Top 5 Clean Beauty Ingredients for Hydrated, Dewy Skin

9/24/20246 min read

person holding small clear drop bottle
person holding small clear drop bottle

Looking for that magic ingredient or routine that will give your skin its desired glowing, hydrated, dewy appearance without breaking your clean beauty standards? In today's beauty world, ingredient transparency is key, and many of us are on a quest to find the most hydrating clean beauty products that deliver the moisture as well as keep the bad chemicals at bay. Whether you're a beginner or well-seasoned in the clean beauty space, knowing which ingredients will give you deep hydration and long-lasting glow is key. Below, this post will run through the top 5 clean beauty ingredients, along with some of the must-try products that will get you healthy, moisture-rich skin. Let's dive in!

1. Hyaluronic Acid: The Ultimate Hydrator

If you know your hydrating clean beauty products, then you must have come across the term hyaluronic acid (HA). If you are on the lookout to get plump, moisturized skin, then this ingredient has unrivaled hydrating characteristics.

Why It Works:
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that occurs naturally in the skin, and it can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. This means it draws moisture from the air into your skin when applied topically, creating an influx in hydration that will leave you looking plump and fresh.

Clean Beauty Product Recommendations:
- The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5: Basic but highly effective serum; extremely hydrating without breaking the bank. Vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben- and sulfate-free.
- Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence: A clean beauty mist to give your skin a boost of hydration in combination with hyaluronic acid and a range of natural botanical active ingredients that cool down your skin. Perfect for giving skin a boost in moisture in the middle of the day!

Hyaluronic Acid Must-Haves

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

2. Squalane: Lightweight But Powerful

For a lighter hydration that won't clog pores, squalane is another star ingredient that has recently come onto the clean beauty radar. Derived from either olives or sugarcane, squalane mimics the skin's natural oils, which makes it a great moisturizer for all types of skin-even acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Why It Works:
Squalane locks in hydration while protecting your skin's moisture barrier, leaving your skin looking plump and dewy. It absorbs fast and won't leave a greasy finish.

Clean Beauty Product Recommendations:
* Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil: This brightens and firms while delivering lightweight hydration thanks to squalane. Great for a dewy luminous finish.
-Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil: Single-ingredient 100% pure squalane oil perfect for sensitive skin types looking to really amp up their skin's moisture levels sans irritation.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil
Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil

Squalane Acid Must-Haves

3. Aloe Vera: Nature's Soothing Moisturizer

Owing to its healing and hydrating properties, the many uses of aloe vera have earned it a permanent spot in skin routines and natural remedies. Whether you have sensitive, dry, or irritated skin, this is one ingredient you might be spending a little more attention on.

Why It Works:
The active aloe vera ingredient consists purely of 99% water, hence being super effective with hydration. Additionally, it contains vitamins A, C, and E, which act causally in skin renewal and hydration either by themselves or combined. Besides, aloe is anti-inflammatory; it relieves the redness, irritation, while reaching deep into layers to deliver hydration.

Clean Beauty Product Recommendations:
- Radical Recovery Eco-Cert Organic After Sun Lotion: The aloe vera keeps irritated skin soothed and hydrated in this aftersun clean beauty lotion.

- Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer: Lightly moisturize with aloe vera and organic botanical juices that are great for soothing and hydrating oily or combination skin.

Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer
COOLA Radical Recovery Eco-Cert Organic After Sun Lotion

Aloe Vera Must-Haves

4. Glycerin: A Humectant Hero

Glycerin is one of those unsung heroes, but in reality, it happens to be one of the most active and pervasive ingredients in hydrating clean beauty products. As a humectant, glycerin attracts moisture from the atmosphere into your skin, much like hyaluronic acid.

Glycerin not only deeply moisturizes your skin's moisture barrier, but it also strengthens it. Basically, glycerin attracts water, holding it in your skin, and leaves your skin with a more plump and hydrated look for longer periods of time. It helps those who struggle with dry skin the most, although the ingredient is present in everything from cleansers to toners and moisturizers.

Clean Beauty Product Recommendations:
- Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum: Clean and in a serum-gel texture, it's filled with highly active glycerin and pro-vitamin B5 to deliver long-lasting hydration action-without the heaviness or residue of heavier products.
- Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream: A rich yet clean cream for deep hydration with glycerin-soothing irritated skin and/or sensitive skin. Perfect for nighttime!

Glycerin Must-Haves

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream

5. Rosehip Oil: The Moisturizing Vitamin Powerhouse

With high levels of essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, rosehip oil is one of those additions that gives the skin not just moisture but also luminosity, all in one package, together with anti-aging benefits.

Why It Works:
Rosehip oil is high in vitamins A and C, which stimulate collagen synthesis and brighten the skin. It is also densely packed with EFAs, like linoleic and linolenic acids, which help keep the skin barrier resilient and prevent water loss.

Clean Beauty Product Recommendations:
- Pai Skaira Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil: Ultra-pure, cold-pressed rosehip oil in its purest form, favored within the clean beauty space for hydration, soothing, and healing properties of the skin. For all skin types.
- Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil: Soothing and certified organic rosehip oil that, due to its rich antioxidant properties, is highly recommended for the treatment of scars, pigmentation, and generally rough-textured skin.

Pai Skaira Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

Rosehip Must-Haves

Bonus Tips for Dewy Skin:

While using clean beauty products with these hydrating ingredients will work wonders on your skin, here's how to take full advantage of your routine:

1. Layer Your Hydration: Apply a hydrating toner or essence as the base, followed by serums and moisturizers with the above ingredients to stack up layers of moisture.
2. Humidify: To enhance this effect with humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, keep a humidifier running in your room, especially on drier months.
3. Don't Forget Sunscreen: Always wear a clean beauty sunscreen so your skin can maintain the dewy fresh look without the risk of sun damage.


Hydrated, dewy skin isn't out of reach when you're making the right ingredients your priority. From the binding moisture of hyaluronic acid to the soothing benefits of aloe vera, these clean beauty ingredients will help in transforming your skin and giving it a healthy glow.

Working these skin care ingredients into your routine and using the clean beauty products recommended below will set you up for dewy, moisture-rich skin that looks and feels amazing. If you are searching for the best ingredients for dewy skin, be sure to consider only clean, effective, and skin-type appropriate options.

Shop Our Faves:

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence
Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream

Dewy Skin Must-Haves

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil