10 ultra-hydrating serums that'll leave your skin looking glossy and bouncy

Serums are the best beauty heroes because their small molecules—chock-full of active ingredients—penetrate deep into the dermal layers to get to work. They're best worn after toner and before moisturiser, as the former ensures a cleansed surface, while the latter seals in the goodness of the serums into the skin. Looking for one that'll leave skin looking glassy, glowy and bright? Here's what you can try. 

This hydrating formula is super lightweight and absorbs upon contact, so it doesn't feel goopy or heavy at all. It is chock-full of jeju green tea extract and green tea seed oil, so your skin feels both hydrated and moisturised on application. Green tea is chock-full of ECGC, an antioxidant that leaves skin supple and healthy. 

Thanks to glycerin and niacinamide, this face serum works to gently alleviate dryness and dehydration. Developed with patented Aquagenium technology, it re-trains the skin's ability to naturally produce and retain moisture, leaving the skin well balanced.

This feels cool going on, and you can apply it through the day without feeling like you're piling on too much product. The lightweight serum is chock-full of hyaluronic acid, which holds water and plumps up the skin cells. 

This serum is for skin that feels dehydrated and tight, as well as flaky and dry. It boasts two separate chambers that dispense a hydric serum and lipidic oil to mimic the skin’s composition which is 70 per cent water and 30 per cent oil. Turmeric is an important ingredient in the formula, but those that need hydration can look to marsh samphire, which lowers the skin's transepidermal water loss value, so skin can stay healthy-looking and feeling for longer. 

While the skin already has ceramides, dryness and environmental factors can cause these reserves to diminish. Ceramides are made up of long-chain fatty acids that link with other important molecules to promote cellular function, which then create a barrier to prevent permeability and lock moisture into the skin. This milky serum soothes while it hydrates, and prevent moisture loss all at once. 

This nutrient-rich formula is developed with Citamins B5, B3, E and A, as well as hyaluronic acid and lactic acid. It improves cell turnover while soothing and brightening the serum at the same time. 

This serum leaves skin looking and feeling plump to the touch, and repairs by replenishing the skin's natural moisture barrier. Hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B5 and madecassoside are the key ingredients. The latter is super anti-inflammatory, making it a must-have if you have sensitive skin.

This potent formula combines high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid that re-plumps and hydrates the skin. The former stays on top of the skin to help lock in moisture, while the latter absorbs easily into the deeper layers of the skin. 

This jelly-like gel, when pressed into the skin, makes it look instantly dewy and glossy. Where hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times in weight in water, snow mushrooms hold 500 times their weight. However, since mushrooms have a smaller molecular size, they are able to deliver more moisture to the skin. 

Unlike hyaluronic acid, which increases skin's water content, squalane is a mega-hydrator that acts as a barrier to keep moisture locked in so skin is soft, supple and plump for longer. It feels like a lightweight oil on the skin. 

Also read:

10 best moisturisers, serums, conditioners and body creams for all your winter care needs

Hyaluronic acid: What’s the big deal about this skincare ingredient

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