I compiled this guide because it is near impossible to track down sensitive skin friendly skincare that does not contain HA! It’s an extremely heavily researched skincare ingredient that has been proven to greatly help skin with moisture retention so it’s been formulated into almost every serum on the market. All the serums below are hyaluronic acid free. They are also fragrance, essential oil, and citrus extract/oil free as well.
Unfortunately, some individuals can develop allergic reactions or experience skin irritation after using skincare formulated with HA. It’s unproblematic for the vast majority of skincare users but if you’ve ended up here it’s obviously causing you trouble and I’m here to help out! I also have a guide on moisturizers without hyaluronic acid posted here.
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1. Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence
The Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence is a hybrid of a hydrating toner and serum. It’s made with mineral water which claims to reduce the appearance of pores, deliver moisture and improve skin texture. It’s fragrance and essential oil free but does have a subtle natural scent that quickly subsides after application. The entire Cremorlab line advertises “T.E.N. water, which stands for “Thermal water therapy, Eco energy, Natural nourishment” is a base ingredient in all Cremorlab products. This thermal water comes from a small, countryside town called, Geumjin in South Korea”.
This product has one of the crazier marketing schemes that I have ever come across in Korean skincare, but the formula itself looks promising! It has two of my favorite ingredients for treating dry skin, niacinamide and yeast ferment.
Ingredients:
Water, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Betaine, Chamomilla Recutita (matricaria) Flower Water, Saccharomyces Ferment, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Betaine, Peg/ppg-17/6 Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, Pvm/ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phenoxyethanol
2. Holy Snails El Dorado Vitamin C Oil Serum
Get a one-two punch of hydration plus take advantage of the anti-aging benefits of vitamin C in the El Dorado Vitamin C serum! From the brand: “Stimulates collagen production, reduces sun damage, brightens and evens skin tone, provides antioxidant protection against free radicals”.
This is a luxuirous oil textured serum that provides rich hydration while also fighting free radical damage. Vitamin C is also slightly more stable in oil formulations than water. Most vitamin C serums have notoriously short shelf lives and love to degrade if you look at them funny. It’s currently priced at $45 for 1 oz of product.
Ingredients:
Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, Tetrahexyldecylascorbate, Prickly Pear Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Root Extract, Abronia Villosa Leaf Extract, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Yucca Brevifolia Root Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract, Fouqueria Splendens Stem Extract, Larrea Tridentata Extract, Tocopherol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate
3. innisfree Fermented Soybean Firming Energy Essence
The Fermented Soybean Firming Energy Essence is a heavy-duty Korean essence formulated with fermented soybean extract and oat extract. This is currently priced at $39 at Sephora but you get a whopping 5.07 OZ of product which is awesome! It looks a little spendy at first glance but breaks down to just under $8 per oz which is very reasonable. I was first introduced to this product by the amazing Gothamista over on YouTube. This is an incredibly hydrating and soothing serum that gives a bouncy feel to the skin after application and deeply moisturizes.
Ingredients:
Water, Propanediol, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Arbutin, Polyglycerin-3, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ppg-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Betaine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Adenosine, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol.
4. It’s Skin Power 10 Formula LI Effector
The next hydrating serum with zero hyaluronic acid is the It’s Skin Power 10! It’s only $12 for the standard 1oz of product over on Althea (my go-to site for purchasing Korean skincare).
It’s formulated with polyglutamic acid from fermented soybeans. PGA is a humectant that gives very similar results to hyaluronic acid, but here’s the kicker, it can retain 4x more moisture in the skin than HA! It also contains licorice root extract which is a wonderful ingredient for calming irritated skin and treating redness.
Ingredients:
Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglutamic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta
5. The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid Serum
The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid Serum currently retails for $14.99 at Sephora for 1oz of product (that’s run-of-the-mill sizing for a serum).
This has a 3% concentration of polyglutamic acid and a pH level of 6.0-7.0. Dimethicone is the second ingredient in this formula and you can definitely tell that it’s a high concentration from the feeling of this serum. It gives the serum a silky smooth feeling and leaves the skin richly moisturized. Dimethicone is an emollient used in many moisturizers and serums, it creates a water-permeable barrier on the skin that helps seal in moisture and prevent water loss in the skin.
This plays well as a base under makeup and mixes in easily with oil and water-based skincare. Read my full in-depth review here!
Ingredients:
Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-11, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Propanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 80, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethylacrylamide/Acrylic Acid/Polystyrene Ethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract.
6. The OrdinaryAmino Acids + B5
The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 is a light but super-concentrated hydration serum formulated with 17% amino acids and 5% vitamin B5. From the brand: “Amino Acids: Found in the skin’s own Natural Moisturizing Factors and provides enhanced barrier support, elasticity, and balance. Vitamin B5: A pro-vitamin of vitamin B5 to provide surface and below-surface hydration while aiding in skin repair and anti-irritant functions.”
It’s at the insanely affordable pricepoint of $6.50 for 1oz at Sephora, but don’t let the low pricetag trick you into thinking this isn’t a hard working formula!
Ingredients:
Water, Propanediol, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, PCA, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Proline, Isoleucine, Lysine HCl, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Citric Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.
