What is the difference between hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate?

Hyaluronic acid is the English name for hyaluronsyre. Sodium hyaluronate (sodium hyaluronate) is the salt form, which dissolves more easily in water, so it is the one you will most often find on the ingredient list. They do the same thing on the skin: bind water and provide moisture.

What is hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate?

It is sodium hyaluronate whose long molecules have been broken into smaller pieces. The small molecules can reach further into the skin's outermost layer than the large ones.

Are small or large hyaluronic acid molecules best?

They complement each other. Both provide moisture: the large ones stay on the surface and retain moisture there, while the small ones reach further down and can also make fine lines less visible. That is why many products combine several sizes.

What is hyaluronic acid made from?

Today, hyaluronic acid for skincare is most often made by fermentation, where bacteria convert sugar into hyaluronic acid. It used to be extracted from rooster combs.

Can hyaluronic acid dry out the skin when the air is dry?

Hyaluronic acid attracts water, and in very dry air there is less moisture available from the surroundings. Apply it to slightly damp skin and follow with a cream to keep the moisture in the skin.

Hyaluronic acid

INCI: Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Binds water and gives skin moisture and suppleness. Small molecules can also make fine lines less visible.

Good evidence: randomised trials

Written by ECOOKING Research (R&D) · Updated 20.10.2026

At a glance

Suits: All skin types – especially dry and mature skin lacking moisture
Helps with: Dry skin, Dry skin with age, Firmness and fine lines
Pairs well with: Niacinamide, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Glycerin
Found in: 36 ECOOKING products

What can hyaluronic acid help with?

Dry skin

40 women aged 30–65 with sun-exposed skin used a serum with hyaluronic acid morning and evening, without a control group. Skin hydration increased by 134 % immediately after application and was still 55 % above baseline after 6 weeks, and the skin became smoother and looked plumper.^[3]

Dry skin with age

In 36 people aged 60–80 with dry skin, a lotion with small hyaluronic acid molecules provided more moisture after 4 weeks than both a lotion with large molecules and a lotion without hyaluronic acid.^[2]

Firmness and fine lines

76 women aged 30–60 used a cream with 0.1 % hyaluronic acid around one eye and a cream without it around the other for 60 days. All five molecular sizes provided more moisture and elasticity, and the two smallest (50 and 130 kDa) reduced wrinkle depth.^[1]

Read our guide to hyaluronic acid

How it works

Hyaluronic acid is a long sugar molecule that the body produces naturally. In the skin, it sits between the cells and binds water, keeping the skin supple. With age and years of sun exposure, there is less of it in the skin’s upper layers.

In skincare, the salt form sodium hyaluronate is most commonly used because it dissolves more easily in water. It comes in many molecular sizes: large molecules stay on the skin’s surface and retain moisture there, while small ones, such as hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, can penetrate the skin’s outermost layers. Many products combine several sizes.

How to use it

Use it morning and evening after cleansing.
Apply it to slightly damp skin so it has water to bind.
Apply a cream on top to keep moisture in the skin.
It can be used with most ingredients, including retinol, niacinamide, vitamin C and acids.
It is gentle enough for daily use, even on sensitive skin.

Products with hyaluronic acid

CC Cream SPF 15
Fragrance-free CC cream, day cream and sun protection factor 15 in one, which...
4 colours

4,5 4,5 out of 5 stars (52)
€30,95

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Primer
Fragrance-free makeup primer in three variants: green for redness, peach for ...
3 colours

4,8 4,8 out of 5 stars (89)
€35,95

Add to cart
Pigmentation Cream SPF 30
Fragrance-free cream for pigmentation spots with SPF 30 that makes pigmentati...
50 ml

4,5 4,5 out of 5 stars (36)
€54,95
Day Cream SPF 20
Face cream with SPF 20 that moisturises, strengthens the skin’s collagen and ...
2 scents2 sizes

4,6 4,6 out of 5 stars (102)
From €40,95

Add to cart
Day Cream
Moisturiser that hydrates dry skin, adds glow, strengthens skin collagen and ...
2 scents2 sizes

4,8 4,8 out of 5 stars (251)
From €49,95

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Body Lotion
Body lotion for dry skin that deeply moisturises, smooths and firms skin and ...
2 scents2 sizes

4,8 4,8 out of 5 stars (139)
From €35,95

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Energizing Eye Cream
Fragrance-free eye cream for wrinkles and dark circles that firms, moisturise...
15 ml

4,6 4,6 out of 5 stars (14)
€50,95
50+ Goodnight Cream
Fragrance-free night cream for mature skin 50+ that firms, moisturizes all ni...
50 ml

4,8 4,8 out of 5 stars (76)
€61,95

See all 36 products with hyaluronic acid

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Around half of the body's hyaluronic acid is found in the skin, and the amount decreases with age.^[7]

Its effect on the skin has been investigated in randomised trials comparing it with a cream or lotion without hyaluronic acid. Hydration is the best-documented effect, while fewer studies look at fine lines. A review article concludes that hyaluronic acid in skincare is well tolerated and hydrates the skin.^[6]

Molecular size affects how far hyaluronic acid penetrates: in skin samples in the laboratory, small molecules (20–300 kDa) passed through the skin's outermost layer, while large ones (1.000–1.400 kDa) remained on the surface.^[4] In study participants, there was measurably more hyaluronic acid in the skin's outermost layer after one week of daily use.^[5]