The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Review: 2% + B5 With Ceramides

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is a good, inexpensive hydrating serum, and the newer version adds ceramides and five forms of hyaluronic acid. It works best on damp skin under a moisturizer. Applied to dry skin in dry air and left without a cream on top, it can leave skin feeling tighter, which is the source of most "drier after" complaints.

If you want to check its ingredient list against your own skin type first, you can scan the bottle's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori.

Below we cover what changed in the formula, whether mixing molecular weights matters, how it compares with La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 and L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5%, why it sometimes pills, and the application routine that avoids the dryness complaint. This is an ingredient-and-evidence review based on the brands' published information and the dermatology literature, not a hands-on test.

What is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5?

It's a water-based hydrating serum built on hyaluronic acid (HA), pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol) and, in the current version, ceramides. The Ordinary's product page names it Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides) and calls it "a second-generation hyaluronic acid serum formulated to deliver instant and long-lasting hydration."

The page links to a full ingredient list and notes that formulas vary by time and region, so check the box you buy if you react to specific ingredients.

What changed in the new formula?

Three things changed: ceramides were added, the hyaluronic acid went from four molecular weights to five types, and the texture got lighter. According to The Ordinary's own comparison, the original formula has four molecular weights of HA and a rich serum texture, while the version with ceramides adds a hyaluronic acid crosspolymer and hydrolyzed HA to the low, medium and high weights and has a non-tacky texture that is more lightweight than the original. The vitamin B5 is unchanged.

The brand says the ceramides lock in water while strengthening the moisture barrier. Ceramides are lipids your outer skin layer already depends on, so adding them to a humectant serum is a sensible pairing: HA draws water in, and lipids help keep it from escaping. The Ordinary doesn't publish a clinical study for the new version on the page, so treat its timeline of better hydration after one week and sustained results after four weeks as brand guidance.

Does multi-weight hyaluronic acid matter?

Somewhat, according to the limited evidence. A 60-day study of 76 women applied creams containing 0.1% HA at five molecular weights around one eye and a placebo cream around the other. Every HA cream significantly improved hydration and elasticity compared with placebo, but only the two lowest weights (50 and 130 kDa) also reduced wrinkle depth, which the authors linked to better penetration of smaller HA.

That supports the basic logic of mixing weights: large HA stays on the surface and holds water there, while smaller fragments may reach a little deeper. It doesn't show that five forms beat three, or that any particular blend outperforms another. The study used creams, not serums, and measured the eye area only. L'Oreal makes the same multi-weight argument for its Revitalift serum, so this is a shared marketing point more than something unique to one brand.

Why do some people say it makes their skin drier?

Because humectants can pull water out of skin as well as into it. A dermatology review explains that humectants attract water from the dermis into the epidermis, and also from the air when humidity is high. The same review calls humectants "a double-edged weapon" because they can increase transepidermal water loss when that water evaporates, which is why they're usually paired with occlusives.

In practice, the "drier after" feeling tends to show up when three things line up: the serum goes on bone-dry skin, the air is dry (winter heating, air conditioning, flights), and nothing heavier goes on top. Cleveland Clinic says adverse reactions to topical HA are rare, so tightness is more often a technique problem than an allergy. If you get redness, itching or a rash, stop and treat it as a reaction.

How do you apply The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid on damp skin?

Apply it to skin that's still slightly wet, then seal it in with moisturizer within a minute or two. The Ordinary's page doesn't specify damp or dry skin, but the American Academy of Dermatology advises applying moisturizer when your skin is still damp after washing, and L'Oreal's own HA serum page gives the same tip: apply its serum on damp skin to help retain moisture.

1. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser and pat your face with a towel so it's damp, not dripping. If it has dried, mist it with water.
2. Apply 2 to 4 drops of the serum, pressing it in rather than rubbing.
3. Add your other water-based serums, thinnest first.
4. Moisturize right away with a cream or lotion to slow evaporation. Dry skin may want something richer at night.
5. Sunscreen in the morning, as the last step.

If your room is very dry, the AAD also suggests putting a humidifier in the bedroom and running it while you sleep. For the bigger picture on HA technique, see our guide on how to use hyaluronic acid, and for routine order in general, skincare routine order.

Why does The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid pill?

Usually because too much went on, or the next layer went on before it settled. The Ordinary describes the new formula as non-tacky and lighter than the original, which should help, but any HA serum leaves a thin film; stacking a lot of product, then rubbing in a silicone-rich primer or sunscreen, can roll that film into flakes. Use a few drops only, let it sink in for a minute, and pat the next product on. If one specific sunscreen always pills over it, use the serum at night only or switch the sunscreen.

The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 vs L'Oreal Revitalift: which is best?

The Ordinary is the best value; L'Oreal's serum publishes the most detail about its HA blend; La Roche-Posay's is the pricier pharmacy option. Here's what we could confirm from each brand as of October 2026.

L'Oreal's product page describes its serum as non-greasy, non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types, and claims it plumps skin in one week and visibly reduces wrinkles. It's the most transparent about HA weights of the three, and its ingredient list includes extras aimed at anti-aging. You pay about three times The Ordinary's price for that.

La Roche-Posay's site blocked our attempts to read the current Hyalu B5 page, so we couldn't confirm its formula or US price for this review. Check the label for the HA forms, any fragrance, and the full ingredient list before comparing it with the other two.

If your main goal is plain hydration under a moisturizer, the extra cost of the pricier serums buys secondary ingredients more than better HA. If you want an HA serum that doubles as an anti-aging step, the L'Oreal formula offers more in one bottle.

What does the B5 add?

Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) is a humectant and soothing ingredient with its own evidence. A review of topical dexpanthenol describes it as acting like a moisturizer, improving skin hydration, reducing water loss and keeping skin soft and elastic. The Ordinary says B5 supports the formation of barrier components like ceramides and fatty acids. That makes it a useful partner for HA, especially on dry or easily irritated skin. Our guide to panthenol covers it in more depth.

Who should buy The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5?

It suits almost anyone who wants extra hydration without oil: oily skin that feels tight, combination skin, dry skin under a richer cream, and people using retinoids or acids who need a gentle buffer. Cleveland Clinic notes that topical HA is safe to use if you're pregnant or nursing. Skip it, or use it only under a heavier cream, if you live somewhere very dry and don't want an extra step. If your skin feels tight and flaky despite good technique, the problem may be a damaged barrier or dryness rather than dehydration; our guide to dry vs dehydrated skin helps you tell which.