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For years, hyaluronic acid has been *the* ingredient associated with hydrated skin. It’s in serums, moisturizers, masks, and just about every category of skincare.
And it deserves much of that attention. I use and recommend hyaluronic acid all the time.
But it isn't the only ingredient I look for when skin is dehydrated.
Beta-glucan is one of my favorites, particularly when skin is dehydrated and the barrier also needs support.
The two ingredients are often compared because both help hydrate the skin, but I don't really think of them as competitors. After more than 30 years in the skincare industry, including 14 years treating skin in Aspen's dry, high-altitude climate, I've learned that the better question isn't *which ingredient is better?*
It's what does your skin need?
Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin Aren't the Same Thing
This distinction matters.
Dry skin is a skin type. It naturally produces less oil and may feel rough, tight, or flaky.
Dehydrated skin is lacking water. Any skin type can become dehydrated, including oily and combination skin.
That's why applying a heavier moisturizer doesn't always fix skin that feels tight or looks dull. Sometimes you're adding more oil when what your skin really needs is hydration.
And when the skin barrier is compromised, your skin may also have a harder time holding onto the hydration you're giving it.
That's where ingredients like hyaluronic acid and beta-glucan come in.
What Hyaluronic Acid Does
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, meaning it helps attract and retain water in the skin.
It's an excellent hydrating ingredient, and if you're using hyaluronic acid and your skin feels comfortable, hydrated, and balanced, there's no reason to stop.
The type of hyaluronic acid in a formula matters, too. Molecular size affects how it interacts with the skin. Larger forms tend to work closer to the surface, while smaller forms can penetrate beyond the outermost layer of the skin.
One of my longtime favorites is Intraceuticals Rejuvenate Daily Serum which uses low molecular weight hyaluronic acid to deliver lightweight hydration.
But what happens when you're already using hyaluronic acid and your skin still feels dry, tight, or dehydrated?
That's when I start looking at beta-glucan.
What Is Beta-Glucan?
Beta-glucan may not have the name recognition of hyaluronic acid, but it isn't a new skincare ingredient.
It's a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in sources including oats, yeast, mushrooms, and other fungi. In skincare, beta-glucan is valued for its hydrating and soothing properties and its ability to help support the skin barrier.
It's also an ingredient you'll find in Korean skincare, where hydration and maintaining a healthy skin barrier are an important part of the approach to skin health.
Research into beta-glucan has shown that certain forms can permeate the skin rather than simply sitting on the surface. Just as with hyaluronic acid, however, molecular size, source, and formulation matter.
What interests me most isn't simply how far an ingredient penetrates. It's what that ingredient can do once we put it on the skin.
And this is where beta-glucan gets particularly interesting.
Why the Skin Barrier Matters
Your skin barrier helps keep moisture in and irritants out.
When the barrier isn't functioning as well as it should, water escapes more easily. Skin can begin to feel tight, sensitive, uncomfortable, or reactive, and it may seem as though no amount of moisturizer is enough.
So if someone tells me they're using a good hyaluronic acid serum but their skin still feels dehydrated, I don't necessarily want to add another hydrating serum on top.
I want to think about the barrier.
Beta-glucan has been studied not only for hydration, but also for soothing the skin and supporting recovery of the epidermal barrier.
That's a meaningful difference for me.
Why I Recommend Beta-Glucan So Often in Aspen
After 14 years treating skin in Aspen, I see dehydration and barrier disruption constantly.
And it isn't limited to people with naturally dry skin.
Even oily skin can become dehydrated and barrier-disrupted.
Oil production and hydration are two different things. Your skin can produce plenty of oil while still lacking water or struggling with a compromised barrier.
Aspen's altitude and extremely dry climate make this something I pay particular attention to with my guests. When skin is dehydrated, sensitive, over-exfoliated, or showing signs that its barrier needs support, beta-glucan is one of the ingredients I recommend most often.
Beta-Glucan vs. Hyaluronic Acid: Which Would I Choose?
My answer is pretty simple.
If hyaluronic acid is working beautifully for your skin, keep using it.
If you're using hyaluronic acid and your skin still feels dry, tight, or dehydrated, I would try switching to beta-glucan.
And if your dehydration is accompanied by sensitivity, irritation, over-exfoliation, or signs of a compromised barrier, beta-glucan would be my preference.
You can use beta-glucan and hyaluronic acid together, but I generally don't think you need to. Every product in your routine should have a reason for being there, and more isn't always better.
For me, the distinction comes down to this:
Hyaluronic acid is an excellent hydrator. Beta-glucan is what I reach for when I want hydration plus barrier support.
Why I Like Neogenesis Beta-Glucan
The Neogenesis Beta-Glucan Serum I carry is a Korean skincare formula made with mushroom-derived beta-glucan.
What drew me to it wasn't simply the idea of another hydrating serum. It was beta-glucan's combination of hydration, soothing benefits, and barrier support.
There is research showing beta-glucan's moisturizing and barrier-supporting benefits, which helps explain why it can be such an interesting alternative when hydration alone doesn't seem to be solving the problem.
For skin that seems to be getting plenty of hydration but still feels dry or uncomfortable, this is the serum I would try next.
My Take
Hyaluronic acid isn't out, and beta-glucan isn't its trendy replacement.
If your skin loves HA, keep using it.
But if you're using hyaluronic acid and your skin still feels dehydrated, don't assume the answer is a heavier moisturizer or another layer of HA.
Look at your skin barrier.
For me, that's where beta-glucan earns its place.
After more than 30 years working with skin, that's ultimately how I choose ingredients. Not because one is newer, trendier, or supposedly "better," but because of what the skin in front of me actually needs.
Shop Skincare for Dry & Dehydrated Skin
