SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator. Hyaluronic Acid Serum for Face with Five Types of Hyaluronic Acid that Smooth Fine Lines and Wrinkles, For All Skin Types, 1 Oz

— Peeling, Price Shock, and Smarter AlternativesI’ve bought SkinMedica’s HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator several times and while it’s an excellent product in the long run, there are a lot of things people don’t talk about — especially the first few weeks of use and the crazy price.First, the price:HA5 costs between $180 to $280 depending on the size, and even at its best, it’s very expensive for what is mostly a luxury hyaluronic acid serum with some added peptides and antioxidants. You’re paying for branding, patents, clinical trials, and prestige packaging, not just raw ingredient costs.Here’s what no one warns you about:When you first start using HA5, especially if your skin barrier isn’t already in perfect shape, you might experience peeling, flaking, or tightness during the first 1 to 2 weeks.This is normal. It’s not a sign of a bad reaction. It happens because HA5 tries to supercharge hydration levels very quickly, and your outer skin layers can’t always keep up right away.It can honestly feel like a rip-off at first — like you spent $200 to make your skin worse.But if you stick with it and layer it correctly, by week 3 and beyond, your skin starts to look plumper, smoother, and more resilient.Key ingredients in HA5 include:• Five forms of hyaluronic acid for deep hydration• VITISENSCE technology (plant stem cell extracts with antioxidant benefits)• Peptides for smoothing fine lines• Glycerin and polysaccharides to bind moisture• No added fragrance, which makes it better for sensitive skin, but it’s still active enough to cause a little initial irritation in some usersCheaper alternatives to try if the peeling scares you or if you want to save money:• La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum (Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5, about $30–40)• The Ordinary Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (about $15–20)• Vichy Mineral 89 (Hyaluronic Acid + Mineral Water, about $20–30)These alternatives are not exactly the same, but they are great options for layering hydration without spending nearly $300 — especially if you’re new to hyaluronic serums and don’t want to risk the peeling shock right away.Important note about SkinMedica as a brand:In my professional opinion, HA5 and their AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser are the only truly outstanding products in their entire line. The rest are often overpriced for what they offer.Final Thoughts:• HA5 really does work if you give it time and use it properly.• Be prepared for 1–2 weeks of peeling and barrier adjustment.• There are cheaper ways to introduce hydration if you’re not ready for luxury-level prices.• Once your skin adapts, the smoothing and plumping are absolutely real.Follow me here on Amazon for more real skin care truths, smarter dupes, and insider tips! Like this review if it helped you — even better skin routines are coming soon!

Great for smooth skin

My mother always asks for the same thing for Christmas because she absolutely is obsessed with this product! (Money wise) she can’t always afford it but this is a great Christmas for her now, one thing I always say about it though is your mostly paying for the box it comes in because the bottle itself is way smaller

**Update 02/04/18, I love this hydrator but was so disappointed to see the price has more than doubled. (In October it was $84 now it’s $178). My dermatologist doesn’t even charge as much for this product. If you’re going to pay full price+ for this, I’d recommend finding an authorized retailer to insure authenticity, just my 2 cents. **Original Review:For reference I'm 41, with freckled, light- medium skin tone, & have sensitive/fragrance sensitive skin.I've been using this for 2 1/2 weeks. I received a sample of HA 5 from my dermatologist & really liked it. I could see an immediate, although conservative difference in the lines/wrinkles especially around my eye area. I feel like it softens the appearance of the lines/wrinkles and makes them less visible. From my understanding, the results are accumulative & are supposed to be even better at the 8 week mark with continued use.It goes on smoothly and absorbs easily and really gives a boost to my regular moisturizer. This is a hydrator so if you typically use a moisturizer, you will still need to use it as this is not meant to replace a moisturizer.I was hesitant to buy this on Amazon because SkinMedica only sells through authorized dealers, generally physicians & med spas but I went ahead and took the risk because I loved the results of the sample (my dermatologist sells this for $160 which is more than I'm willing to spend on a single skin care product). I believe this is the genuine product. The packaging, texture, appearance and results are all the same as the authentic sample I received, so if this is a fake, it's a really good one! Nevertheless, buyer beware when buying from unauthorized sources.This isn’t a miracle, it's not going to do what hyarloaunic acid fillers placed under the skin can do or give the appearance of a face lift but I'm amazed with the smoothing results so far and I'm very happy with my purchase.

Great for first hydration layer.

The product is good, but <bleeping> expensive. And the silver coating on the bottle flakes off and ends up on your face like glitter. For that price, you’d expect better packaging than something that peels off and gets mixed with the lotion.

Thank you, Amazon, for summer Prime Days when this was way below cost. I grabbed it and I love it. Skin Medica is a wonderful aesthetic product line and this product is no exception. A little goes a long way and it does not break out my skin at all. Try it while it's on sale today and tomorrow! You will be very glad you did! :-)

This glides on smoothly & is worth every penny.