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When it comes to skincare, especially for the face, nothing is off-limits. The latest trend in skincare utilizes a substance naturally found in our skin that holds water and helps to keep it hydrated and plump. This seemingly magical ingredient is called hyaluronic acid and while it’s not an acid in the traditional, scary sense of the word, it is one of the most powerful moisturizers available and one ingredient you don’t want to miss out on.
Below are some of our favorite acid serums for skin in 2024 that have one thing in common – to keep the skin rejuvenated, refreshed, and smooth. This is accomplished mainly by the addition of moisture because, without it, your skin can be dry, flaky, and crack, making it look and feel older than it actually is.
We have chosen a variety of serums that include hyaluronic acid-based ones with and without the addition of nutritive and skin-protecting antioxidants and another buzzy serum worth trying, glycolic acid which is an alternative alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with the added, youth-revealing benefit of exfoliation.
Comparing the Top Acid Serum for Skin of 2024
Cosmedica Skincare Serum — Best Overall
This serum is an essential addition to any daily skin care regimen as it works to fill in and diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles by providing intense moisture and balance. Over the course of regular use, you will notice improved skin texture, brightness, and overall plumper, smoother skin. Use as you would any serum by applying a small amount onto freshly cleansed skin, morning or night, or blend in with your favorite moisturizer or cream for added hydration.
Pros
- This serum is gentle and will work for all skin types including sensitive
Cons
- This may take some time to see results
GLITCH Acid Serum — Most Lightweight
Elevate your skincare routine with GLITCH Acid Serum, a morning hybrid serum + moisturizer that fights blemishes and prevents early signs of aging. Its lightweight and fast-absorbing formula delivers maximum efficacy without heaviness, making it an ideal primer for daytime wear under makeup. Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid work together to brighten and hydrate the skin, while Pink Rock Rose calms and corrects uneven tone.
Just like other GLITCH products, this serum is safe for sensitive skin, clinically tested, and dermatologist approved. It is also Leaping Bunny and Vegan Society certified, ensuring a clean and effective formulation free from parabens, dyes, fragrances, phthalates, alcohol, silicone, and cruelty. The fully recyclable packaging aligns with your commitment to the environment. To use, simply apply 2-3 pumps every morning after cleansing, and follow with SPF and/or makeup. Experience the power of GLITCH Acid Serum and embrace youthful, blemish-free skin with ease.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Soothes and hydrates
- Targets fine lines and wrinkles
Cons
- Small bottle
Isdinceutics Face Serum — Best Quality
The Isdinceutics Face Serum is a lightweight serum specifically designed to help with fine lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness and elasticity, and dehydrated skin. It has been tested for non-comedogenic and mineral oil-free, and dermatologist-tested for its efficacy. It features a unique blend of hyaluronic acid, BioMarine extract, peptides, and lentil extract that all work together to help with the skin's health. The water-gel texture of the serum is designed to absorb quickly into the skin, leaving it feeling hydrated without any greasy residue.
Pros
- Hydrates the skin and keeps it looking fresh and moist
Cons
- Not suitable for people with oily skin
TruSkin Naturals Serum — Most Notable
This serum is a user-favorite and highly-concentrated, plant-based hyaluronic acid-based serum. In addition to its hydration and plumping qualities, this serum has been fortified with Vitamins C and E to add antioxidant protection from free radicals and environmental stressors. With this potent anti-aging formula, you can feel good knowing your skin is being provided with the key nutrients needed to restore it to its youthful and vibrant appearance.
Pros
- High-quality, natural and organic ingredients make this serum ideal for all skin types
Cons
- There may be a faint scent to the product
Tree of Life Serum — Honorable Mention
This contains vitamins C and E and green tea to ensure you receive the moisturizing and soothing benefits that come with this acid treatment. The serum helps protect skin against free radicals while reducing inflammation and offering increased moisturizing effects. With over 98% natural and 72% organic ingredients, this serum also includes witch hazel and jojoba oil to keep your skin plump and soft.
Pros
- This product is 100% vegan and cruelty-free
Cons
- If you suffer from acne, you may want to try a different option
Alpha Skin Care Serum — Contender
Another great acid that can help fight the aging process is glycolic acid. This is another naturally occurring acid found in cane sugar that works to gently exfoliate dead skin, stimulate cellular renewal, and support collagen production to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. While this acid is not as intensive as hydrating as hyaluronic, it is a great way to exfoliate, revealing healthier and more radiant skin. This serum uses a high concentration of glycolic acid and works similar to any serum in your daily arsenal – simply apply it to cleansed skin daily, moisturize, and apply a protective sunscreen.
Pros
- This product is also enhanced with vitamins and nutrients to enhance and soothe the skin
Cons
- It is advised to do a patch test before trying
Asterwood Naturals Serum — Also Consider
This serum is made with 100% vegan hyaluronic acid. Another great option for delivering intense hydration, this serum will also reduce fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a smoother, more vibrant appearance. With continued use, you will notice enhanced skin elasticity, a more even skin tone, and improved skin texture. Safe for daily use, simply apply a few drops on cleansed skin or blend in with your moisturizer, and for maximum results, you can even use it both day and night.
Pros
- No oils, fragrances, or parabens have been added to this product
Cons
- If you suffer from very sensitive skin, start out using once per day and build-up
InstaSkincare Treatment — Dual Use as Moisturizer
This serum can be used just like a moisturizer, mixed in with your daily moisturizer, or in addition to your moisturizer for a more hydrated, youthful appearance. This safe and gentle acid has a lower concentration of hyaluronic acid than other options and can be a great introduction for those who haven’t used hyaluronic acid before. It will still improve the look of all skin types whether you are dry, oily, or in-between, and improve moisture levels without adding any oils or oiliness. Suitable for use at any age, the use of this serum on a daily basis will only help to improve the look of your skin.
