Generally, you should use a serum all over your face and neck twice daily, once in the morning and then again in the evening, before applying your moisturizer if you want to get the most bang for your buck, according to Lamb.
When should I use a face serum? Most face serums are safe to be applied twice daily – once in the morning on a cleansed face, before the rest of your makeup, and once at night before bed.
Only using it once a week or once a day
It is a part of your daily skincare regime. Bell says: “Use it twice a day. Once in the morning, under your day cream and at night under your night cream. The clinical trials measured against that, and that is what you will get results from.”
Limit to Two Serums Per Routine
We recommend you use no more than two face serums per routine. Again, alternating skin care items is a strategy here. If you have many serums that you like, use one or two in your morning routine and two different serums in the evening.
Yes, face serum is safe and gentle enough to use daily. In fact, skincare experts strongly recommend that you include it in your daily routine.
Serums should be applied twice daily. “They are the first products that should be applied to the skin after cleansing and toning,” Geyer explains. “A sunscreen should be applied over the serum in the morning, and a moisturizer appropriate for an individual's skin type should be used over the serum at night.
Since serums contain the active ingredients that you want to penetrate as deeply as possible into your skin, you should always apply a serum directly to your skin after cleansing or toning and before your moisturizer and sunscreen. Don't put your serum on after you moisturize.
If your skin's happy with serum alone, you can skip moisturizer. But only a lucky few with normal and super oily skin can get away with this, in my experience. So, don't be too disappointed if your skin needs both.
Do this step: Morning and night.
While you should apply serum twice a day, you shouldn't be using the same formulation. "Serum actives differ for day and night," says Rabach.
“I definitely recommend serums for anyone who is concerned about aging. It's a really good way to get extra anti-aging effects, more than your typical moisturizer and sunscreen,” says Dr. Waldman.
Serum/Oil:
If you overuse serum, your skin may not absorb the beneficial ingredients of the product and instead, it will be left sitting on the surface of your face. This could lead to extra oily skin, breakouts and even irritation."
Anti-pigmentation and antioxidant serums work best when applied in the morning. This helps protect your skin against environmental assaults and free radical production produced by light, including UV and high energy visible light. Anti-aging serums are often best suited for nighttime application.
If all your products (serum, moisturiser, sunscreen etc) already have their fair share of antioxidants, you don't need an extra toner too. Dry skin: If your skin feels tight and dry during the day, you skin needs more moisture. You can either opt for a hydrating toner or a richer moisturiser. It's up to you.
Though you can skip it on your laziest days, using a serum in the morning gives your skin extra protection for the day to come. Reminder: If and when you do use a serum, it should come after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Originally toners were used to pH balance the skin after using a cleanser. Since you can easily get pH-balanced cleansers these days, toners are no longer necessary in a skincare regimen, says Dr.
Serums can be used both morning and night to address specific skin issues more effectively than a moisturizer alone, and will also boost the hydrating effects of your moisturizer. Ensure your serum contains antioxidants to provide protection from environmental damage.
Even if you don't have sensitive skin, we recommend that all skin types use their vitamin C serum before bed. Your body undergoes its natural repair process while you're asleep, and the vitamin C will make its strongest impact on your skin during this time.
In most cases, it makes sense to apply serum before moisturizer. This is because serum is usually more lightweight, whereas moisturizer tends to be thicker. Applying serum first can also give the skin more opportunity to absorb the active ingredients. In many skin care routines, moisturizer is the last step.
Ultimately, face serum and moisturizer are both necessary for a holistic skin care routine and to ensure that your skin doesn't dry out during the day. Face serum can't replace moisturizer, and moisturizer doesn't give your skin the extra vitamins and nutrients it needs to succeed and look great for years to come.
The Best Way to Apply SERUM:
— Apply serum after toner. — Using your fingertips, pat serum onto skin, then smooth it outward. — Resist the temptation to massage, and let the formula absorb on its own.
As a rule of thumb, we typically recommend applying products in order from lightest to heaviest. For oils and serums, that usually means applying serums (which are often water-based) first. After the serum absorbs into your skin, you can apply facial oil, and then moisturizer and sunscreen.
The ideal age to start using face serums would be late 20s and early 30s. This is the age at which the first signs of aging appears. You can continue using face serums till the age of 50+. Including a face serum in your skincare regimen will not only enhance your skin but also protect it.