5 Hyaluronic Acid Myths Experts Want You to Stop Believing

At this point, hyaluronic acid needs no introduction. What it needs is a fact check. Its skyrocketing popularity comes with a side of myths that make dermatologists cringe—and skincare enthusiasts waste money on products they're most likely using all wrong. Between marketing hype and every face serum for dry skin promising miracles, separating fact from fiction has become harder than getting a straight answer from your boss about that raise, separating fact from fiction has become harder than getting a straight answer from your boss about that raise. Before we tackle these myths one by one, let's start with understanding what hyaluronic acid really is.

What Is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid has been the body's hydration secret long before it landed on skincare labels. Also known as hyaluronan, this naturally occurring substance your skin hydrated and your joints well-lubricated. Found primarily in epithelial and neural tissues, this powerful humectant plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue structure and hydration—and we're talking powerful enough to hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. It's also essential for wound healing and skin barrier function—no wonder it's become skincare's favorite hydration hero, plastered across products promising everything from basic hydration to anti-aging benefits. Underneath all that marketing noise, though, its moisture-binding abilities are legitimately impressive.

How is Hyaluronic Acid Made?

While your body makes its own hyaluronic acid, the version in your skincare comes from somewhere else entirely: bacteria. Through microbial fermentation, carefully selected bacteria convert glucose and other nutrients into pure hyaluronic acid under controlled conditions. This method wins on multiple fronts—it's efficient, cost-effective, and keeps everything ethical with its vegan, cruelty-free approach.

Myth #1. Hyaluronic acid serums are only for dry skin.

Don't let the "hydrating" label blind you to the multiple benefits of hyaluronic acid, skincare's most misunderstood multitasker. Sure, it's brilliant for dry skin, but it's also remarkably effective for oily skin types, delivering moisture without that heavy, greasy feeling that makes you reach for blotting papers. The irony? When your skin's dehydrated, it panics and produces more oil to compensate (classic overcompensation at its finest). Hyaluronic acid's lightweight hydration keeps oil production in check without clogging pores, and even sensitive skin gets to join the party—it strengthens your barrier without triggering any drama.

Myth #2. Hyaluronic acid can make your skin drier.

Can hyaluronic acid actually make your skin drier? Not if you're using it right. While it's excellent at retaining moisture, it needs water to work with—and if there's no moisture on your skin's surface, it'll start pulling it from your deeper skin layers instead. That's exactly why it's recommended to use it on damp skin. Think of it as a moisture magnet that needs something to attract: apply it to damp skin and seal it with a moisturizer, and you're giving it surface-level water to bind to instead of forcing it to pull moisture from within. Which brings us to the next myth…

Myth #3. Hyaluronic acid serum can replace moisturizer.

Thinking a hyaluronic acid face serum can replace your moisturizer is like expecting coffee alone to replace breakfast. Sure, it's impressive—holding 1,000 times its weight in water—but without a moisturizer, all that hydration-attracting power can backfire. Remember how it loves water? Well, without enough on your skin's surface, it can start pulling it from your skin's deeper layers just to have something to grab onto. That's why you'll always find it either mixed into moisturizers or with instructions to follow up with one. One attracts, the other locks it down. They’re two halves of the same hydration equation, both equally important. 

Myth #4: All hyaluronic acid is the same.

Not all hyaluronic acid serums for dry skin are created equal. Traditional hyaluronic acid products are like having a Wi-Fi signal that only reaches your living room—the rest of your house stays disconnected. They use only large molecular weight hyaluronic acid, molecules too big to make it past your skin's surface. You'll get that instant surface hydration, sure, but your deeper layers stay drier than a Monday morning meeting. That's exactly why we use four different molecular weights—while the larger molecules handle surface hydration, the smaller ones reach those deeper layers, delivering hydration where it’s needed most. Instead of just surface-level results, you get proper, multi-level hydration that last longer, too.

That's why we created something different. Our Moisture Barrier Booster Serum, perfected with India's leading dermatologists and nine decades of research, goes beyond surface-level promises. This hydrating face serum for dry skin uses four different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid—ensuring hydration reaches every layer of your skin, not just the surface. Combined with pro-vitamin B5 and pentavitin, this quick-absorbing formula strengthens your barrier while delivering intense hydration that lasts up to 48 hours*.

Myth #5. Hyaluronic acid is an exfoliator.

Don't let the word 'acid' fool you—hyaluronic acid isn't here to exfoliate. This hydration-binding molecule has nothing to do with removing dead skin cells. In fact, it's often used to help soothe and rehydrate skin after harsh exfoliating acids like AHAs and BHAs have done their damage. While those acids can strip your skin and disrupt your barrier, hyaluronic acid does the opposite—it's the damage control your skin needs after going through chemical warfare.

Takeaway

Hyaluronic acid isn't trying to confuse you—that's just been a side effect of its popularity. With the myths busted and the facts straight, you can focus on what matters: proper application, correct sealing, and the right molecular weights. While hyaluronic acid uses for skin are well-documented, sometimes the difference between disappointment and results isn't in finding the next big thing—it's in using what works, correctly.

*Clinical Study, 2022