I’m So Happy With My Skin Right Now & I Think This $15 Serum Is Why

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A personal trainer friend of mine has a mantra that she’ll never let me forget: “Anything is possible when you’re hydrated.” Consider me indolent, then, because my daily water intake is pretty shocking. I’ll take a big mug of tea over a glass of the clear stuff any day, and while that certainly keeps my tastebuds happy, I can imagine that my skin is less than impressed.

In fact, I know that to be true. Besides obvious dehydration, the cold weather and central heating has zapped my skin of moisture. As such, I’ve navigated a persistent flaky forehead and noticed a handful of superficial lines cropping up underneath my eyes in the past few months.

What does dehydrated skin look like?

Don’t get me wrong. Skin texture is entirely normal and a totally usual part of aging (I just turned 32, in case you were wondering). But I know I’m not the only one to suspect that something else is up. “What does dehydrated skin look like” and “signs of dehydrated skin” are both commonly googled skincare queries. 

While those new faint lines are somewhat self-inflicted, a recent appointment with a dermatologist taught me something new: Increasing your water intake can only do so much to minimize skin texture, dryness, dullness and the uncomfortable tight feeling. Rather, it’s what you put on your face that counts.

Popular hydrating ingredients in topical skincare products include hyaluronic acid, which famously holds 1,000 times its weight in water, and polyglutamic acid, said to be even more hydrating than that. But another skincare ingredient has caught my eye lately, not least because it seems to promise a lot more.

Enter: ectoin.

What is ectoin and what are the skincare benefits?

While it’s not entirely new, skincare brands are only just beginning to incorporate ectoin (pronounced ec-toe-in) into their serums and moisturizers. That now includes The Inkey List, which today launches its Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum, $15 — a product I had the privilege of trying before anyone else.

The Inkey List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum, $15

If you’re an R29 regular, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of The Inkey List, in particular its transformative Bio-Active Ceramide Moisturizer, $20, so I was excited to add the serum to my skincare rotation. But before I get into the nitty-gritty, a little science.

Dr. Nava Greenfield, a New York-based, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology Group, says ectoin is part of a protein structure that comes from molecules found in certain bacteria which live in high-stress environments. “[Ectoin] protects the bacteria from the environmental stressors,” she says, “and it can help protect human cells in the skin barrier [the outermost layer of skin] by attracting numerous water molecules and creating an effective physical film layer.” 

This film layer essentially traps water and prevents water loss; no dry, rough skin here. Dr. Greenfield adds that this helps strengthen the skin and its natural barrier function, which keeps in the good stuff (think moisture) and defends against the bad stuff (like bacteria). “In turn, it can create visible results when used in skincare,” she says. 

Besides 2% ectoin, this serum also boasts 2.5% hyaluronic acid, 1% ceramide NP (a substance that occurs naturally in the skin and works like glue to keep skin cells intact) and 1% oat, which a handful of studies suggest alleviates dry and irritated skin. You’d think the texture would be thick or sticky but it’s the opposite: lightweight yet substantially moisturizing, and it absorbs in seconds. I knew that it would replace most of my skincare after the very first application.

An honest review of The Inkey List’s Ectoin Hydro-Barrier Serum

Unlike retinol, which takes weeks to yield results, ectoin and hyaluronic acid work almost instantly to boost hydration in the skin. (I like to apply this serum to a slightly damp face to maximize moisture.) You know the feeling that your face might crack into a hundred tiny pieces when you cleanse and don’t apply skincare immediately? I’m convinced that using this serum has mitigated that. It makes sense: The Inkey List reports that, when combined, ectoin and hyaluronic acid can hydrate the skin up to 10 surface layers deep.

Most mornings I apply two pumps to freshly cleansed skin and follow with a high factor, broad spectrum sunscreen — no need for a moisturizer. In the evening, I double cleanse, apply the serum and follow with the aforementioned ceramide face cream. Super simple.

While my 2025 New Year’s resolution is not to stand too close to the bathroom mirror, I can’t help but notice how those fine lines underneath my eyes — and the less deep ones on my forehead — have almost entirely filled out. It’s more obvious to me when I wear makeup because it no longer collects there. The flakes on my forehead have all but disappeared, too, and the serum does a better job of moisturizing my lips than any dedicated lip balm I own.

Most notably, though, my skin is so much clearer. I think I know why: A dermatologist once told me that when skin is dehydrated, it won’t produce more water but it can produce more oil to compensate. Oil and dead skin cells are a recipe for breakouts, but seeing as my skin seems to be making less of the stuff while using this serum, it’s perhaps not as prone to clogged pores. 

They say that the best skincare products are the ones you enjoy using. I look forward to applying this every morning and evening because it feels like a comfort blanket for my otherwise tight, parched skin. At $15, it’s the cheapest product in my skincare routine currently, but if you ask me — and the dermatologists who sing ectoin’s praises — it’s arguably the most hardworking for dry, dehydrated skin. 

Just like the brand’s ceramide moisturizer, I have a feeling that Hydro-Barrier is going to become a staple in my skincare routine this winter and beyond. Get yours before it sells out at theinkeylist.com.

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