I Skipped My Routine Botox and Chemical Peel Thanks to This Ultra-Hydrating Serum

It’s hard to pick a favorite beauty product—we all have our tried and true. What’s easier is picking a favorite type of product. For me, an ultra-hydrating serum that has the ability to renew skin to a baby-like bouncy texture is the best type of beauty find.

You may have heard about polyglutamic acid being the buzzy hydrating skin-care ingredient of the moment. It’s a more effective hydrator than hyaluronic acid, and its ability to renew skin to a soft, nearly-poreless texture is nothing short of amazing. It’s the one ingredient that I’ve noticed has not only changed how my skin looks but has changed how it feels too.  I’ve been a dedicated fan of the FaceGym Hydrobound Daily Serum ($68) but ever since writing about it (see, here) it’s struggled to keep in stock. So, I tried a new one to see how it compared to the serum that seemed irreplaceable. Not to spoil the fun, but I think I’ve found its rival. Plus – It’s $20 cheaper and in stock. For now, at least.

Enter the TULA Skincare 24-7 Ultra Hydration Triple-Hydra™ Complex Day & Night Serum ($48). It uses three types of hyaluronic acid in addition to polyglutamic acid. While it feels light on the skin (perfect for spring and summer!), it packs a punch when it comes to hydration. To top it off, it also has encapsulated squalane, collagen, and peptides that release once you apply for that plump, healthy skin look and feel.

My skin isn’t able to hide much—which means that when I’m dehydrated, my complexion shows it wholeheartedly. It gets dull, dry, and sometimes red, and tiny fine lines come out to play. Especially my one true wrinkle in between my eyebrows that I treat with Botox every three months.

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When I started on the Tula serum, I immediately noticed changes in my skin. It felt perpetually hydrated, and didn’t look at all tight or distressed. Even at the end of the day, it still looked like I had just done my routine; plump and dewy. I’d been using it day and night, and when my calendar reminded me it was time to schedule some baby Botox and a chemical peel, I completely ignored it—my skin looked so fresh, I didn’t need the treatment.  My fine lines, and especially that pesky wrinkle, hadn’t shown since I started using the serum, and everything seemed softened on its own.

I always say it’s hard to play favorites, particularly when you’re a beauty editor who’s responsible for testing product after product. Of course, I keep a core routine, but it isn’t easy for a product to wiggle its way in there for the long haul. However, the TULA Skincare 24-7 Ultra Hydration Triple-Hydra™ Complex Day & Night Serum has secured a permanent spot and I already have a backup sitting in my cart online. Polyglutamic acid isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and it has proved to be my new injectable alternative.