SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel

$120.00

A lightweight hyaluronic acid serum that delivers intense, oil-free hydration. Hydrating B5 Gel replenishes moisture, enhances smoothness, and supports the skin barrier for a plump, refreshed complexion.

This is a foundational hydration serum.

If you’re investing in active ingredients like vitamin C or retinol, this is the piece that keeps your skin balanced and comfortable. We love it for:

Dehydrated skin

Post-procedure hydration (when approved by your provider)

Oily skin that still needs moisture

Layering under richer moisturizers in winter

Summer routines when you want hydration without heaviness

It plays well with everything and makes your skin feel instantly more comfortable.

Hydrating B5 Gel is a daily hyaluronic acid serum designed to restore moisture levels and improve skin comfort without heaviness. Formulated with hyaluronic acid to attract and retain hydration and vitamin B5 to support barrier function, this gel-based formula leaves skin feeling soft, supple, and visibly smoother.

Ideal for all skin types — including oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin — this oil-free hydrating serum layers seamlessly under vitamin C, retinol, and moisturizers. It helps reduce the look of fine lines caused by dehydration and enhances the performance of your overall skincare routine.

Whether your skin is tight from actives, dry from climate, or simply needs a hydration boost, Hydrating B5 Gel acts like a tall glass of water for the skin.

Apply 2–3 drops to clean skin morning and night

Follow with moisturizer

In the morning, finish with sunscreen

Can be layered under retinol to buffer dryness

Pro tip: Apply to slightly damp skin to maximize hydration.

Key Ingredients

Hyaluronic Acid – Attracts and retains moisture for visible plumping

Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) – Helps soothe and support the skin barrier

Full Ingredients

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium PCA, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hydrating B5 Gel is used to deliver lightweight, oil-free hydration and to support the skin barrier for a plumper, smoother complexion. It combines hyaluronic acid, a humectant that attracts and holds water in the skin, with vitamin B5 (panthenol), which helps support barrier repair and soothe irritation. The gel texture absorbs quickly, so it layers well under moisturizers, makeup, and sunscreen without leaving oiliness. This product benefits people with dehydrated skin, combination or oily skin that needs moisture without heaviness, and those recovering from procedures or using drying actives. For very dry skin that requires emollient-rich occlusion, you may still need a richer cream on top to seal in moisture.
Use Hydrating B5 Gel after cleansing and any lightweight serums, but before your moisturizer and sunscreen; it can be applied morning and evening. Because hyaluronic acid is a humectant, applying it to slightly damp skin and following with a moisturizer helps lock in hydration. The gel’s oil-free, fast-absorbing formula makes it suitable under makeup and sunscreen in the morning and ideal as a soothing, hydrating layer at night, especially if you use drying actives like retinoids or exfoliating acids. Avoid applying it to open wounds or broken skin. For best results, layer it consistently as part of a simple routine to maintain skin barrier function.
Yes. Hydrating B5 Gel is effective for facial hydration and barrier support because it delivers hyaluronic acid to attract moisture and panthenol (vitamin B5) to help repair and calm the skin. Its lightweight, oil-free gel texture provides plumping hydration without feeling heavy or greasy, making it suitable for normal, combination, oily, and sensitive skin types. People with dehydrated skin, skin irritated by actives, or anyone who wants a non-comedogenic hydrator will benefit most. It is not intended as a replacement for richer creams if you have chronically very dry or barrier-compromised skin that needs thicker emollients.
They serve different purposes: Hydrating B5 Gel is primarily a lightweight hyaluronic acid humectant combined with panthenol to provide immediate moisture and barrier support, while HA Intensifier is formulated as a targeted treatment to increase the skin’s hyaluronic acid content and address texture and firmness over time. Hydrating B5 Gel is best for daily, broad hydration and layering under other products because of its gel texture and soothing profile. HA Intensifier typically contains additional active ingredients designed to stimulate or preserve the skin’s own hyaluronic acid for visible improvements in volume and fine lines. If your main need is instant hydration or buffering drying actives, choose B5 Gel; if you want a targeted anti-aging HA-building serum, the intensive serum is more appropriate.
Yes. Hydrating B5 Gel is compatible with both retinol and topical vitamin C and is often used to reduce irritation and dryness that can accompany those actives. Its hyaluronic acid provides humectant hydration while panthenol supports barrier repair, so applying B5 Gel after a vitamin C serum in the morning or after retinol at night helps replenish moisture without interfering with active ingredient performance. For layering, apply the antioxidant or retinol directly to clean skin, allow it to absorb, then follow with Hydrating B5 Gel and finish with moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning. If you have very reactive skin, patch test combinations and introduce one active at a time.