Last Updated on August 3, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

Did you know that anyone can have dehydrated skin? The symptoms look a lot like those of dry skin: tightness, dullness, an uncomfortable feeling… (especially after cleansing). But while dry skin lacks oil, dehydrated skin lacks moisture. Dry skin is often dehydrated because, without oil to lock it in, moisture evaporates out of thin air. But oily skin isn’t immune to it.
If you’ve ever felt like you have a greasy layer of oil sitting on top of dry, sandpaper-like skin, you’ve likely got oily AND dehydrated skin. It doesn’t matter what skin type you have, there’s only one way to fix dehydrated skin: add that moisture back in, pronto. One serum that does this particularly well is Bioderma Hydrabio Serum. Here’s why:
- What’s In Bioderma Hydrabio Serum?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Packaging
- Performance & Personal Opinion
- What I Like About Bioderma Hydrabio Serum
- What I DON’T Like About Bioderma Hydrabio Serum
- Who Should Use This?
- Does Bioderma Hydrabio Serum Lives Up To Its Claims?
- Price & Availability
- Do You Need It?
What’s In Bioderma Hydrabio Serum?
HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN
Hyaluronic acid is a godsend for dry skin. It attracts and binds to the skin up to 1000 times its weight in water. The extra moisture hydrates the skin, keeping it softer and plumper. And when skin is all plumped up, wrinkles look smaller, too. And did I mention, hydration gives the complexion a healthy, dewy glow? P.S. Hyaluronic Acid isn’t the only moisture magnet here. Glycerin does the same thing, but on a smaller scale.
Related: Why You Need Hyaluronic Acid In Your Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
NIACINAMIDE TO HYDRATE, SOOTHE, AND TREAT ACNE
If it were up to me, I’d put Niacinamide in every moisturiser. Why? It’s a multitasker:
- It hydrates skin: It’s more effective than petrolatum at preventing water loss.
- It soothes skin: It alleviates the symptoms of rosacea and irritations.
- It lightens skin: It reduces dark spots, blotchiness (redness) and sallowness (yellowing).
- It helps treat wrinkles: Preliminary research shows it can boost the production of skin-firming collagen.
- It treats acne: Its effects are similar to those of 1% clindamycin gel.
Who knew it could do so much?
Related: The Complete Guide To Niacinamide: What It Is, What It Does, And How To Use It
Need help creating the best skincare routine for you dry skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Dry Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
Texture
This serum has a thickish gel texture that feels refreshing on the skin and doesn’t leave any annoying residue behind. It’s quite pleasant to use.
Fragrance
Like most Bioderma products, this serum has a clean and subtle scent. I wish it weren’t here at all because any fragrance can irritate sensitive skin (and Bioderma is supposed to be a brand for sensitive skin…). The next best thing is using something quite inoffensive like this.
How To Use It
Morning and night, in between cleanser and moisturiser. If you’re using an antioxidant serum, apply that first. A little goes a long way, so don’t exaggerate when you use it.
Packaging
A sleek blue tube that instantly makes you think of hydration. The pump applicator is practical and releases just the right amount of product you need.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Bioderma Hydrabio Serum has a thicker texture than most hydrating serums I’ve tried. It’s not sticky or anything like that, but still, it may be a tad off-putting for oilier skin type. If you like this kind of texture, you’re in for a treat. The serum does a wonderful job at hydrating skin. I use it every night, right after my retinol serum. Retinol needs to penetrate deeper into the skin to work, so it makes sense to use that first.
When I wake up in the morning, my skin is incredibly soft. It looks smoother too. The fine lines around my eyes are plumped up, so they look a little smaller. My skin just looks healthy. During the colder winter months, I used it in the mornings too. The extra hydration helped to keep my skin soft and supple even as the freezing temperatures were trying their best to suck all the moisture out of it. They didn’t succeed. If you have oily skin, this serum’ll likely give you all the hydration you need. Dry skin needs to lock it in with a moisturiser (that’s what I do).
Related: If Your Skin Is Perfectly Hydrated, Do You Still Need To Worry About Anti-Aging?

What I Like About Bioderma Hydrabio Serum
- Refreshing gel texture that sinks in with zero residue
- Very hydrating, skin feels soft and looks smoother by morning
- Plumps fine lines around the eyes, making them look less obvious
- Layers well under retinol at night and holds up as extra protection during winter mornings
- A little goes a long way, so it lasts
What I DON’T Like About Bioderma Hydrabio Serum
- Thicker texture than most hydrating serums, which could feel heavy on oilier skin
- Dry skin will need a moisturiser on top to actually lock in the hydration, it’s not enough alone
Who Should Use This?
Anyone with oily to normal skin wanting a lightweight-feeling hydration boost. Dry skin types too, if paired with a moisturiser on top. Skip it if you have sensitive skin and want to avoid fragrance entirely.
Does Bioderma Hydrabio Serum Lives Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| The concentrate that generates instant and lasting hydration. | True. |
| Moisturises instantly and lastingly. | True. |
| Smoothes the skin and restores radiance. | True again. |
Price & Availability
£32.29 at Dermstore, Look Fantastic and Sephora
Do You Need It?
If you have dehydrated skin, or are simply looking for a hydrating serum to up your moisturising game, this is definitely worth checking out.
Ingredients
AQUA/WATER/EAU, GLYCERIN, SQUALANE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, NIACINAMIDE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, CARBOMER, SILICA, DEXTRIN PALMITATE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, POLYSORBATE 60, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), MANNITOL, SODIUM CITRATE, XYLITOL, HEXYLDECANOL, RHAMNOSE, SODIUM PCA, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, LACTOBACILLUS FERMENT, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CITRIC ACID, SACCHARIDE ISOMERATE, PYRUS MALUS (APPLE) SEED EXTRACT, BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS (RAPESEED) STEROLS, TOCOPHEROL. [BI2016]