Face serums are an important aspect of the skincare routine. It is like a bottle of magic to treat your various skin problems due to its fast-absorbing nature in the skin. Serums offer a wide range of formulations including anti-aging serums, hydrating serums, brightening serums, and repairing and rejuvenating serums. Due to so many products in the market, it is so confusing to choose the right one. In this blog post, we’ll learn about different types of serums, their benefits, how to choose the best face serum, and how to apply the serum on the face correctly.
What is A Face Serum:
The demand and growth of serum have increased in the last few decades. The serum is a highly concentrated, lightweight, and fast-penetrating liquid that contains active ingredients to target various skin concerns.
These serums may include antioxidants, peptides, vitamins, and other compounds that make them more effective than any cream, lotion, or gel. It is a part of beauty products and one should start using it in their early 30’s.
Active Ingredients In Serum With %:
The serum contains active ingredients, each serving a specific skin concern. Typically, serums contain ingredients like:
A higher concentration of the ingredients does not mean a better result. However, tolerance may vary from person to person and the overall formulation of the final product.
Types Of Serum For Face:
Face Serum is a superhero squad packed with powerful ingredients. Each face serum is designed to target a specific problem. Let’s have a look at what is face serum good for if chosen wisely.
- Hydrating serum.
- Brightening Serum.
- Anti-aging Serum.
- Exfoliating Serum.
- Acne Fighting Serum.
- Rejuvenating Serum.
Hydrating Serum:
Hydrating serums are typically made of water-attracting ingredients because this serum’s purpose is to provide extreme hydration and remove the dullness of dry thirsty skin.
Hydrating serum will work along with your moisturizer, but if you have oily acne-prone skin and you experience irritation or break out after using moisturizer, then water or gel-based serum with hyaluronic acid will be enough for you.
TIP: It’s the best choice for those who experience skin breakouts after using traditional moisturizers.
Key Ingredients Of Hydrating Serum:
If you are looking for a serum to hydrate and make your skin plump, opt for the product based on these ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, Glycerine, Ceramides, and Vitamin B5.
Its lightweight and nongreasy nature makes it versatile but usually suitable for dry and dehydrated skin.
2- Anti-Aging Serum:
People should start using anti-aging serum in their early 30s to prevent anti-aging effects. To slow down the anti-aging process it’s recommended to use milder forms of retinoids. Research shows that retinol with a lower concentration of 0.25-0.5 % provides anti-aging benefits without compromising your skin.
Anti-aging serums are considered the best overnight facial serum as UV rays can’t interfere with the body’s repairing function. Use sunscreen in the daytime to avoid irritation. The anti-aging face serum’s purpose is to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and slow down the aging process.
Retinol is not recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers as it may associated with a higher risk of birth defects particularly during the first trimester.
Key Ingredients Of Anti-aging Serum:
To get the maximum benefits of serum always check other ingredients. The Most common ingredients of anti-aging serums are retinol, grape seed extract, peptides, Vitamin C, and Niacinamide.
3- Brightening Serum:
The best serum for skin brightening is considered one that has antioxidant properties to reduce hyperpigmentation and improve the appearance of skin tone and texture. The active ingredients in brightening serum inhibit melanin production and remove dead cells through exfoliation. This face serum is used to target discoloration of the skin and is considered one for all faces.
Active Ingredients in Brightening Serums:
Recommended products for the best serum for glowing skin are those that contain active ingredients like ferulic acid, Vitamin C, peptides, kojic acid, and Niacinamide.
4- Exfoliating serums:
Exfoliating serums are a less abrasive form of physical exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and contain other active ingredients that help to reveal smoother skin underneath and remove white and blackheads. It promotes cell turnover, improves skin texture, and prevents your skin from dullness and breakouts.
Key Ingredients In Exfoliating Serums:
Some important key ingredients in exfoliating serums are AHA and BHA, but if you have sensitive skin opt for the exfoliating serum with PHA.
Click here to know what chemicals should not mix with what to avoid excessive dryness and breakouts.
5- Acne-Fighting Serum:
The acne-fighting serum works well when combined with other active ingredients. It quickly penetrates the skin and cleans excessive oil and dirt preventing pores clogging. It is also helpful to remove post-acne scars.
If you have oily acne-prone skin don’t wait for a breakout because acne-fighting serum doesn’t only treat acne but also prevents them. The best face serum for acne is one with the key ingredient of Niacinamide to reduce inflammation and irritation caused by acne.
Key Ingredients In Acne-Fighting Serum:
The most important ingredients to treat acne is AHA (Mandelic acid is a gentle one due to its larger molecular size) BHA, and PHA with other extract like green tea and tea tree extract.
6- Rejuvenating Serums:
Our skin is a sturdy shield but pollution, UV rays, wear and tear of time and many other factors contribute to damage to our skin, and fine lines, wrinkles, scars, breakouts, and dullness appear in our skin. Thanks to repair and rejuvenating serum it works to bring back our skin freshness and give your skin a fresh and replenished look by promoting the growth cells of the skin and enhancing the elasticity and firmness of the skin. This one is for the perfect skin day facial serum.
Key Ingredients In Skin Rejuvenating Serum:
Green tea extract, Aloe vera gel, Ceramides, Peptides, Hyaluronic acid, and other antioxidants are some key ingredients of skin repair and rejuvenating serum.
Serums are lightweight and quickly absorbed into the skin to treat specific skin concerns. Many people got confuse when to use face serum. Serums that contain AHA, BHA, or retinol should be used in a nighttime routine because they may increase the risk of sensitivity to UV rays. However, serums with active ingredients like Hyaluronic acid Niacinamide, and Vitamin C can be used in the day or nighttime routine but don’t forget to apply sunscreen. Always apply serum after cleansing and toning but before moisturizing.
