Everyone in Arizona told me to ditch hyaluronic acid. Said it would turn my face into a raisin.
The rumor is that HA pulls moisture from your skin if the air is drier than your face. So I tested it in 15% humidity for a month.
It’s The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. Under $8. I had to see if a cult product could actually be a desert skin villain.
Texture
Slightly viscous, like thin syrup.
Absorption
Sinks in under 30 seconds — leaves a faint tackiness.
Packaging
The dropper is fine, but you will absolutely knock the bottle over.
Photo: Jared Rice / Unsplash
It’s not one type of HA. They use a low-, medium-, and high-molecular weight cocktail. The B5 is the repair crew.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Holds up to 1000x its weight in water
- Sodium Hyaluronate: Smaller molecule, penetrates deeper
- Vitamin B5: Supports skin barrier repair
- Glycerin: A classic humectant backup singer
First impression: it feels cool, then tightens slightly as it pulls. Not unpleasant, but noticeable.
By week three, no raisin-face. But the key was the tacky layer — it’s a signal. You must trap it.
My skin felt plumper by noon. No extra dryness. But it didn’t magically cure my flaky patches — that’s moisturizer’s job.
It doesn’t dehydrate you. Lazy application does. This serum is a team player, not a solo act.