SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier ($175, 30 ml) is a hyaluronic acid serum built around a 10 percent concentration of Proxylane, with licorice root and purple rice extracts and 1.3 percent hyaluronic acid, in a serum-gel texture. It is the SkinCeuticals hydrator to choose when the look of plumpness and firmness is the goal; Hydrating B5 Gel is the simpler, less expensive pick for plain daily hydration. Here is what is in it, how it differs from B5 Gel and the other hyaluronic serums we carry, who it suits, and where it goes in a routine.
Quick answers
- What is H.A. Intensifier?
- A SkinCeuticals corrective serum that SkinCeuticals describes as supporting the skin's own hyaluronic acid levels, for the look of plumper, firmer, smoother skin. It is a hydrator with a firmness angle, not a plain moisture serum.
- What is in it?
- Per SkinCeuticals: 10 percent Proxylane, 2 percent licorice root extract, 0.2 percent purple rice extract and 1.3 percent hyaluronic acid, in a serum-gel.
- H.A. Intensifier or Hydrating B5 Gel?
- B5 Gel ($125) for straightforward hydration on any skin, including under a vitamin C. H.A. Intensifier ($175) when fine lines, a crepey look or loss of plumpness are part of the reason you want a hydrator.
- How do I use it?
- Four to six drops once or twice daily, dabbed onto forehead, cheeks, chin and neck. SkinCeuticals places it after a vitamin C serum and before sunscreen in the morning, and after retinol at night.
- Which skin types?
- SkinCeuticals lists it for all skin types, including sensitive, oily and acne-prone, which the light serum-gel texture makes plausible.
- Does it replace a moisturizer?
- No. It is a hydrating serum. Follow it with a moisturizer, especially through a Canadian winter.
What H.A. Intensifier is
Most hyaluronic acid serums do one job: they draw water into the upper layers of the skin so it looks and feels more hydrated for the day. H.A. Intensifier is SkinCeuticals' attempt at a second job. The brand describes it as a multi-beneficial corrective serum designed to support the skin's own hyaluronic acid levels, with the visible result being skin that looks plumper, firmer and smoother in texture. In the SkinCeuticals system it sits in the Correct step rather than the Moisturize step, which tells you how the brand thinks about it.
In practice that makes it the hydrator for someone whose complaint is not just "my skin feels dry" but "my skin looks thinner and more lined than it used to". If the complaint is only the first one, there are simpler and less expensive answers, which we get to below.
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier
A corrective hyaluronic acid serum in a serum-gel texture. SkinCeuticals describes it as supporting skin's hyaluronic acid levels for a plumper, firmer, smoother-looking complexion.
- Size: 30 ml
- Key ingredients: 10 percent Proxylane, 2 percent licorice root extract, 0.2 percent purple rice extract, 1.3 percent hyaluronic acid
- Use: 4 to 6 drops, once or twice daily, after vitamin C and before SPF in the morning; after retinol at night
What is in it
Proxylane, 10 percent
Proxylane is the ingredient that separates H.A. Intensifier from a plain hyaluronic acid serum. It is a patented molecule from SkinCeuticals' parent company, derived from xylose, a sugar found in beech wood, and SkinCeuticals describes its role here as supporting the skin's hyaluronic acid levels to help improve the appearance of firmness. Ten percent is a high concentration for this ingredient; it is the headline of the formula and the reason for the price.
Licorice root extract, 2 percent, and purple rice extract, 0.2 percent
Two botanical extracts that SkinCeuticals pairs with the Proxylane. Licorice root extract, listed as dipotassium glycyrrhizate, is a familiar soothing ingredient in products for reactive skin and is one reason the brand lists H.A. Intensifier for sensitive skin. Purple rice extract is an antioxidant. Together, the brand says, they help support hyaluronic acid in the skin alongside the Proxylane.
Hyaluronic acid, 1.3 percent
The hydrator itself, as sodium hyaluronate. The percentage is modest by design: this is not a serum that relies on a large dose of hyaluronic acid sitting on the surface. It relies on the three ingredients above, with the hyaluronic acid providing the immediate hydration you feel on application.
