Korean Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizers: From Water Creams to Rich Night Creams

My apartment heater came on last week and within two days my cheeks felt like paper. Serum alone wasn't cutting it, so I went through every Korean hyaluronic acid moisturizer I could get my hands on and paid attention to which ones still felt good by the afternoon.

Quick context if you're new to it: hyaluronic acid grabs water and holds it in the top layers of skin. In a cream it gets backed up by things like ceramides, panthenol or oils, which is why a good cream can feel more comfortable than an HA serum on its own. I've roughly sorted these from lightest to richest.

Start light if your T-zone gets shiny

The mistake I made for years was thinking moisture meant heavy. If you get oily by lunch, a water cream or gel cream is where I'd start. They spread like a lotion that forgot to be thick. If your skin is dry or your air is dry, skip to the bottom half of this list.

Like a cold glass of water for your face

Model holding Skinfood Blue Chamomile Hyaluronic Cream next to chamomile flowers on a pale blue background — Skinfood Blue Chamomile Hyaluronic Cream

Skinfood Blue Chamomile Hyaluronic Cream is a proper water cream. It mixes chamomile water with seven types of hyaluronic acid, and it absorbs fast without that tacky layer some hydrating creams leave behind.

It also has panthenol and allantoin for calming, which is nice on days my cheeks go pink from the cold. I use it as my last step in the morning and my makeup goes on top with no pilling.

The big tube I keep by the sink

Cos De BAHA Hyaluronic Gel Cream tube on a bright blue background — Cos De BAHA Hyaluronic Gel Cream

If you hate the feeling of cream sitting on your skin, try a gel. Cos De BAHA Hyaluronic Gel Cream has a lightweight gel texture with a non-sticky finish, and the ingredient list has several forms of hyaluronic acid plus niacinamide and betaine.

It's a 120ml tube, which matters to me because I put it on my neck too and I'm not precious about it. Morning and night both work.

The one that looks like a serum bottle

Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisture Cream tube on a teal background — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisture Cream

Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisture Cream comes in a tube with a little dropper tip, so you squeeze out exactly what you need instead of scooping. Inside it's 10 types of hyaluronic acid, low-molecular collagen and PDRN (the salmon DNA-derived ingredient everyone keeps talking about).

It's fast-absorbing and not greasy, and the brand says it's fine for all skin types. My sister, who is combination and picky, stole mine.

Somewhere in the middle

haruharu wonder Black Rice 10 Hyaluronic Cream tubes on a soft grey background — haruharu wonder Black Rice 10 Hyaluronic Cream

haruharu wonder Black Rice 10 Hyaluronic Cream has, as the name says, 10 types of hyaluronic acid. It sinks in quickly but feels a bit cushier than the gels above. It's also vegan and made with 95% natural ingredients, if that's something you look for.

I use it AM and PM after toner. The mauve tube looks cute on a shelf, which shouldn't matter but does.

When my skin is dry and a little cranky

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream on blue fabric — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream

SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream is a mid-weight cream, so a step up from everything above. It pairs a 5-layer hyaluronic acid complex with centella for calming, plus low molecular phyto collagen.

This is what I packed for a long-haul flight last spring. Patted on with both palms before landing, my skin didn't have that tight, cabin-air feeling. It's meant to be the last step of your routine.

For really dry skin (or a really dry office)

Open jar of Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream on a grey background — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream

Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream is the richest one here. The headline ingredients are rice bran water, ginseng water and squalane, but if you check the ingredient list there's hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate in there too, along with ceramide NP.

A coworker who sits right under the AC vent swears by it. The texture is soft and moist and still absorbs smoothly, so it doesn't feel like a mask.

And one that works while you sleep

Purito Seoul Luminous Ceramide Sleeping Pack tube on a purple gradient background — Purito Seoul Luminous Ceramide Sleeping Pack

Last one, and it's technically a mask. Purito Seoul Luminous Ceramide Sleeping Pack is a night pack made for dry and sensitive skin. Ceramide NP and squalane get top billing, centella is the second ingredient, and sodium hyaluronate shows up in the list too. It's free from essential oils and fragrance, which my skin appreciates in winter.

The point of it is to stop moisture escaping overnight. On heater nights I put a layer over the Dynasty Cream and wake up looking a lot less papery.

If I had to pick a starting point, I'd go with a water or gel cream in the morning and something from the bottom half of this list at night, then adjust once you see how your skin reacts. You can browse more in our moisturizers collection.

FAQ

Do I still need a moisturizer if my serum has hyaluronic acid?

Usually, yes. Hyaluronic acid pulls water in, and a cream on top helps hold it there. A lot of Korean creams already include hyaluronic acid along with ceramides, panthenol or oils, so the cream does both jobs at once.

Is a hyaluronic acid moisturizer okay for oily skin?

Pick a texture rather than skipping it. Water creams and gel creams feel light and sink in fast, so they tend to suit oily or combination skin better than a thick, buttery cream.

Why does my hyaluronic acid cream feel tight in very dry weather?

Hyaluronic acid works best on skin that already has some water on it. Apply it while your face is still a little damp from toner, and if you're in a dry room, add a richer cream or a drop of face oil on top.

Can I use a sleeping pack instead of my night cream?

Many sleeping packs are made to go on as the last step at night, so they can stand in for your night cream. If your skin is very dry, you can also put a thin layer over your usual cream.

Written by Hyerin Park

Hyerin has always loved shopping—fashion, beauty, and pretty much anything worth adding to cart. Since starting Baerry, that habit has turned into testing dozens of new beauty products that land on the team’s desks in Seoul, plus plenty she buys herself. An ISTJ with a very high bar for what makes the cut, she treats her own face as the testing ground before recommending anything.