Over time, I’ve realised that air-conditioned rooms suck the life out of my face. From dry, flaky patches to dullness, my complexion really takes a beating in such conditions. Unfortunately, I travel a lot, which means that I usually subject my skin to centrally air-conditioned hotels. Since there’s not much I can do about my environment (unless I switch everything off and then slowly melt away my existence), I decided to get my hands on a product with hyaluronic acid i.e. a molecule that is rumoured to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. With further ado, here is my review of The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

Like the other products from this brand, this one too comes packaged in a frosted glass bottle. The cap features a glass dropper, which is helpful in dispensing just the right amount of product. The directions for use and list of ingredients are mentioned behind the accompanying box.

The formula feels quite like a cooling, watery serum and spreads easily across skin. Since it is clear in colour, it dries down to an invisible finish. The first few times I used it, I noticed that it left behind a tight, tacky film on my skin. However, after massaging it on to slightly damp skin, I’ve found that it absorbed well and did not leave behind any residue. I end up using about 3-4 drops to cover my entire face. Although the formula does not have any added fragrances to it, it does emit a chemical-like scent.

I’ve been using this serum for a few months now and have been satisfied with the results. Since it is not meant to be used alone, I typically apply a layer of Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel or Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Cream, depending on how dry my skin feels. The serum helps my moisturizers sink in better and leaves me with a plumper and softer complexion. It also works well to calm down any skin irritation. The only downside is that I end up using a large amount of this serum on a daily basis, so I will need to repurchase soon.

Lightweight, soothing and affordable, this serum is more like a booster shot. If you’ve got extremely dry or dehydrated skin, it can definitely make a difference. I’ve already got another bottle in my cart.

Price: USD 6.80

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

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