The texture
SkinCeuticals calls the format a serum-gel. It is heavier than a water-light gel such as Hydrating B5 Gel and lighter than a lotion, with a slight slip that the brand describes as creating a smooth canvas for whatever goes on top. It layers under sunscreen and makeup without pilling when given a minute to settle.
H.A. Intensifier or Hydrating B5 Gel
This is the question that decides most purchases, because both are SkinCeuticals hyaluronic acid serums and B5 Gel costs $50 less. They are not the same product.
| Compare | Hydrating B5 Gel | H.A. Intensifier |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Daily hydration, replenishing moisture | Hydration plus the look of plumpness and firmness |
| Key ingredients | Hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 | 10 percent Proxylane, licorice root and purple rice extracts, 1.3 percent hyaluronic acid |
| Texture | Water-light gel, oil-free | Serum-gel, slightly more body |
| Where it sits | Moisturize step, after vitamin C | Correct step, after vitamin C, before moisturizer |
| Best for | Any skin that wants more hydration, including oily and acne-prone; the classic partner to C E Ferulic | Skin that looks thinner, more lined or less firm, and wants its hydrator to address that |
| Size and price | 30 ml, $125 | 30 ml, $175 |
The short version: if you are under forty, or your only complaint is dryness or dehydration, buy Hydrating B5 Gel. If fine lines and a crepey or deflated look are part of why you want a hydrator, H.A. Intensifier is the one built for that. Some people use both, B5 Gel in the morning and H.A. Intensifier at night after retinol, which SkinCeuticals' own directions allow, but one is enough for most routines.
Versus the other hyaluronic serums we carry
| Product | What sets it apart | Texture | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier30 ml | 10 percent Proxylane for the look of firmness and plumpness alongside hydration | Serum-gel | $175 |
| SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel30 ml | Hyaluronic acid with vitamin B5; the plain, oil-free daily hydrator | Light gel | $125 |
| Alastin HA Immerse Serum | Alastin's hydration layer, designed to sit first in an Alastin routine before Restorative Skin Complex | Light serum | $166 |
| iS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum | Hyaluronic acid with a cooling, soothing feel; iS Clinical's hydrator for reactive or post-procedure skin | Light gel-serum | $110.50 |
Choose by routine first. If you are already on SkinCeuticals vitamin C and retinol, stay in the system and pick between the two SkinCeuticals serums above. If you are building around Alastin or iS Clinical, their hydrators are designed to layer with their own treatment products. H.A. Intensifier is the only one of the four that leads with a firmness claim rather than a hydration claim, which is its reason to exist. For the difference between a hydrating serum and a moisturizer in the first place, see our hydrator vs moisturizer guide.
Who it suits
| If this is you | H.A. Intensifier | Consider instead |
|---|---|---|
| Forty-plus, skin looks thinner, finer lines around the mouth and cheeks | Yes. This is its core use | Add Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 over it at night |
| Dehydrated but otherwise fine, any age | Works, but you are paying for Proxylane you may not need | Hydrating B5 Gel |
| Oily or acne-prone, want hydration without weight | Yes, the serum-gel is light enough | Hydrating B5 Gel if you prefer the lightest possible layer |
| Reactive skin that stings with most serums | Reasonable. Licorice root extract is included and the brand lists it for sensitive skin. Patch test first | iS Clinical Hydra-Cool, or Phyto Corrective Gel for redness |
| On a retinol and need a buffer at night | Yes. SkinCeuticals directs it after retinol | Nothing; add a moisturizer over it |
| Very dry skin through winter | As a serum, yes, but not alone | Pair it with Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 or Emollience |
Where it goes in a SkinCeuticals routine
SkinCeuticals builds every routine on Prevent, Correct, Protect in the morning and Cleanse, Correct, Moisturize at night, and H.A. Intensifier is a Correct step in both. With products we carry, the full routine looks like this. The cleanser, the vitamin C, the sunscreen and H.A. Intensifier are the core; the rest is optional.
