Adding a face serum to your skincare routine promotes healthy skin and improves vitality. It’s great for anyone looking for an extra boost from the basics; cleansing, moisturizing, and SPF.
In this article, you’ll learn about face serums and why they are staples in skincare.
What are face serums?
Have you ever heard the saying, ‘age is just but a number?’
This concept is valid only when you are in your early twenties and maybe in your late twenties. During these years the reality of aging skin has not yet hit us. Past 30, the biological clock starts working against us and making it difficult to maintain your fresh, ageless, twenties look.
It doesn’t have to be that hard because, thanks to science, we have serums. Serums must be the best thing that happened to our skins after the 1990s fair and lovely cream.
Let’s cut it to the chase, shall we?
Serums are light, easily absorbable skincare products formulated as droppers or pump bottles. They are infused with a higher dose of skincare actives than cleansers and moisturizers. The intention is to penetrate deeper into the skin and manage specific skin concerns.
You can incorporate serums into your AM and PM skincare routines by layering them between your cleanser and moisturizer.
Type of Face Serums
There are so many face serums in the skincare market, which pose a significant challenge in deciding which one you should use. Unfortunately, there is no holy grail when choosing the best serum for your skin. The secret, however, is trying out several serums and finding one that suits your skin type and addresses your skin concern.
Here, I run you through different face serums to lessen your work.
Anti-aging Serums
Using anti-aging serums helps prevent fine lines and wrinkles, leaving your skin supple and youthful. They can slow down the aging process and plump your skin.
They promote cell turnover, which increases cell repair and renewal. The result is that your skin becomes rejuvenated and gains a smoothened texture and appearance.
Anti-aging ingredients include retinol, vitamin c, fruit stem cells, evening primrose, grape seed extract, vitamin c, peptides, growth factors, and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). The benefits of using anti-aging serums include: helping with cell turnover, increasing collagen and elastin production, preventing collagen loss, firming, and hydrating the skin.
Example: CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum
Hydrating Serums
These serums provide moisture to your skin, making it plump, supple, and healthy. They can be used together with your preferred moisturizer. It would be best if you layered your moisturizer after the serum to help lock in the moisture.
Hyaluronic acid, known for its ability to absorb moisture from its surroundings, is highly present in these serums.
The most common ingredients in these serums are argan oil, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, rosehip oil, ceramide, rosewater, sea kelp, jojoba, and vitamin E.
Example: Mizon Original Skin Energy Hyaluronic Acid
Brightening serums
Brightening serums help with hyperpigmentation and stop discoloration. These serums brighten dull skin leaving your skin with a natural, radiant glow. The two most common constituents of these serums are vitamin c that inhibits the production of melanin, and niacinamide, which helps fade dark spots and evening skin tone.
The ingredients are kojic acid, ferulic acid, peptides, light reflectors or optical diffusers, green tea, licorice root, and grapefruit or antioxidants like vitamin e and vitamin c.
Example: GOOD MOLECULES Dark Spot Corrector
Exfoliating Serums
Exfoliating serums play a significant role in preventing acne breakouts and also the build-up of dead skin. They prevent your skin from falling victim to dullness and breakouts.
Exfoliating serums work by tightening skin, unclogging and reducing pore sizes, absorbing excess oil, and minimizing any redness or irritation.
The main ingredients include; alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), poly-hydroxy acids (PHAs), zinc, and botanical extracts like tea tree thyme, cucumber, and green tea.
Example: Paula’s Choice Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA
Firming Serums
Firming serum is designed to tighten skin and reduce wrinkles. They target sagging skin. They contain collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin c to make your skin feel its best. As you hit your thirties, there is a decrease in collagen elastin and ceramide (moisture) production, leading to loose, coarse skin.
As for firming serums, incorporate a serum formulated with ingredients that promote collagen production (such as retinol and niacinamide) and boost hydration (like hyaluronic acid).
Example: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum
Conclusion
Choosing a face serum should be made depending on your skin type and the specific needs you want to address. Your face serum reduces signs of premature aging, hydrates, brightens, exfoliates, and even improves skin tone.
Before having a serum in your skincare routine, you need to have the basics in place (Cleanser, Moisturizer, and SPF)