If you happen to watch skincare routine videos of famous beauty influencers and celebrities, you’ll observe layers upon layers of skincare products that they use. I bet one of the products that got you most curious about was the gel-like or watery fluid that they apply on their faces using a dropper applicator.
Yes, that’s the face serum. And it’s becoming increasingly popular these days.
So what’s all the hype with face serums? Why do people use it? What are the benefits of using this skincare formula? Are they really a necessary addition to your daily skincare regimen?
There are so many questions you may have, so let’s dig deep into face serum and see what’s it about.
What is a Face Serum?
A face serum is a skincare product that’s lighter than your typical moisturizer but contains highly concentrated active ingredients that absorb quickly into your skin. They often come in various formulas, but the most common ones are gel-based, water-based, and light creams.
Because serum penetrates your skin easily, it is generally used as a base layer before applying denser products like moisturizers, sunscreens, or make-ups. Naturally, you apply a few drops of the serum right after cleansing or toning your skin.
Serums work wonders on various skin types, but for chronic skin conditions like eczema and rosacea, it may not be that helpful.
Different Types of Face Serum:
Different kinds of face serums are specially formulated for different skin types. So whether you have sensitive, acne-prone, oily, or dry skin, you can use the serum that suits your skin most. Also, depending on your skin type or needs, serums can be applied in the morning, at night, or both.
While some studies confirm the efficacy of face serums in managing fine lines, wrinkles, and dry skin, some dermatologists say they are not essential in your skincare routine. Nevertheless, when you learn about the benefits face serum has to offer, you might probably change your mind about the product and give it a try.
Pictured below: Kate Somerville Face Serums.
Why Use Face Serums?
Having supple, youthful, and radiant skin is every woman’s dream. But things like pollution, harmful UV rays, oxidative stress, dehydration, and other sorts of problems that affect your skin’s capacity to rejuvenate are the biggest hurdles in your pursuit for ageless beauty.
Be that as it may, there are many ways to achieve clear and healthy skin, and one of them is by using products that will give protection to your skin, like the face serum.
Here are some of the valid reasons why you need to include face serums in your regular beauty regimen.
- Brighten up your Dull Skin
As you get older, your skin starts to lose natural oil causing dead skill cells to build upon the epidermis, making it look flaky, dry, and lifeless.
Skin brightening serums that contain natural extracts like green tea, grapefruit, licorice root, other brightening ingredients like kojic acid, peptides, and antioxidants like Vitamins C and E, can help smoothen your complexion, remove discoloration or hyperpigmentation, and bring back your natural glow.
- Improve Skin Volume
Sagging skin is also a common problem as you age. As your skin loses volume in facial fat, your face looks thinner with sunken cheeks and dark circles under your eyes.
Skin renewing and hydrating face serums with collagen, retinol, and Hyaluronic acid, to name a few, can help plump up your skin, reduce sagging and add elasticity to your skin.
- Help Replenish Lost Moisture
Loss of moisture can make your skin look overly parched that even a moisturizer can’t do the trick to hydrate it.
Hydrating face serums are specially made for dry skin as it goes quickly into your skin pores. They contain Hyaluronic Acid (HA) that can help retain your skin moisture and improve its suppleness. This active ingredient is super absorbent as it locks in up to 1000x of its weight in water!
In addition to HA, you may also look for a serum with other hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, aloe vera, argan oil, rosehip oil, rosewater, jojoba, Vitamin E, and a lot more.
- Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Again as you mature, your skin loses its elasticity, causing you to develop fine lines and wrinkles.
Anti-aging serums that contain retinol, DMA (Dimethylaminoethanol), Vitamin C, and E, among others, can help slow down the aging process, giving you a youthful appearance. Feel free to read this post, where you can find more on natural supplements and remedies.
- Treat Acne-Prone and Sensitive Skin
If you think serums can only worsen acne, don’t worry because many serums are specifically formulated for sensitive, acne-prone skin.
Unlike facial washes and pimple creams that work on the skin surface, acne-fighting serums go deep into your skin and deliver powerful ingredients to prevent breakouts before they even form, minimize pores, reduce sebum production, and clarifies your skin. This type of serum contains benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid as the key ingredients and any other ingredients that help prevent pore clogging and pimple breakouts.
- Safely Exfoliate Skin
Our skin accumulates dirt every single day, and when pollutants build up, they can lead to more problems like clogged pores, acne breakouts, rough patches, skin discolorations, and age spots. A good way to maintain clear, smooth skin is to exfoliate it every once in a while.
Normally, we use facial scrubs to exfoliate. However, it is not advisable for all skin types, especially for acne-prone skin, as it will only worsen the condition.
Exfoliating serums don’t have micro-scrubs that can irritate your skin; rather, they contain chemical exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that are gentler and more effective in sloughing off dead skin cells to reveal a clearer and smoother complexion.
In a Nutshell…….
Serums are a great addition to your regular skincare regimen because of the many benefits they offer. Unlike moisturizers or topical creams that only treat skin problems on the surface, serums target the deep layers of your skin as it delivers higher concentrations of active ingredients. Consequently, you’ll see the desired results on your skin more quickly than when you’re only using regular moisturizers.
Finally, while serums are safe for everyday use, you should not overuse them. I think moderation is the key when using skincare products that promise to make your skin look great and healthy. The same goes for face serums.
Suggested read: How To Create A Skin Care Routine And Follow Through With It
Do you use a face serum? Which one is your most favorite? Share with us in the comment section.
GUEST AUTHOR BIO:
Hi there! I’m Laura from BBRI.org. I love exploring and learning the world of skincare, dieting, and well-being in general. My goal is always to spread that useful knowledge to the best of my ability and save people’s research time. I’m also passionate about Karate and anything Japanese 🙂
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