- Cleanse with Gentle Cleanser ($65) or Soothing Cleanser for reactive skin, morning and evening.
- Morning vitamin C. C E Ferulic ($230) for normal to dry skin, Silymarin CF ($230) for oily or blemish-prone skin. Let it absorb for a minute.
- H.A. Intensifier, 4 to 6 drops dabbed onto forehead, cheeks, chin and neck, morning and evening or whichever you prefer.
- Night only: retinol, if you use one. SkinCeuticals places H.A. Intensifier after retinol at night, so apply Retinol 0.3 ($110) or Retinol 0.5 ($120) first and the serum over it. Our retinol strength guide covers which to start with.
- Moisturize with Daily Moisture ($110) for normal to oily skin, Emollience ($110) for dry skin, or Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($195) at night for mature or very dry skin; our Triple Lipid Restore guide explains who it suits.
- Morning only: sunscreen. Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 ($68), applied as the last step.
If that is more steps than you want, the three-product version is cleanser, H.A. Intensifier and sunscreen in the morning, with a moisturizer added at night. The full Prevent, Correct, Protect logic is in our SkinCeuticals morning and night routine.
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Shop SkinCeuticalsFrequently asked questions
What does SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier do?
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier is a hyaluronic acid serum that the brand describes as supporting the skin's own hyaluronic acid levels, with the visible goal of plumper, firmer and smoother-looking skin. It hydrates on application and is positioned as a corrective serum rather than a plain moisture serum.
What is Proxylane in H.A. Intensifier?
Proxylane is a patented molecule derived from xylose, a sugar found in beech wood, and it makes up 10 percent of SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier. SkinCeuticals describes its role as supporting the skin's hyaluronic acid levels to help improve the appearance of firmness.
Is H.A. Intensifier better than Hydrating B5 Gel?
They do different jobs. Hydrating B5 Gel ($125) is a light hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 gel for daily hydration on any skin. H.A. Intensifier ($175) adds 10 percent Proxylane and botanical extracts for the look of plumpness and firmness, so it suits skin that looks thinner or more lined. For plain hydration, B5 Gel is enough.
How do I use H.A. Intensifier?
Apply four to six drops of H.A. Intensifier to the palm and dab onto forehead, cheeks, chin and neck, once or twice daily. In the morning SkinCeuticals places it after a vitamin C serum and before sunscreen; at night, after retinol. Follow with a moisturizer.
Can I use H.A. Intensifier with C E Ferulic?
Yes. SkinCeuticals' own order is C E Ferulic first, then H.A. Intensifier once the vitamin C has absorbed, then moisturizer and sunscreen. The two are designed to be layered.
Can I use H.A. Intensifier with retinol?
Yes. SkinCeuticals directs H.A. Intensifier after retinol in the evening, where it adds hydration over the retinol step. Apply the retinol to dry skin first, wait a minute, then the serum, then your night moisturizer.
Is H.A. Intensifier suitable for oily or acne-prone skin?
SkinCeuticals lists H.A. Intensifier for all skin types including oily and acne-prone skin, and the serum-gel texture is light enough to layer under sunscreen without weight. If you want the lightest possible hydrator, Hydrating B5 Gel is lighter still.
Does H.A. Intensifier replace a moisturizer?
No. H.A. Intensifier is a hydrating serum, not a moisturizer. It draws water into the skin but does not seal it in, so follow it with a moisturizer such as Daily Moisture, Emollience or Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, particularly through a Canadian winter.
Where can I buy SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier in Canada?
SkinCeuticals is sold in Canada through physicians, medical spas and authorized retailers. Your Skin Solution is an authorized Canadian retailer of SkinCeuticals and carries H.A. Intensifier in the 30 ml size, with free shipping on orders over $99 within Canada.
Product descriptions, ingredient percentages and directions are as published by SkinCeuticals. Prices are in Canadian dollars, current as of 2 November 2026, and may change. Descriptions refer to visible, cosmetic change. Individual results vary. This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak with your dermatologist or skincare professional about what suits your skin.