Skincare Ingredient Spotlight: Hyaluronic acid and the best products for your routine in 2025

This is why hyaluronic acid deserves a spot on every skin routine! Plus, the best products of 2025.

As a skincare enthusiast, I spend an inordinate amount of time reading skincare labels and researching active ingredients. My fascination with understanding what’s in our skincare products has led me to create this new series, “Skincare Ingredient Spotlight”.

In this series, we’ll demystify common skincare active ingredients to decipher their functions, benefits, and how to effectively incorporate them into your routine. Understanding what you put on your skin is the first step towards achieving a healthy, radiant complexion. And what better way to kick off this series than with one of the most beloved ingredients in the beauty industry: hyaluronic acid.

What exactly is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule found throughout the human body, with its highest concentrations nestled in our skin, joints, and eyes. 

A powerhouse humectant, it possesses the mind-blowing ability to attract and cling onto moisture like nothing else. One single gram of hyaluronic acid can hold a staggering six litres of water! This makes it absolutely brilliant for those of us in warmer, humid climates, where keeping skin moisturised, supple, and plump is of utmost importance.

Read also: Beauty experts share tips for glowing skin in humid weather

How it works

When applied topically, hyaluronic acid works by drawing moisture to the surface of the skin. This moisture is either drawn from the surrounding air or deeper within the skin, providing ample hydration to its surface. This aids in minimising transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which is simply water evaporating from the surface of the skin.

Hyaluronic acid can come in different molecular weights, which will dictate how quickly it can be absorbed into the skin. Compositions with high molecular weight tend to sit on the skin’s surface, offering instant hydration and a wonderfully smooth feel. On the flip side, compositions with low molecular weight penetrate deeper into the skin, offering hydration and plumping benefits within epidermal layers. 

When you’re looking through ingredient lists, you might see different names for hyaluronic acid, which often hint at its molecular weight. These include:

Sodium hyaluronate: This is a salt derivative of hyaluronic acid, and typically indicates a lower molecular weight. However, high molecular weight forms of sodium hyaluronate also exist, and these are excellent for surface hydration.

Hydrolysed hyaluronic acid: When hyaluronic acid is hydrolysed, this means that it is broken down into smaller fragments. This results in a very low molecular weight. These tiny molecules are designed to penetrate furthest into the skin, offering deeper hydration.

Sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer: This is a modified form of sodium hyaluronate, often cross-linked to form a larger, more stable molecule. This stays on the skin’s surface and offers longer-lasting hydration.

Hyaluronic acid: Pure hyaluronic acid generally refers to a higher molecular weight, primarily offering surface hydration. 

Keep in mind:

Some brands may specify the molecular weight in their formulas in Daltons (Da) or Kilodaltons (kDa), either on their packaging or website. Generally, a lower kDa number indicates a smaller molecule designed for deeper penetration, while higher kDa numbers suggest a larger molecule that focuses on surface hydration. Many effective products use a combination of these forms to provide hydration at multiple levels of the skin.

What hyaluronic acid can do for you?

Incorporating hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine is like giving your skin a refreshing drink. Its benefits include, but are not limited to:  

Intense hydration: This is hyaluronic acid’s northern star. It boosts water content in your skin, leaving it feeling softer, smoother, and much more comfortable. In humid climates, it can really pull that atmospheric moisture into your skin.

Plumpness and softer fine lines: By drawing moisture into your skin, hyaluronic acid helps to fill out your complexion. This can visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leaving the skin youthful and supple-looking.

Improved skin barrier function: Well-hydrated skin means a stronger skin barrier. A robust barrier is absolutely vital for protecting your skin from environmental aggressors and irritants. More importantly, a healthy skin barrier helps to prevent moisture loss. This is a common concern even in humid conditions due to sun exposure.

Enhanced elasticity: When your skin is hydrated, it has better elasticity. With better elasticity, your skin becomes resilient and bounces back beautifully.

Soothing and calming: Since hyaluronic acid is generally super gentle and well-tolerated, it can help soothe dehydrated or irritated skin. This makes it a brilliant ingredient for the most sensitive skin types.

Who is this best for?

Since hyaluronic acid is a truly universal ingredient, it suits pretty much all skin types and concerns, especially those prevalent in tropical and African environments. This includes:

Dry skin: It provides much-needed moisture without feeling heavy, banishing dryness and flakiness.

Dehydrated skin: It replenishes lost water, restoring bounce and comfort. Dermatologists emphasise that melanin-rich skin can be more prone to transepidermal water loss (TEWL), making hyaluronic acid vital for preventing dullness, irritation, and hyperpigmentation from dehydration.

Oily and acne-prone skin: It offers essential, non-comedogenic hydration without clogging pores, helping to balance skin that might overproduce oil when dehydrated.

Sensitive skin: Non-irritating and gentle, it calms redness and discomfort associated with a compromised barrier.

