Published: September 15, 2025
Are you turning to hyaluronic acid because your skin could do with a moisture boost? Good move. This ingredient is revered for how it can improve skin hydration levels, making it one that everybody should be using.
However, while hyaluronic acid alone will work wonders on a dehydrated complexion, cleverly combining it with certain other skincare ingredients will enable you to really maximize the ingredient’s capability to deeply quench your skin. Keep reading as CBGärdN talks through what to pair with hyaluronic acid to further elevate its hydrating properties.
Why All the Fuss About Hyaluronic Acid?
As we’ve mentioned, hyaluronic acid is famous for how it efficiently hydrates the skin. It’s a humectant, which means that it’s able to bind moisture from the environment around it to the skin. This gives skin cells a reliable moisture source that they can draw from when needed.
Although hydration may be hyaluronic acid’s main claim to fame, this isn’t all that the ingredient is good for. It also has a soothing effect on inflamed-looking skin and is loved for how it makes the skin feel firmer and more elastic. Since hyaluronic acid is naturally produced in the skin, it’s an ingredient that the skin readily accepts, making it suitable for all skin types.
The Different Forms of Hyaluronic Acid
Where things get a little complex is when it comes to the different forms of hyaluronic acid. Essentially, they all provide intense hydration. However, they differ in terms of the depth at which they hydrate. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular types of hyaluronic acid used in skincare:
- Sodium hyaluronate – this is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It has a smaller molecular size, so it dives a little deeper into the skin.
- Sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer – a cross-linked hyaluronic acid that not only binds moisture to the skin, but also creates a film over the skin’s surface to prevent that moisture from evaporating quite so quickly.
- Sodium acetylated hyaluronate – this form is particularly effective at attaching itself to the skin’s surface for extended periods of time.
- Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid – a broken-down form of hyaluronic acid, this one has a small molecular size that penetrates the skin easily.
- Hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate – as above, but this one is a broken-down form of sodium hyaluronate.
Some skincare products, like the CBGärdN String Lift Sculpting System, bring together several different forms of hyaluronic acid. This two-part system boasts six versions of the ingredient! However, generally, skincare products contain just one form of hyaluronic acid, which is usually sufficient for providing a big moisture boost.
Boosting Hydration: What to Pair With Hyaluronic Acid
While hyaluronic acid on its own is a superstar at hydrating the skin, its effects can be enhanced even further when it’s combined with certain other ingredients. Not only will a clever pairing improve the efficacy of the hyaluronic acid you use, but it could also bring you better results from other skincare ingredients.
Here are some of the best ingredients to use alongside hyaluronic acid:
Glycerin
Let’s start with glycerin. It may not be a very glamorous ingredient, but it’s one that you definitely shouldn’t ignore. Like hyaluronic acid, glycerin is a humectant that draws moisture to the skin. It has a small molecular size that aids absorption, and is also known for keeping the skin barrier feeling fortified.
Use the two ingredients together and you’ll really be able to bump up your skin’s moisture levels. This is why all of the CBGärdN products that contain some form of hyaluronic acid have also been formulated with glycerin – the two work beautifully together!
One product that takes the hydrating power of this duo to the next level is the CBGärdN Midnight Melting Mask. In this leave-on face mask, hyaluronic acid and glycerin are combined with other superstar humectants, such as squalane and aloe vera. Meanwhile, a long list of superfruit extracts, including pomegranate, bilberry, chokeberry, and goji berry, provides a punch of antioxidants.
Vitamin C
Hyaluronic acid’s hydrating effects make it a great ingredient for brightening the complexion. The more hydrated your skin cells are, the plumper they’ll look, and the better they’ll be able to reflect light. In this way, quenching your skin cells can give your skin some instant luminescence.
This is enhanced when vitamin C is added to the mix. Vitamin C is revered for how it brightens the look of the skin, giving it a radiant glow. Many don’t realize that it helps with skin hydration, too. Like hyaluronic acid, it keeps the skin barrier feeling supported, aiding in moisture retention.
While some people choose to layer this duo, such as with a vitamin C serum followed by a hyaluronic acid cream, others prefer opting for skincare products that have been formulated with both, just like the CB Eye Serum Concentrate. This serum combines sodium hyaluronate with ascorbic acid, the purest form of vitamin C. It also features several other potent antioxidant sources, including nettle leaf extract, green tea leaf extract, and licorice root extract.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide has been making headlines lately. Its numerous benefits are becoming more widely known, and more and more people are reaching for the ingredient.
