They come in tiny tinctures and extremely high prices, with claims of smoothing out wrinkles and clearing blemishes. They’re said to be lightweight moisturizers that penetrate deep into the skin to better absorb its nutrients.
This sounds fantastic, but how many of you own a face serum? Should face serums be a part of our skincare regimen, right up there with moisturizers, toners and cleansers? For those of us who don’t know the benefits of using a serum, let’s break it down and discover the benefits together.
What Are Face Serums
For starters, a face serum is not a moisturizer. Serums don’t have the thick, heavy ingredients found in today’s moisturizers. This means it cannot act as one on its own. However, face serums have a much higher concentration of active ingredients so very little can be used all over your face. If you thought a serum could replace your moisturizer, now you know that isn’t the case. You should use your serum along with your regular moisturizer. Bottom line is this: face serums aren’t as essential as cleansers, toners and moisturizers. But you can add them into your skincare routine to amplify your beauty.
A serum will give your skin a glowing, healthier appearance – and who wouldn’t want that? Experts say to look at the ingredients and not the price tag – just because a serum costs more doesn’t mean it’s most effective. You should also look at the ingredients to make sure they fit your skin type. People who have a chronic skin condition should avoid face serums all together, as it may cause irritation.
How to Apply Face Serums
You can apply your face serum along with your skincare routine at morning, at night or both hours of the day. Some experts say that serums should be applied twice daily, following these steps:
- Cleanse
- Tone
- Serum
- Sunscreen (optional – but highly recommended)
- Moisturize
Carefully rub the serum into your skin in small circles, using just the tips of your fingers. Remember, face serums are highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
Which Face Serums to Choose
Choosing a face serum depends on your skin type and your personal needs, so expect some trial and error. There are many serums on the market, so you have a lot to pick and choose from. You’ll find face serums that can achieve the following:
- Improve skin tone and reduce wrinkles – although we advise an anti-aging formula if this is your objective.
- Firms skin with ingredients such as peptides that can help boost collagen and elastin.
- Brighten skin tone and Regenerate (by using an anti-aging formula).
- And don’t forget to look at the ingredients so they don’t irritate your skin type.
