We’ve all been hydrating wrong. Hyaluronic acid is the clingy friend who needs constant attention.
Polyglutamic acid is the molecule that actually locks water in — it forms a literal hydrogel film on your skin. Science, not hype.
This is The Inkey List‘s Polyglutamic Acid Serum. $16.99. I bought it for the “4x more hydration” claim. Skeptical, but intrigued.
The Texture
Sticky-slick gel — not watery at all.
The Dry-Down
Absorbs in about 90 seconds, leaves a subtle tack.
The Layer Test
Plays nice with vitamin C, pills under silicone-heavy moisturizers.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
It’s a two-part system. 3% Polyglutamic Acid is the star — it’s a humectant and a barrier-supporting film former. Then there’s 1% Hyaluronic Acid for backup.
- Polyglutamic Acid (3%): Forms a moisture-locking barrier
- Hyaluronic Acid (1%): Grabs immediate water
- Squalane: A light, non-greasy emollient
- Acetyl Glucosamine: Gently supports surface skin renewal
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
That initial tackiness? It’s a signal. You feel a distinct, plumped tightness — not a dry tightness, a full-tank tightness.
By week two, my makeup sat differently. Foundation clung to smoother patches, which highlighted dry flakes I didn’t know I had. A humbling purge.
Photo: ibnu ihza / Unsplash
My dehydration lines looked softer. Zero effect on deep wrinkles. The glow is real, but it’s a cultivated glass, not a natural dew.
Photo: Lesly Juarez / Unsplash
It’s a superior hydrator for sure. But it’s a tool, not a miracle. You trade a perfect feel for a perfect finish.