Benefits Of Face Serum:
Why are serums important? Many acids that are present in face serum are naturally produced within our skin. But as we age, the production of these acids decreases and leads to aging, wrinkles, dullness of the skin, and much more. Using serums for the face is essential and acts as a supplement for our skin’s health.
According to the Journal of Dermato-Endocrinology, Face serums act like a supplement to our skin and can turn the clock back. Some of the advantages of face serums are:
- Face serums are an excellent source to provide hydration for our skin.
- Face serums help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
- It accelerates the collagen production and improves the elasticity of the skin.
- If we start using face serum in the early 20’s, it can even act as a surveillance and may protect our skin from premature aging and prevent breakouts.
- Face serums help to improve skin tone by treating dark patches and textured skin.
- Face serums reduce inflammation and soothe our skin.
- Face serums remove dark circles and puffiness of an eye area.
Formulation of face serum is a crucial procedure because it is important to maintain the PH of the serum that aligns with the skin’s natural PH otherwise it will remove the natural microflora of the skin and lead to skin problems. That’s why face serums are somewhat costly.
How To Choose A Face Serum:
Face serum is a secret weapon in our skincare product that works magically but finding the right serum for your skin is a daunting task. Check this handy guide and choose a perfect serum for your skin problems.
Know Your Skin:
The first and most important step is finding your skin type. Normally, people don’t understand what type of skin they have. Sometimes when your skin becomes over-dry, it starts regulating excessive oil as a natural attempt to overcome dryness, and people think they have oily skin. So, knowing your skin type is the first step to conquering your skin problems.
Identify Your Skin Problem:
The second step is to understand your skin problem. Find out what your skin is going through, whether it is dehydrated, needs a solution for breakout or dark spots, or you are looking for brightening skin.
Try to gauge your skin problem and then look for a face serum that aligns with your requirements.
Check Ingredients:
The third step is to choose a brand that has a transparent policy related to its ingredients. Check the key ingredients that specifically need to target your specific skin problems. Don’t forget to check the concentration and always start with a lower concentration.
Look for products that are clinically tested to ensure the efficacy of the products.
Packaging Matters:
Always choose a face serum that comes in opaque or dark bottles with air-tight droppers because the ingredients in a face serum are very sensitive and can be degraded with exposure to the air or light, which can change the product’s potency.
Don’t forget to apply the sunscreen to get the maximum results. Remember, face serums are not like a magic wand, so you need to be patient.
How To Use Serum For Face:
To get the maximum result, it is important to know how to use serums properly. Here is a step-by-step guide about how to use face serum.
- Clean your skin with a gentle cleanser.
- Apply toner as it helps to balance skin PH.
- Gently shake the face serum, take a few drops on your palm instead of on your cheeks, and gently pat and press the serum on your face with your fingers. Don’t rub or pull on the skin as it causes irritation.
- Focus on targeted areas.
- Let it sit for a few minutes then apply moisturizer.
- Don’t forget to apply sunscreen.
Apply Face serum on damp skin as damp skin quickly absorbs Ingredients.
FAQS
1- What does a serum do for your face?
Facial serums are like a magical liquid that easily penetrates your skin and heals the damage secretly. Serums hydrate our skin, remove fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, and dark spots, and bring freshness to dull skin.
2- At what age should start using serum?
As we age, the production of natural acids in our skin decreases, and we need some extra care to combat these skin issues. One should start using face serum in their early 30s.
3- How to use a face serum with moisturizer?
Facial serum always layers first and waits a while so that ingredients penetrate the skin. After 2,3 minutes apply your moisturizer or read the label to how to use a product properly.
4- What does night serum do?
Skin repair and rejuvenate at night due to the natural healing process. Cell turnover and collagen production increase, and nighttime serum is formulated with concentrated active ingredients and supports the skin’s natural process leading to healthier and youthful skin.
5- How do know what serum to use?
First, know your skin type and then find your specific skin concerns like anti-aging, dull, dehydrated skin, textured, wrinkle, hyperpigmentation, and so on. Look for the ingredients that target those problems or consult your dermatologist for personalized recommendations.
6- What serums to use at night?
Use a serum that contains highly concentrated active ingredients with retinol at night to repair and rejuvenate the skin.
7- How many serums should you use in a day, and how to layer them?
You can apply 2 serums in a day. Start layering with thinner water-based serum and then apply thick oil-based serum. if you are a beginner, you should start using minimal products.
8- Do face serums work?
Face serums are a skin savor, honestly, but it is not like a magic wand that you will get instant results. Some people may observe results within a few weeks, while some need a few months, depending on their skin and concerns. Patience is the only key to getting the desired results.
9- What is purging?
Purging is a skin-shedding process that occurs temporarily due to skin products that contain active ingredients like retinoids and exfoliants, resulting in breakouts. It speeds up the skin healing process by pushing the debris out, but after that, your skin should improve.
Conclusion:
- Face serums offer a wide range of benefits to the skin from brightening and hydrating to anti-aging and so on. One should incorporate facial serums into their skincare routine in their early 30s to combat skin issues that happen with time.
- If you are a beginner, start with a minimal skincare routine. Ideally, you can use two serums in a day, apply the thinner layer first, and let it absorb in the skin. After a few minutes, apply the thicker one.
- It is ideal to use face serum at night that boosts your skin’s natural repairing process.
- Must check the ingredients before making any purchase.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140905/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37061274/
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/6/4/58
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32428912/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921764/
https://www.google.com+Evaluation+of+the+Cutaneous+Benefits+of+a+Cosmetic+Serum+Containing+Pseudoalteromonas+Ferment+Extract+and+Other+Skin+Enhancing+Actives+on+Photodamaged+Facial+Skin.+Journal+of+Clinical+and+Aesthetic+Dermatolog