SkinCeuticals does a great job with serums. Their Hydrating B5 Gel is a standout. It offers the skin the water part of the water/oil mix necessary for healthy skin. That’s not to say that it’s just expensive water – the base ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid, which holds 1,000 times it’s own weight in water and is naturally occurring in our skin and other areas of the body.

Here’s how I use it:
– After cleansing, toning (if you do – optional) & applying Vitamin C serum (highly recommended if you don’t already), apply 1-2 drops to your whole face, including eyes.
– If you are dry & need additional moisture than your sunscreen offers, apply your moisturizer then your sunscreen. I use sunscreen as my moisturizer often so as to save a step.

The upsides:
The Ingredients
– There is no fragrance or color added and the list is pretty short. (unfortunately, I can’t confirm what’s ACTUALLY on that list because they don’t publish the ingredients anywhere but on the box, which is long gone)

Usage
– I particularly like it because it will make a difference in any type of skin, which is rare in the product world.
– Of course, dry, dehydrated skin will see the most improvement but I’ve seen it help oily and acneic skin as well.

The not-so-upsides:
– Their communication. The ingredients for each product are ONLY listed on the box each product comes in. No website ingredients and nothing on the bottle except for some lovely written copy.

Contains hyaluronic acid, the body’s natural hydrator, to bind moisture to the skin. Enriched with vitamin B5, this hydrating gel helps maximize the benefits of your daily moisturizer. Optimal for all skin types.

– The price point. At $67 an ounce, it’s not cheap. I tend to only use it when I’m feeling particularly dry but I do know clients that swear by twice daily application for the suppleness of their dry skin.

Overall, I find this a worthwhile product for skin suffering from dryness not cured by using a rich moisturizer, which is actually dehydration, not dryness. True “dryness” is based on lipid imbalance and is solved by using a rich moisturizer and making sure one’s cleanser isn’t too stripping.