Hyaluronic acid can be a wonderful ingredient for dry skin but believe it or not it can sometimes do more harm than good! These are the top 11 sensitive skin friendly moisturizers that do not contain any hyaluronic acid.
Everything in this guide is hyaluronic acid free, and also fragrance, essential oil, and citrus free. I’ve compiled this guide because it is extremely hard to find quality skincare that does not contain HA! It’s a very heavily researched skincare ingredient that has been proven to greatly help skin with moisture retention so it’s included in almost every moisturizer formula on the market.
Unfortunately, some people can develop allergic reactions or experience skin irritation after using skincare formulated with HA. It can also cause problems for people who live in very dry climates. HA hydrates skin by drawing moisture from the air into your skin, so if you use it somewhere with very little humidity in the air it will actually start pulling moisture from your skin causing it to dry out!
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Moisturizers from La Roche Posay & Eucerin without Hyaluronic Acid
These are simple everyday lotions that will work for any skin type and can easily fit into any skincare routine under the sun:
- La Roche-Posay CICAPLAST BAUME B5 – A soothing balm with a nourishing texture and matte finish.
- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide– This moisturizer is infused with spring water to hydrate, soothe, and protect sensitive skin.
- Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion– A lotion that provides gentle daily exfoliation with lactic acid. It’s a great choice for acne-prone or dry skin types dealing with flaky skin.
Aromatica + Curel Moisturizers Without Hyaluronic Acid
Next up are some lightweight hyaluronic acid free options that are suitable for oily skin types. These are also great products if you want something refreshingly light for the summertime months! Even a holy grail skincare product can feel too heavy during the warmer parts of the year so consider switching it out for one of these lightweight options:
- AROMATICA – Calendula Juicy Cream – This is a vegan + cruelty-free + organic cream formulated with ceramides to prevent loss of moisture and Tamarindus indica seed polysaccharide to keep your skin moisturized.
- Curél Intensive Moisture Facial Cream – a Japanese lightweight, yet intensive moisturizer that deeply hydrates and absorbs into the skin instantly.
Kiehl’s Gel Moisturizer with Zero Hyaluronic Acid
Gel textured moisturizers are my most recommended texture of lotion! They feel oh so refreshing during the summer and easily soothe irritated and tired skin. They are also unfortunately frequently formulated using HA so I was only able to track down one product, this guide will be updated the moment I find more moisturizers without hyaluronic acid.
- Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream– A lightweight gel formula that quickly absorbs into the skin and leaves you with refreshed and hydrated skin.
Hyaluronic Acid Free Rich Textured Moisturizer Creams from Belif
Rich textured moisturizers are for those who want to look like a glazed doughnut before heading to bed or those with extremely dry skin. I also recommend keeping a rich cream on hand for your nightly skin routine in addition to your regular moisturizer. Everyone should get a chance to use a luxurious moisturizer as a night cream!
- Belif The True Cream-Moisturizing Bomb – This is a vegan friendly whipped moisturizer cream that will hydrate and soothe your skin.
Oil Based HA Free Moisturizers
Facial oils are going to become your best friend during the search for hyaluronic acid free skincare. HA is a water soluble ingredient so you will almost never see it used in a oil based formula.
Facial oils can be used by every skin type (even you oily guys and gals can get in on this!). I enjoy using a facial oil during the winter months as a night treatment and they are also godsends for anyone struggling with dry or flaky skin.
- Stratia Fortify – A restorative facial oil featuring a balanced blend of omega fatty acids.
- Buttah Facial Shea Butter – A rich, non-comedogenic facial moisturizer designed to hydrate the skin while protecting it from environmental assaults.
- Kanti likuid gold luxury glo oil – An insanely luxurious, one-of-a-kind facial oil made with baobab oil and 24K gold!
You can learn more about the brands Buttah and Kanti over in my fragrance-free black-owned skincare brands guide!
What skincare ingredients contain hyaluronic acid?
If you are shopping for hyaluronic acid free skincare it’s imperative that you also brush up on your skincare ingredient knowledge! HA naturally occurs in the human body and can also be naturally found in many skincare ingredients.
Snail extract, mucus, and all other snail derivative skincare ingredients naturally contain high levels of hyaluronic acid. Snail extract is an extremely popular ingredient in Asian skincare and it’s also starting to gain traction in the United States.
HA can also be found in eggs! This is not nearly as common of an ingredient as snail extract but many Korean brands have come out with egg infused skincare collections. For example, the Korean brand Skinfood has a huge line of egg white themed skincare products.
Be sure to keep an eye out for these ingredients if you need to avoid HA in your skincare routine.
