There is one product that is at the heart of a skin care routine. With textures and concentrated ingredients, serums are some of the toughest products in the business.
And the roles they can play are quite a few: from shine and hydration to the smoothness of fine lines. The hard part? Deciding which formula deserves top billing.
We share a behind-the-scenes look at serums, including how they work, how to use them, and what to look for in the ingredients list.
Do face serums really make a difference?
If any skincare product can lead you to believe, it’s a serum. Serums are usually powerful but minimalistic formulas, focusing on specific combinations of ingredients to provide your skin with targeted care.
Let’s take a look at what these results-oriented guys can do:
- Provide a high concentration of powerful ingredients: You’ve probably seen serums that feature antioxidants, peptides, hyaluronic acid, or vitamins (like C and E). These ingredients fight typical concerns like dehydration, fine lines, sagging and more.
- Customize your skincare routine: There’s a serum for every need—allowing you to focus on different goals from morning to evening and adapt your routine to skin changes over time.
- Target past, present and future concerns: Ideal for achieving today’s skin goals, serums are also powerful allies in preventing future damage. An example? Antioxidant formulas that protect against environmental stress or photoaging.
Ingredients with star power
Hyaluronic Acid
With impressive water retention capacity, hyaluronic acid provides your skin with deep hydration. The serums that comprise this moisturizer work to make skin look and feel good – helping to blur fine lines and visibly firm.
Vitamin C
An antioxidant par excellence, vitamin C helps protect your skin from harmful free radicals while brightening. What else can he do? Regular use also minimizes the appearance of sun spots and evens out your skin tone.
Retina
Without a doubt, the star of the night routine is everywhere. This age-defying agent boosts skin renewal to blur fine lines and redefine texture. The result? Smooth, ageless skin.
Depending on the formula, Retina can be gentle enough for all skin types. But it is better to start slow and consult your dermatologist.
Peptides
Peptides are regenerative compounds that help create critical connections between the layers of your skin. These messengers are responsible for improving elasticity and firmness. Another plus? Peptides do their best work when combined with other ingredients, offering antioxidant and restorative benefits.
Niacinamide
This form of vitamin B3 supports the skin barrier and balances natural oil production. It is a true multitasker that, like peptides, goes well with most ingredients. You are likely to find it along with retinal in rejuvenating serums.
How to properly apply a face serum
As the third step in your skincare routine, Serums should be applied to clean, dry skin so they can start working immediately. After cleansing and smoothing in your favorite eye cream, apply a small amount of serum to the palm of your hand or directly to your face. Then, gently spread the product on your face and neck with your fingers.
Suggestion: After applying the serum, gently massage your face in upward, circular motions. This helps promote absorption and may even provide a temporarily refreshed appearance.
The search for the perfect serum starts here
Want to lighten dark spots and discoloration?
After many days in the sun, you may notice some new shapes, colors and patterns on your face. How come? Melanin is the natural pigment responsible for the color of your skin, hair and eyes. And sun exposure can cause your body to do more. When this melanin production increasessome minor changes in skin pigmentation may occur.
Every harmless sunspot is part of your skin’s history — it doesn’t require concern or removal. But if you want to work on more even, glowing skin, there’s a serum for that.
Our recommendation: Melaclear Advanced
Star Ingredients: Tranexamic acid, niacinamide and Spot Corrector Complex, which help correct, brighten and unify skin tone.
Recommended use: Morning (always with sunscreen) and evening, for at least three months.
Targeting fine lines and wrinkles?
The thin lines are friendly reminders of anecdotes and memories. Like sunspots, they are nothing to worry about. But if you’re dreaming of revitalizing and retexturing your skin, a retinal serum is the perfect choice (take it from supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio).
Our recommendation: Retinal Advanced
Star Ingredients: Retinaldehyde, niacinamide, melatonin and bakuchiol to help renew, repair and calm your skin.
Recommended use: At night, followed by sunscreen the next morning.
Are you ready to brighten and rejuvenate?
Enter vitamin C. This powerful antioxidant helps brighten your skin from the inside out. Plus, it helps protect your skin from the effects of daily skin stressors – AKA the exposome.
Another suggestion? Familiarize yourself with serums-in-ampoules. Vitamin C is most effective when kept away from the air around it, avoiding oxidation. Sealed glass ampoules do just that. Plus, they skip the need for emulsifiers or stabilizers that larger serum formats may require – allowing for simple results.
Our recommendation: Flavo-C Ultraglycan
Star Ingredients: Vitamin C, UltraGlycans and Hyaluronic Acid for protection, hydration and illumination.
Recommended use: Morning. Vitamin C is a direct antioxidant, meaning it can help fight free radicals. This protective action is most effective in the morning — preparing your skin for daily aggressors like sunlight.
Looking for deep moisturizing and firming action?
Does your skin feel dry and tight? Maybe it’s sending you a message: more moisture, please! Aging, the weather, and even stress can cause your skin to lose more water than usual. Fortunately, a hyaluronic acid serum can provide hydration and then some. This moisturizer boosts elasticity, supports collagen and elastin, and helps repair skin damage.
Our recommendation: Concentrated Hyaluronic
Star Ingredient: Hyaluronic acid of low and medium molecular weight for the hydration of both the surface and the deeper layers of the skin.
Recommended use: Day or night, although using AM can help minimize transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Plus, you can fill in the spot in your nighttime routine with a revitalizing or revitalizing formula.
Just the FAQs
What are the five essential skin care steps?
Here’s a simple breakdown of a skincare routine:
Step 1: Clean
Step 2: Apply eye contour cream
Step 3: Apply your serum
Step 4: Moisturize
Step 5: Protect the skin with sunscreen
✨ Not sure what your skin type is or how to start building a routine? Take our quick skincare quiz!
What comes first, eye cream or serum?
When it comes to skin care layering, there’s one rule you can usually follow: go from light to dense. But eye contour creams break the rules. The skin around the eyes is one of the most sensitive on your face. So applying eye cream as the second step in your routine (after cleansing and before serum) can help protect it from stronger ingredients.
Next, apply your serum to clean, dry skin, making sure its powerful compounds sink in without a hitch. The mantra? Get the most out of any skincare product by applying it correctly.
At what age should I start using serums?
In general, it all depends on your skin type and needs. But around your 25th birthday, your skin starts to slow down in its production of collagen and elastin (the key proteins that provide structure and bounce). Starting with rejuvenating serums in your late 20s or early 30s can help support your skin’s natural processes.
What isn’t there? An age limit to love and care for your skin. It deserves the leading role regardless of your age.
Amy is a content strategist who turned a part-time skincare obsession into a full-time passion. Her experience as a creative storyteller includes a range of lifestyle and technology topics in Washington DC and Barcelona. What’s in her travel bag? Eye contour cream and sunscreen, always.
Editorial team
Our namesake embodies the spirit of embracing life and all its wonder. As wellness journalists, we explore topics that stimulate the senses and keep curiosity alive. We believe that glowing skin is the result of a healthy body and mind. By connecting beauty with science, we aim to inspire you to live young at every age.
