Whilst drinking water is the obvious solution to keeping on top of hydration, when it comes to skin, it is the health and resilience of your natural moisture barrier that will determine moisture retention. If it has been weakened or stressed by over-use of acids, for example, moisture will quickly be lost and skin will lose its plump, healthy glow.
Hydrating serums contain ‘humectants’ – ingredients that draw in moisture to the skin like a magnet (the most commonly known one being hyaluronic acid). Simply apply your hydrating serum to damp skin immediately after cleansing, then seal in that moisture with moisturiser or face oil.
9 Hydrating Serums To Try This Summer, From £10
Beauty Pie
Jeju Daily Super Stem Cell Moisture Shot Serum, Member Price £13.84
This super serum is full of skin-protective plant cells including antioxidant tomato and daphne stem-cell extracts to combat dehydration and inflammation. It’s also rich in aloe-vera, making a quenching, lightweight formula your skin will drink right up. Buy it here.
Aveeno
Calm and Restore, £9.99
An instantly calming and soothing serum from Aveeno that will strengthen and fortify the skin’s moisture barrier to increase its resilience and ability to retain moisture for stronger, healthier skin – from the inside out. Buy it here.
The Ordinary
Buffet Multi-Technology Peptide Serum, £14.30
A multi-peptide complex with added hyaluronic acid, this serum delivers a powerful ingredients list at a bargain price, with skin plumping and smoothing results. Buy it here.
Drunk Elephant
B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum, £42
Drunk Elephant’s gel-texture serum is rich in provitamin B5 and pineapple ceramides to attract and hold moisture, helping to improve skin’s barrier function and leave it looking healthy and illuminated. Buy it here.
L’Oreal
Revitalift Hydrating Smoothing Serum, £12.99
L’Oreal has spent twenty years perfecting its Revitalift range which targets the wrinkles and loss of elasticity as we age. The hydrating serum contains anti-ageing actives to firm and smooth for bouncier, healthier looking skin. Buy it here.
Vichy
Mineral 89 Fortifying And Plumping Daily Booster, £25
If you have sensitive skin, this award-winning hydrating serum from French skincare brand Vichy has a pared-back ingredients list that won’t irritate – including naturally sourced hyaluronic acid and fifteen essential minerals. Great for long-lasting hydration and an instantly soothing and healthy glow effect. Buy it here.
Caudalie
Vinosource-Hydra SOS Thirst Quenching Serum, £30
Another great serum, another iconic French skincare brand. Caudalie uses the anti-oxidant properties of grapes in its skincare, grown on their own vines in south-west France. This ‘thirst-quenching’ serum is designed for super dry skin in need of a hydration SOS. The organic grape water will hydrate, plump and soothe dry, lacklustre complexions. Buy it here.
Revolution London
Hydro Bank Hydrating Essence Serum, £15
A water-light ‘essence’ it may be, but don’t be fooled. It’s packed with skin-refreshing ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and glycerin to draw moisture to the skin, plus plankton thermal water, containing pre- and post- biotics to strengthen and repair the skin’s moisture barrier. Delivering both instant and long-term hydration effects. Buy it here.
It Cosmetics
Bye Bye Lines Hyaluronic Acid Serum, £21
Developed with a team of dermatologists and plastic surgeons, It Cosmetics’ Bye Bye Lines serum has been designed to plump up and hydrate skin to soften fine lines and wrinkles caused by dehydration. It also contains peptides and vitamin B5, which help to leave the skin more supple, too. Buy it here.
By Lydia Mansi
May 2022
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