If you’re one of those rare individuals who has perfectly hydrated, glowing skin by simply washing their face and slapping on a moisturizer (and SPF, we hope!), then congratulations on hitting the genetic lottery. But if your skin feels parched after cleansing and your face cream isn’t enough to quench its thirst, that’s a good sign you have dry skin—and that you need a hydrating serum. “Face serums are lightweight and often packed with hydrating ingredients that absorb quickly into the skin,” explains Connie Yang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at PFRANKMD in New York, NY. “They can be layered underneath heavier lotions and moisturizers for maximal hydration.”
Dry skin can be caused by a number of factors, including aging, inflammatory conditions like eczema and psoriasis, and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. But ultimately, rough, flaky skin is a sign that your skin barrier isn’t functioning at its best, says Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, a board-certified dermatology nurse practitioner in New York, NY. “Face serums can help re-establish hydration and maintain the integrity of the skin barrier,” she adds. There are a variety of serum options out there—with different ingredients and textures—but the best serums for dry skin will instantly flood the skin with moisture without leaving it feeling oily or heavy.
Vogue’s Favorite Serums For Dry Skin:
In This Article
Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum
- Why We Love It: This hydrating, skin-soothing serum features multiple sizes of hyaluronic acid to pull water deeply into the skin to leave it looking plush and smooth; panthenol (vitamin B5) in the formula promotes lasting moisture as well. But what’s particularly noteworthy about La Roche-Posay’s HA serum is the inclusion of madecassoside. “It’s a derivative of centella asiatica, a popular Korean skin-care ingredient,” explains Yang. “It supports the skin barrier and protects against oxidative stress.” Additional relief is achieved through the brand’s signature thermal spring water, which has been proven to calm irritation due to its high concentration of essential mineral selenium.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, panthenol, madecassoside, thermal spring water
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Drugstore: CeraVe Hyaluronic Acid Serum
- Why We Love It: Fun fact—the “Cera” in CeraVe stands for ceramides, a cornerstone ingredient for the brand. “Ceramides are a naturally occurring lipid that makes up an important part of our skin barrier,” explains Yang. “Topical ceramides can help strengthen the skin barrier to prevent moisture loss.” The lightweight gel-cream formula also contains hydrating hyaluronic acid and nourishing panthenol to leave skin softer, smoother, and more comfortable.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, panthenol
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Lightweight: Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Serum
- Why We Love It: This fast-absorbing, never-sticky formula features an ultra-pared-down list of just seven ingredients, including a handful of humectants—hyaluronic acid and glycerin—as well as skin-softening panthenol to help hydrate and restore dry skin. The moisture magnet-like effects of the humectants also work to plump skin, smoothing out the appearance of fine lines.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, panthenol, glycerin
- Size: 1 oz.
Best For Dull Skin: Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid
- Why We Love It: This formula is a multi-tasker, featuring firming peptides and nourishing ceramides as well as unsung hero, beta glucan. “The beta glucan in this product helps calm irritated or sensitive skin and reduces redness,” Yang says. In addition to its soothing effects, the serum brightens up dull and uneven skin with niacinamide, creating a luminous glow. It’s also great under makeup, notes Yang.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, marula oil
- Size: 1.7 oz.
Best Firming: Clarins Double Serum
- Why We Love It: Clarins’s Double Serum has been a skincare staple since it launched in 1985; it was recently updated to further boost its skin-revitalizing effects. The new-and-improved formula boasts a blend of humectants, emollients, and 22 plant extracts—including turmeric, harungana, and giant Provençal reed—to refine pores, increase vibrancy, and firm sagging skin.
- Key Ingredients: Turmeric extract, harungana extract, hyaluronic acid, peptides
- Size: 1 oz.
