Hyaluronic Acid

By Nur → Last verified 9/26/2026

What it is

Hyaluronic acid is a humectant naturally found in skin, capable of holding many times its weight in water. Formulas often use the salt form, sodium hyaluronate, valued for water solubility and stability, and some combine multiple molecular weights, Torriden uses 5 types, Wellage uses 8, VT PDRN Air Cloud uses 9, to hydrate at different skin depths at once.

What the evidence says

Draws moisture into the skin's surface, helping it look and feel plumper and more hydrated. How easily a given hyaluronic acid molecule absorbs depends on its specific molecular weight, which formulas don't always disclose. A formula built only on hyaluronic acid, with nothing else to help hold that moisture in, can actually leave skin feeling drier in low humidity, since it pulls in water it then has no way to retain.

Who it's for

Nearly all skin types, especially dehydrated skin that's producing enough oil but lacking water content.

Worth knowing

No one needs to avoid hyaluronic acid itself, but a hyaluronic-acid-only formula used alone in a dry climate may need an emollient or occlusive layered on top to actually hold in the moisture it draws.

Where you'll find it

Products in our catalog that list Hyaluronic Acid as a key ingredient.

Frequently asked

What does hyaluronic acid do for skin?

It draws moisture into the skin's surface, helping it look and feel plumper and more hydrated.

Why do some products use multiple types of hyaluronic acid?

Different molecular weights hydrate at different skin depths, larger molecules sit on the surface for a plumping effect, smaller ones penetrate deeper, so combining several types can hydrate more comprehensively.

Can hyaluronic acid make skin drier?

A formula built only on hyaluronic acid with nothing else to help hold that moisture in can leave skin feeling drier in low humidity, since it draws in water it then has no way to retain.

Is sodium hyaluronate the same as hyaluronic acid?

Sodium hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid, valued for water solubility and stability in formulas, and functions the same way to draw and hold moisture.