Hyaluronic Acid Is Overhyped—Here Are 7 Ingredients That Are Just As Hydrating

Before any of you come for me in my DMs (yes, that really

happens), no, I'm not telling anyone to chuck their HA serum in the trash. In fact, don't! "Hyaluronic acid tends to be less expensive to use in formulation so it is hyped much more, but it has a great plumping effect due to its carrying 1000 times its weight in water," says Celeste Hilling, CEO and Founder of Skin Authority. So, it's not as if HA is useless (it occurs naturally in our skin for a reason), but according to both Rouleau and Hilling, it's just not the hydration be-all and end-all we've been lead to believe it is. (Marketing at it's finest!)

Ahead, check out seven expert-approved ingredient substitutions to look for in serums that will leave your skin happy and hydrated. Then keep scrolling for even more of the best hydrating serums out there—including some cult-favorites you'll definitely want to try.