Being a vitamin, niacinamide is very different from hyaluronic acid. However, the two share quite a few similarities when it comes to how they help the skin. Both are humectants, meaning they’ll bring in double the moisture when combined. They also both work to keep the skin barrier feeling supported. They can also help to refine skin texture, making it feel much smoother.
As an added bonus, niacinamide will also help to regulate how oily your skin feels. If you’re looking for deep hydration without a greasy finish, these two ingredients will give you just that.
With hyaluronic acid and niacinamide being such a complementary duo, you’ll find the two in several of CBGärdN’s skincare products. The CB Facial Toner is an easy way to add both of these ingredients to your routine. Applied after cleansing, it gives skin cells direct access to this powerful duo. Two of the products in the Collagen Cooling Set also contain both hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. With the HydroCollagen Lift Mask and the Collagen Plumping Mist, you’ll be doubling up on both of these ingredients!
Hemp Seed Oil
If you have dry or dehydrated skin, combining hyaluronic acid with any plant oil would be a good move. While hyaluronic acid draws moisture to the skin, the oil will create a seal that locks that moisture in. This prevents evaporation, resulting in longer-lasting moisture.
While hyaluronic acid plays well with all plant oils, hemp seed oil is one of our favorite botanical oils to combine with hyaluronic acid. Why? Firstly, it’s a humectant, just like hyaluronic acid. Not all plant oils have these moisture-binding properties. It also soothes the feeling of inflammation in the skin while its omega fatty acids keep the skin barrier feeling strengthened. With hyaluronic acid producing similar effects, the two work synergistically together.
One way to add this pair to your skincare routine is by applying a hyaluronic acid serum and topping that with a hemp seed oil-infused cream. Alternatively, find a product that combines the two, just like the CB Göld Velvet Silk Crème from our CB Göld Collection. Not only does this moisturizer leave the skin feeling deeply hydrated for hours, but it also fights the appearance of environmental damage, thanks to a potent blend of powerful plant extracts and stem cells.
Peptides
Another synergistic couple to add to your skincare routine is hyaluronic acid and peptides. Many experts would agree that the two are the perfect pairing, offering a dual-action approach to skincare. This is due to how the hydration provided by hyaluronic acid creates an optimal environment for peptides to thrive. They can then work on giving the skin barrier a stronger and more resilient finish – a process that will be enhanced by the availability of hyaluronic acid.
This duo is also worth turning to if you’re trying to reduce the appearance of skin aging. While hyaluronic acid will have an immediate plumping effect on your complexion, the peptides will work to give your skin a firmer and more elastic feel in the long run.
A few of the CBGärdN hyaluronic acid products that we’ve already featured contain peptides. However, if cutting-edge peptides are what you’re after, check out the Facial Anti-Aging Firming System. This revolutionary face mask not only combines hyaluronic acid with a powerful peptide duo, but it adds niacinamide into the mix, too!
Retinoids
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Last but not least, let’s talk about retinoids. These vitamin A derivatives are considered to be superstars in the skincare world because of how they produce some big results. Retinoids are among the most studied of skincare ingredients out there, with plenty of science backing up their efficacy.
The downside to retinoids? Many are notorious for leaving the skin feeling dehydrated and dry. Combine it with hyaluronic acid, however, and you’re far less likely to have to deal with these side effects. Instead, you’ll be able to maintain your skin’s hydration levels while also soaking up the benefits of the retinoid you’ve used.
If you’re new to retinoids, start off with one of the gentler options, such as the retinyl palmitate used in the CB Göld Timeless Lift. While it works its magic on your complexion, sodium hyaluronate and squalane hydrate the skin, while vitamin E and a duo of plant oils lock that moisture in. The result is skin that instantly looks smoother, with wrinkles significantly less noticeable.
Making the Most of Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is undeniably one of the best skincare ingredients around. However, by knowing what to pair it with, you’ll be able to maximize its hydrating potential to give your skin cells access to even more moisture. With moisture playing a key role in how healthy your skin feels, it won’t be long before your skin looks brighter, plumper, and happier than ever.
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