Best For Hyperpigmentation: L’Oréal Pure Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum
- Why We Love It: In addition to ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid, this serum contains vitamin C, a favorite ingredient of LoGerfo’s. “I often refer to vitamin C as the glowing vitamin,” she says. “Vitamin C can be used to lighten hyperpigmentation and sun spots—it also can brighten skin and reduce dullness.” Unlike many vitamin C-infused serums, this one absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a sticky sensation, making it a great pre-makeup step.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Splurge: Augustinus Bader The Serum
- Why We Love It: This lightweight milky serum features Augustinus Bader’s signature ingredient complex, TFC8— a blend of 40 different vitamins, peptides, nutrients, amino acids, and lipids—to help repair and renew skin. From the serum’s eye-catching packaging to its firming, nourishing benefits, you’ll love how indulgent the experience is and be instantly reminded of why this brand is a cult favorite.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, peptides, edelweiss extract
- Size: 1 oz.
Best For Acne-Prone Skin: iS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum
- Why We Love It: Treating skin that’s susceptible to both dryness and blemishes is no easy task, but this soothing, lightweight serum combats both concerns, boosting hydration levels while calming tenderness and inflammation. Beyond humectant hyaluronic acid and soothing panthenol, the formula features multiple forms of comforting centella asiatica to reduce redness and irritation as well as mushroom extract to help even out tone.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, panthenol, centella asiatica
- Size: 1 oz.
Best For Dehydrated Skin: PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum
- Why We Love It: Yang shares that this is her go-to hyaluronic acid serum. “It’s packed with ingredients that not only hydrate but also strengthen the skin barrier—ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and the proprietary HA-Pro complex that stimulates your own body’s production of hyaluronic acid,” she says. The formula delivers an instant plumping effect as well as long-term benefits; Yang adds that the lightweight, gel texture of this serum layers beautifully with other products in your routine.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Clean: Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
- Why We Love It: The beauty of this serum lies in its simplicity, with two hard-working, clean ingredients designed to revitalize dry skin. The first is hyaluronic acid—in multiple forms—to deliver instant and lasting hydration for plump, bouncy-looking skin. The second is purslane, a plant extract that’s naturally rich in vitamins A, C, and E as well as omega-fatty acids to defend against free radical damage while preserving the skin barrier for a softer texture and brighter glow.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, purslane extract
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Anti-Aging: Epi.logic Master Plan Collagen Renew Growth Factor Serum
- Why We Love It: In some cases, skin dryness is a sign of damage—this gentle yet efficacious serum is fortified with a blend of peptides and growth factors to repair skin. In addition to boosting collagen production to help firm and smooth, the formula boasts hydrating hyaluronic acid and beta-glucan to quench and soothe thirsty, irritated skin, plus adaptogenic tremella mushroom to calm a stressed complexion.
- Key Ingredients: Growth factors, peptides, hyaluronic acid, tremella mushroom extract, beta glucan
- Size: 1 oz.
Best Under Makeup: Ilia The Base Face Milk
- Why We Love It: Give this a shot if your skin is sensitive to fluctuations in weather: this hybrid formula is light enough to solo wear as a moisturizer in summer, or in winter as a nourishing serum step before a richer face cream due to its hydrating blend of humectants, plant oils, and botanical extracts. No matter how you wear it, it’ll leave your skin smoother, brighter, and calmer while helping your makeup go on with ease—no pilling, ever.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, argan oil, algae extract
- Size: 3.4 oz.
Best For Redness: La Mer The Hydrating Infused Emulsion
- Why We Love It: This serum contains La Mer’s signature “Miracle Broth,” a seaweed-rich complex that calms stressed skin while repairing signs of damage to even out texture and tone. The milky formula also features a blend of nourishing plant oils to leave skin moisturized, giving it a radiant (yet not greasy) glow.
- Key Ingredients: Algae extract, squalane, soy protein
- Size: 4.2 oz.