Pros
- For its price point, it’s an effective, highly-rated acid-based serum
Cons
- Start out slow when trying out any new serum and build up to twice per day
Orlette Serum — Great Formula
This hyaluronic acid serum has a potent 4% hyaluronate solution, making it one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid available which means extra strength in fewer drops. Still extremely gentle on your skin, this formulation has added Vitamins C and E for extra antioxidant protection on the skin and won’t leave an oily feel or clog your pores. Other nutritious ingredients include aloe vera, witch hazel, jojoba oil, horsetail plant extract, green tea, and geranium essential oil. In addition to more youthful skin, this product can be used as a makeup primer in the morning prior to application.
Pros
- Due to its added nutrients, this serum is also beneficial for treating cold and mouth sores, ulcers, wounds, bites, and burns
Cons
- Test out on a small area prior to initial use
Buyer’s Guide: Acid Serums for Skin
What Are Acid Serums and How Do They Work?
Acid serums used in skincare are essentially exfoliants. They are classified into two groups: alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). The core mechanism that drives them is their ability to let go of the fluid that keeps the cells adhered to the topmost layers of the skin. With the breakdown of the cell bindings, your skin is left more even and glowing. Therefore, the most common after-effect of using an acid serum is your skin flaking off. But, do not let this falter you. It is just the dead skin coming off.
Types of Acid Serums for Skin
AHAs
These are the most widely used water-soluble acid serums. They work best on the skin surface which renders them ideal for remedying smile lines, textured skin, and uneven skin tone.
BHAs
On the contrary, BHAs work deeper into the skin to treat clogged pores. Such a characteristic makes them your ultimate acne problem solution. BHAs do this by stripping off the oil clogged in pores - the main ingredient responsible for stirring up new acne.
Best Acids to Use on Skin
Glycolic acid
Glycolic acid is extracted from sugar. This type of acid is the most potent, considering it has the tiniest-sized molecules that effortlessly work their way into the deepest layers of the skin. Owing to its instantaneous results, it has become one of the most common types of AH acids. Such an acid promotes the generation of collagen, fortifies the skin barrier, and leaves an even skin tone. A downside to glycolic acid is that it can easily cause irritability, especially to sensitive skin types, mainly because it travels too deep into the skin layers.
Lactic acid
Lactic acid has molecules larger in size than glycolic acid but still smaller than the other AHAs which makes it less irritable as compared to glycolic acid. Owing to its ability to pull in moisture from the surroundings, lactic acid is an effective moisturizing agent. For people who find that glycolic acid is too harsh on their skin, lactic acid is a useful alternative with its gentler tone.
Fruit acids
These acids are even more gentle than lactic acid. An obvious reason for their milder tone is their larger-sized molecules that do not penetrate too deep into the skin layers. Citric acid originates from lemon or grapefruit while malic acid is extracted from apples. If you ever feel like your skin could use more exfoliation, you can always move up a notch by pairing a fruit acid with either glycolic or lactic acid.
Salicylic acid
You must be familiar with this type of acid if you tend to break out frequently. It is the star remedy for treating acne. It does so by binding with the oil clogged in your pores and scooping it all out along with dead skin cells. Owing to its anti-inflammatory properties, salicylic acid is gentle on your already irritated skin.
The Ideal Way to Use an Acid
The general principle to follow before using any acid is to first test it on your arm. If the acid does not burn, you may patch test it on your face. However, slight tingling is generally not something to be concerned about. After you have decided upon an acid serum best suited for your skin, you can start applying it once a week and monitor how your skin responds. If all goes well, you may increase the number of applications per week to a maximum of twice a day.
What lands you in the dangerous territory is skipping SPF from your regime. This becomes highly important if you are applying an acid serum in the morning. Unlike what most people believe, applying SPF is equally important if your acid serum routine is at night time. Your skin is highly exposed and sensitive so a protective SPF layer is pertinent in avoiding blemishes and premature aging.
Benefits of Acid Serums
Hydration
Acids like hyaluronic acid have the capacity to hold 1000 times their mass in the form of water. They assist in the fusion between water molecules and skin cells, leaving your skin supple and moisturized.
Humectant
These are the most common ingredients in successful skincare products and are luckily found in many acids. To put it simply, a humectant has the tendency to keep pulling in moisture from the surroundings and secure it. This prolongs the hydration process in acid serums.
Skin barrier
The skin has a natural lipid barrier that shields it from damage, external toxins such as UV rays, or pollution. Consequently, with time, this outer barrier loses its natural efficiency and becomes prone to damage. A direct result of this is the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation spots, and dehydrated skin.
Acid serums strengthen and rebuild the skin’s lipid barrier which not only prevents skin deterioration but also helps secure moisture.
Tighter skin
Your skin is prone to losing its elasticity with time. This leads to a flaccid texture with little to no bouncing back capability. Acid serums are not equipped to produce elastin. However, they do upgrade the appearance of your skin by making it look tighter and firm.
Cell renewal
Acids promote cell turnover by stimulating growth and locking in more moisture. Such a feature not only reduces fine lines and wrinkles but also prevents pigmentation spots. Your skin will not only feel well taken care of but new and youthful.
