Plumping’ 101: Comparing Hyaluronic Acid and Volufiline™

“Plumping” can mean different things in skincare. For some skin concerns, it comes from boosting hydration that helps skin look smoother and fuller. For others, it comes from supporting visible firmness, elasticity, or facial volume over time.

The Ordinary offers targeted formulations that approach tired, dry, or dull-looking skin in different ways. Let’s compare the benefits of each serum, so you can choose the formulation best suited to your skin concerns.

• “Plumping” doesn’t come from a single approach.

• Plump skin can be achieved through hydration or structural support.

• Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (Original Formulation) provides instant hydration and plumping.

• Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1% supports structural components to restore lost volume.

In skincare, "plumping" refers to increasing the skin’s fullness, firmness, and hydration to create a smooth, bouncy appearance. However, plumping is not a one-size-fits-all term.

Plumping can be achieved through various pathways:

• Drawing water into the skin (hydration)

• Supporting the skin's underlying structures (volume)

Plumping by Hydrating

Due to lack of water, dehydrated skin can appear tight or dull looking. Humectants, like the ones found in our Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides), help restore moisture by drawing water into the skin. As the skin’s water levels increase, so does cell volume, which contributes to a fuller, firmer, plumper appearance.

Plumping by Supporting Skin Structure

Skin volume is maintained by structural molecules like collagen, elastin, and the supportive fat pads beneath our skin. As skin ages, production of these structural molecules slows, facial fat pads shrink, and volume fades.

Supporting these molecules with peptides, like palmitoyl isoleucine, and plant extracts like Volufiline™, can help improve elasticity, firmness, and density for visibly plumper skin.

The Ordinary offers a range of formulations that plump and smooth skin in different ways. Choose the right serum for your skin concerns for instant hydration and longer-term structural support.

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides)

This serum combines hyaluronic acid and ceramides for enhanced hydration, barrier support, and smoother, fuller skin.

The Mechanism: Multi-molecular weight hyaluronic acid draws moisture into multiple layers on the surface of the skin, which visibly increases skin volume and helps reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Ceramides support the skin’s moisture barrier to help prevent water loss. Skin instantly appears plumper, smoother, and hydrated.

Best For: Instant hydration, addressing fine lines caused by dryness, and daily skin barrier support for all skin types.

The Feel: Our lightweight, non-tacky serum immediately quenches thirsty skin and provides the base-level volume that makes skin look healthier and more supple.

Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1%

Our targeted plumping serum is formulated with 92% Volufiline™ to address volume loss.

The Mechanism: By supporting the skin structures responsible for a naturally full appearance and by promoting elasticity, Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1% helps restore lost volume for visibly plumper skin. This formula also provides immediate, plumping hydration.

Best For: Targeting areas impacted by natural age-related fat loss, such as the temples, hollow of the eyes, around the cheeks, and smile lines.

The Feel: Lightweight and fast-absorbing, this "re-volumizer" instantly hydrates to smooth the appearance of lines and wrinkles while visibly improving plumpness over time.

Plumper-looking skin can be achieved in multiple ways: hydration increases surface fullness, and structural support helps restore visible volume.

Our plumping formulations each work differently and the most effective option depends on your skin’s needs. You can also incorporate all 3 serums into your regimen for multi-functional support fuller-looking skin.

Design a personalized skincare routine with our Regimen Builder.