Hydrate has a simple place in your day: after cleansing and before moisturiser. Behind that familiar step is a niacinamide serum with care for uneven tone, the appearance of fine lines and a comfortable, well-moisturised complexion.
Hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid bring plumping hydration; vitamins, oat beta-glucan, botanical extracts and conditioning oils add depth to the formula. Explore what each contributes, what the research tells us and how Hydrate complements the rest of your routine.
Niacinamide: even tone and the appearance of fine lines
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. It brings a broader role to Hydrate than moisture alone: care for uneven-looking tone, the appearance of fine lines and the skin’s moisture barrier.
In one controlled trial, 50 women used a moisturiser containing 5% niacinamide on one side of the face and the moisturiser base on the other, twice daily for 12 weeks. The niacinamide side showed improvements in several signs of facial ageing, including fine lines and uneven pigmentation. Read the original appearance study.
Barrier care and a comfortable skin feel
The moisture barrier helps limit water loss from the skin. Niacinamide research has examined its role in the lipids of the outer skin layer and reduced water loss in dry skin. Read the original barrier study.
Hydrate also contains panthenol, or provitamin B5, a moisturising ingredient used in barrier care. Oat beta-glucan and allantoin complement the formula’s skin-conditioning care, while aloe vera leaf juice adds another moisturising ingredient. The emphasis is on skin that feels comfortable, soft and supple.
Hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid and glycerin: plumping hydration
These are humectants, ingredients that attract and hold water. Hyaluronic acid appears on the label as sodium hyaluronate. Polyglutamic acid helps hold moisture at the surface, while glycerin also contributes to the formula’s moisture-attracting combination.
A controlled study of 76 women examined creams containing 0.1% hyaluronic acid in different molecular weights. The tested preparations improved measured hydration and elasticity compared with the cream base after 60 days of twice-daily use. Read the hyaluronic acid study.
Research into polyglutamic acid includes skin-cell and reconstructed-skin experiments on moisture retention and barrier-related markers. This is laboratory evidence about the ingredient’s potential. Read the original laboratory study.
Vitamin C, tea and botanical extracts
Hydrate contains vitamin C as ascorbic acid, alongside white and green tea leaf extracts for antioxidant support. The formula also includes licorice root, Siberian ginseng, seaweed, apple and portulaca extracts or powders as part of its botanical composition.
Published human research has examined ascorbic acid for antioxidant activity in skin. Read the original vitamin C study. The findings relate to the formulation studied.
Conditioning oils and the finish on skin
Jojoba, evening primrose and rosehip oils add emollient care: they soften skin and complement the water-binding ingredients. Hydrolysed collagen contributes skin conditioning and surface moisture retention.
Other ingredients help disperse the formula, give it consistency, adjust pH and preserve it. These supporting roles matter to the product even when an ingredient is not a separate headline skin benefit.
What ingredient research can tell you
The studies above explain why these ingredients are used in skincare. Their concentrations, molecular weights, formulas and results belong to the products or models tested. They are not clinical trials of Hydrate or a promise of the same result or timing. Read the full ingredient list for your chosen edition when checking a particular ingredient.
Why follow serum with moisturiser?
Hydrate combines its niacinamide focus with water-binding and conditioning ingredients. Your cream adds its own formula and richer lipid care: Revive brings ferment-derived barrier support and multiple peptides to the morning; Restore brings bakuchiol and three peptides to a richer evening cream. The routine remains simple: serum, then moisturiser.
In the morning, follow Hydrate with Focus Eye Cream if you use it, then Revive Day Cream and a separate sunscreen. In the evening, finish with Restore Night Cream after any oil or eye cream in your routine.
How to use Hydrate
After cleansing, dispense 1–2 pumps into your palms and press gently over your face and neck. Use morning and evening before moisturiser. Follow the directions on each product you use alongside it.
If your evening routine includes Advance A+ Oil, apply it after Hydrate, before any Focus and Restore. Introduce Advance with 2–3 drops on two or three evenings a week and increase gradually as tolerated. Advance is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding; daily sun protection is essential. Stop use if irritation occurs and consult a skincare professional.
Signature or Pure?
Choose Signature for the ARQÉ scent, or Pure for fragrance-free serum. With either, press gently over your face and neck and take a moment before your next step. The ritual is yours to make.
Signature comes in 15 mL and 50 mL; Pure comes in 50 mL. Both full ingredient lists are available on the Hydrate product page, so you can explore the complete formula before choosing.