Ageing Skin: It replenishes natural hyaluronic acid levels, restoring plumpness and reducing the appearance of wrinkles, forming a great foundation for anti-ageing routines as recommended by Dr. Ashley Patterson, a board-certified dermatologist.

How to incorporate safely and effectively

To reap the benefits of incorporating hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine, it’s important to know how to apply it. You can find hyaluronic acid in various product types, and each affects absorption in its own unique way:

Cleansers: While some cleansers contain hyaluronic acid, its hydrating benefits are minimal here as the product is rinsed off. It primarily helps to ensure that the cleanser does not dry out your skin.

Toners: Hydrating toners that contain hyaluronic acid are fantastic for an initial layer of moisture. They prepare your skin, making it damp and ready to absorb subsequent products, effectively “pre-loading” your skin with hydration. They offer a lighter, more refreshing feel, which is often appreciated in warmer climates.

Serums: This is where hyaluronic acid truly shines. Serums are concentrated formulations designed for deeper penetration. They have a higher concentration of active ingredients, including different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, which penetrate deeper into the epidermis for enhanced plumping and hydration. Apply serums after cleansing and toning.

Creams and moisturisers: Hyaluronic acid in creams helps to lock in the moisture on the skin’s surface. While some creams might contain lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid for deeper benefits, their primary role is to create an occlusive barrier that prevents moisture loss. They are the crucial final step to “seal in” the hyaluronic acid from your serum or toner.

Where hyaluronic acid fits into your routine

In your skincare routine, the stage you incorporate hyaluronic acid matters, as this will affect its absorption and effectiveness. Whether you are using a toner, serum or cream, it is important to remember that hyaluronic acid needs to be applied to damp skin. This is because damp skin gives its molecules plenty of water to bind to, pulling that moisture right where it’s needed. If you apply it to bone-dry skin, especially in a very dry environment, it can actually try to pull moisture out of your skin, leaving it feeling a tad drier.

Cleanse and tone: Always start with a fresh, clean face. If you’re using a toner, pop that on right after cleansing.

Layer with other products, as necessary: serums usually go on after your cleanse and tone, and before any heavier serums, creams or oils.

Seal it in: Always follow your serum or toner with a good moisturiser or facial oil. This acts as an occlusive layer, effectively trapping the hydration it’s pulled into your skin, stopping it from simply evaporating away. For tropical climates, opt for lighter, gel-based or fluid moisturisers that won’t feel heavy.

Sunscreen: This is non-negotiable, especially for daytime routines. Make sure to apply your sunscreen!

Thankfully, most hyaluronic acid products are perfectly fine for use once or twice daily, so feel free to incorporate them into your morning and night skincare routines.

Read also: Everything you need to know about adding serums to your skincare routine

The best hyaluronic acid products of 2025

Finding the right product for your routine can make a world of difference, especially when contending with warmer, humid climates. Here are some excellent choices across various product types, with a focus on hydration and comfortable wear in mind.

Cleansers

Toners

Serums

Creams and Moisturisers

Common mistakes to avoid

Even with a hydration hero like hyaluronic acid, there are a few common slips to steer clear of:

Applying to dry skin: We can’t stress this enough! Always apply to damp skin. If your skin feels tighter or drier after using hyaluronic acid, this is likely the culprit.

Not sealing it in: If you apply this product and then skip your moisturiser, all that lovely moisture it’s attracted can simply evaporate from your skin, potentially leaving it drier than before. Remember: magnet then lid.

Using too much: More isn’t always better. A little goes a long way here. Overdoing it won’t give you extra benefits. It can sometimes leave a rather unpleasant sticky feeling, particularly noticeable in humid weather.

Expecting miracles for deep wrinkles: While brilliant at plumping skin and softening the appearance of fine lines, this is not going to magically erase deep-set wrinkles. It’s a fantastic hydrator, but not a universal cure for all signs of ageing.

Ignoring other steps: Hyaluronic acid is an amazing hydrator, but it’s just one piece of the skincare puzzle. A truly comprehensive routine should always include good cleansing, diligent sun protection, and other active ingredients suited to your skin’s unique concerns.

The bottom line

Hyaluronic acid is an exceptionally versatile and genuinely beneficial ingredient that absolutely lives up to its well-deserved reputation. 

It’s a hydration powerhouse that can plump, smooth, protect, and soothe your skin, making it an outstanding addition to almost any skincare routine, especially for those navigating the unique demands of tropical and African climates. 

By understanding how it works and applying it correctly, you can truly unlock its full potential for a healthier, more radiant complexion. It’s a foundational ingredient that champions overall skin health, making it a truly worthwhile investment for lasting hydration, regardless of the weather.

Read more: Quenching our skin’s thirst: The ultimate guide to hydrating serums for dry skin in humid cities