on damp skin, immediately after showering or washing my face. After that, I layer on targeted serums or creams to deal with my specific skincare concerns. That’s one reason why I prefer to keep my hydration step more “pure,” so to speak.

When evaluating skincare products, I prioritize clean products that are simple and high quality – goPure delivers on those goals.

And I'm pleased to say that it’s also accessible – it works better and is almost 60% less expensive than other products on my top 5 list!

Reviewers say, and I agree, that a little goes a long way with this product. So on top of being affordable, that stretches your skincare dollar even further.

Overall, I've seen people get glowing results from this product. I love recommending goPure to my patients. For these reasons, goPure's Dramatically Dewy Serum has earned the top spot in my hyaluronic acid rankings!

#2 PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum ($124)

PCA Skin products are always high quality, and they're a go-to for many people. This product is no exception.

Much like goPure, this hyaluronic acid product keeps the focus on hydration. It also contains 2 forms of hyaluronic acid, although I’m not sure of the molecular weight or penetration depth of this one – it just claims “maximum skin hydration and plumping.”

And while we’re on the topic of value…one of the biggest “marks” against this brand is that they’re not very accessible, in my opinion. 

A 1.0 ounce bottle is $124, which is more than 3x as expensive as the goPure product, making it the most expensive product in this lineup. So while I have zero doubts about the quality of this one, I believe that the price could be a barrier for some users.

In terms of the user experience, it has a very, very subtle fresh smell that dissipates quickly. And the consistency is almost a gel-serum hybrid – it’s translucent rather than transparent, and holds its shape a little more than a serum does. It glides on smoothly and absorbs quickly, but doesn’t look shiny. 

To sum it up, this product is a close second to the goPure product. The marketing materials say that this one provides 3 levels of hydration, which is similar, and it doesn’t lose focus of the goal of hydration. 

I feel confident recommending this PCA product to my patients, with the one small caveat of cost. It’s also worth mentioning that the hyaluronic acid ingredients are about half way down the list. But the goPure hyaluronic acids are in spot 9 and 10 near the top of the list. This means that with goPure you’re getting the perfect amount of the best ingredients. For these reasons, PCA earns the second place spot in my list.

#3 Lancôme Rènergie HCF Triple Serum ($140)

The first thing I noticed about this product is the beautiful bottle and unique dispenser. It’s eye-catching, but it also has a purpose…

This product contains hyaluronic acid along with some other “anti-aging” ingredients. So it’s a little more broad in its focus – it’s not solely a hydrating serum.

Because of the inherent instability of some of those additional ingredients, it has a unique pump that combines a trio of separate serums: a creamy-serum with hyaluronic acid, a serum-emulsion with a vitamin C derivative, and a gel-serum with ferulic acid (antioxidant).

So if you’re looking to deal with multiple skin concerns in a single product, this could fit the bill for you.

What are those extra ingredients for anyway?

Niacinamide helps reduce redness, lessen hyperpigmentation, and strengthen the skin barrier. This ingredient is number 7, so it’s close to the top of the list. If redness is one of your main concerns, this is good information to have.

The ferulic acid in this product should help address redness coming from visible veins as well as dark spots from sun exposure or genetics.

Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots. One caveat here is that some people with sensitive skin can’t use vitamin C every day. So if you’ve got sensitive skin, this may not be a daily or twice-daily hydrator for you.

Another thing to be aware of is that this product is highly scented. If you’re sensitive to smells, or if your skin responds to added fragrance, I’d suggest smelling it and testing it on your skin before committing to a whole bottle…which brings me to my next point.

This product has a higher price point. At about $140 USD for 1.69 ounces, it comes out to about $83 per ounce, making it the second most expensive product in this lineup.

That said, Lancôme products are always beautiful, as are the bottles. So if you’re looking for one product to address multiple issues, and you’re not sensitive to scented skin care products, this could be a great choice for you. It’s earned the third place spot on my list.

#4 The Ordinary Facial Treatment Bundle Set ($20.20)

The Ordinary has made a name for themselves by being affordable, and this bundle is no exception. The straightforward packaging also lets you know exactly what you’re purchasing, without any fluff.

The bundle contains two 1-ounce bottles, the first being a hyaluronic acid product at 2% concentration, combined with vitamin B5. The focus of this serum is hydration, since B5 also helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

It doesn’t reveal the molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid, or the depths it’s meant to penetrate. But it’s a simpler formula with fewer hydrators, so I’m including this one in my number four spot.

The second bottle is 10% niacinamide (aka vitamin B3) and 1% zinc. Much like the Lancôme product, the niacinamide here helps reduce redness and hyperpigmentation as well as strengthen the skin barrier. The zinc can also help diminish red, patchy skin, and fine lines and wrinkles.

For $20-30 USD, depending on where you get it, you get 1 ounce of each product. That makes The Ordinary bundle the most affordable one in our lineup.

Because it contains fewer hydrators, and because it likely doesn’t penetrate multiple depths of skin, this has earned spot number four on my list.

#5 La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum - $39.99

La Roche-Posay has built a loyal following for being affordable and skin barrier-focused. This product delivers on both characteristics. It comes in right behind goPure in terms of price (just $0.99 more than goPure), and it stays true to the brand's focus on skin barrier health.

This formula contains 2 types of hyaluronic acid in addition to vitamin B5 (niacinamide). It doesn’t disclose the depths of skin it’s meant to penetrate, but they go by the same names as the PCA product, so I can assume that the penetration levels are similar.

As in other products, the B5/niacinamide likely helps diminish redness and discoloration, as well as strengthening the skin barrier.

It also contains a unique ingredient called Madecassoside, derived from Tiger Grass (also called gotu kola). This ingredient is similar to vitamin C in that it is an antioxidant that helps fade hyperpigmentation and brighten the skin. It’s also known for skin healing properties. This ingredient could be beneficial for those looking to deal with the above concerns.

It’s also worth noting that Madecassoside is above both forms of hyaluronic acid on the ingredient list, which slightly displaces the hydration goal. It is also possible that users might not have come across this ingredient before, so it might be wise to patch test this ingredient if you have sensitive skin or you haven’t used it before.

In terms of consistency, the La Roche-Posay serum is a clear, slightly thick serum that rubs in nicely, but can be a bit sticky if too much product is used. It has a light, fresh scent that is noticeable, but doesn’t seem to linger too long.

While I did like this product, I felt the other options on my list were more effective at hydrating. That’s why it earns the number 5 spot on my list.