Best Luxury: Dior Prestige La Micro-Huile de Rose Activated Serum
- Why We Love It: This incredibly luxurious formula from Dior features teensy microcapsules of nourishing plant oils suspended in a jelly-like hyaluronic acid-based serum. Not only does this make the serum appear to sparkle in the glass vial, but it creates a sophisticated and satisfying sensorial experience: as you massage the formula in, the little capsules of oil burst, infusing the skin with moisture. This makes the skin look instantly more luminous while releasing an elegant rose aroma.
- Key Ingredients: Rose extract, rosehip oil, hyaluronic acid
- Size: 1 oz.
Best For Sensitive Skin: Decorté Liposome Advanced Repair Serum
- Why We Love It: Dry, sensitive skin will drink up this moisturizing serum, with its blend of hydrating hyaluronic acid, nourishing ceramides, and ectoin that leaves skin looking instantly softer and smoother—almost like a liquid Instagram filter. But the real stars here are a yeast culture and bifida ferment, a form of probiotics that calm skin while simultaneously promoting cellular turnover. It’s a fantastic alternative for those with mature skin that’s easily irritated by retinoids and other actives.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, ectoin, yeast culture
- Size: 1 oz.
What to Look For In a Serum For Dry Skin
When shopping for a serum for dry skin, there are a handful of ingredients to look for to ensure the formula will boost your skin’s hydration levels. One of the most invaluable types of ingredients is humectants. “Humectants are substances that attract moisture and draw it into the skin,” explains LoGerfo. The most well-known humectant used in skincare is hyaluronic acid, “a powerful humectant that’s able to hold onto over 1,000 times its weight in water,” says Yang. Consider products with multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, which will allow for deeper absorption and thus deeper hydration. You’ll also need emollients and occlusives in your serum for dry skin. Emollients like squalane, jojoba oil, and ceramides help soften and smooth, strengthening the skin barrier, while occlusives like petrolatum, beeswax, and dimethicone create a barrier on the surface of the skin to prevent moisture loss, explains LoGerfo.
From there, you can consider other ingredients for added benefits, such as vitamins, antioxidants, and botanical extracts. LoGerfo suggests vitamin C in particular. ”Vitamin C promotes collagen formation, enhances skin barrier function, reduces oxidative damage to the skin, and decreases hyperpigmentation,” she says. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, offers the same properties while also helping to brighten uneven skin tone and soothing inflammation in the skin. LoGerfo also likes peptides, which are virtually tiny proteins. “Peptides are touted to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, prevent damage from ultraviolet light, heal wounds and skin irritation, and treat acne,” she explains.
How to Apply Serums For Dry Skin
Before you purchase a serum thinking that’ll be the solution to staving off dryness, remember that treating skin requires a multi-pronged approach. “Do not let the facial serum be the only product in your routine,” warns Yang. “Dry skin is a result of lack of hydration but also an inability to hold onto moisture.” Before applying a serum, cleanse your skin—LoGerfo recommends using a mild face wash that won’t strip your skin of its natural oils—then apply an essence or toner, then your serum. “After the serum has been fully absorbed, it is important to seal in the moisture with a suitable moisturizer,” says LoGerfo, who notes that only a few drops of serum should suffice for a full-face application. “A gentle, emollient cream can help lock in the benefits of the serum and provide an additional layer of hydration for dry skin.” Don’t forget the sunscreen at the end of your morning routine!
To max out the hydration factor of your serum for dry skin, make sure your face is a little damp first. “Damp skin allows for better and deeper penetration of any topical,” explains Yang. “Humectants in the serum draw in moisture from both directions—the outside environment and deeper levels of the skin.” By adding a bit of water to your skin before applying a hydrating serum, you’ll be giving those humectants some moisture to grab onto. Otherwise, the serum could try to pull that moisture from deeper levels of the skin, which can worsen dryness, Yang warns.
Meet the Experts
- Connie Yang, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at PFRANKMD in New York, NY.
- Jodi LoGerfo, DNP, is a board-certified dermatology nurse practitioner in New York, NY.