Hyaluronic acid pulls water into the upper skin, so it only helps if you seal it in — apply it to damp skin and put a cream on top. In dry air with nothing over it, it can pull moisture out of your skin instead.
Why it’s here: The single most-searched K-beauty product in English; 96% one ingredient, no fragrance.
The downside: The texture is stringy, which puts some people off, and it hydrates rather than repairs.
Why it’s here: Fragrance-free ceramide cream that is frequently 1+1 during Olive Young sales.
The downside: Deliberately unexciting — if you want a visible “glow” product this is not it.
Why it’s here: The default answer when someone wants hydration with no oil at all — a light gel, no fragrance in the formula.
The downside: Hydration only — it needs a cream over it or the water evaporates in dry air.
