My dad went to Korea and bought me some makeup and skincare. I've yet to get my hands on it so I can try and blog about the products. I'm so excited though.

Just a few bits of info for you - hyaluronic acid cannot penetrate the skin as the molecule is too large. Most advertisers hinge their entire marketing on HA and leave out this fact. Your statement about it drawing water to the skin or from the skin is spot on. Great information there.

Personally, I don't think that witch hazel is bad for your skin at all. Plain witch hazel (alcohol-free) is a great mild toner for the skin. Toners do all kinds of things besides restore pH levels and give the skin moisture. Did you know that sometimes lowering the pH level before a treatment (ex glycolic mask or peel) assists the treatment to penetrate further? This is due to all the oils being removed from the skin so that the treatment is not diluted or neutralized too early. This doesn't mean that you should strip your skin's natural barrier function before each treatment however!