To allow serums to fully absorb, apply and wait 5 minutes before moisturizing. Take note: Well-formulated serums absorb quickly and disappear into your skin. If they leave an oily or sticky residue, they're not doing their job well.
Serum and Moisturizer: 1 minute
Goldenberg's go-to recommendation for timing between serums and moisturizers is about one minute. This wait has the same reasoning: Sixty seconds — give or take — gives each product a moment to delve into your pores.
“Your products should absorb pretty quickly, around 30 to 60 seconds,” says Dr. Palep. “If it is taking a longer time, that means that the quality may not be good or you're not laying it in the right order with the other things you're using.”
Allow the serum to absorb into the skin for at least 90 seconds, then massage a moisturizer over the face and neck to lock in those key ingredients, and protect and hydrate the skin's surface.
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.
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.
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.
Serums are a little trickier to quantify. Because they're designed to target specific concerns, and contain potent, concentrated ingredients, the time it takes them to work can vary hugely. As a general rule, you'll need to give it four to six weeks before seeing definite results.
Moist skin is ten times more permeable than dry skin, so we recommend that you always apply your serum twice daily, directly to your skin after cleansing and toning. In the morning apply your facial serum before your SPF moisturizer or sunscreen, at night time apply the serum before your night cream or moisturizer.
Limit to Two Serums Per Routine
We recommend you use no more than two serums per routine. Again, alternating skin care items is a strategy here. If you have many serums that you like, use one to two in your morning routine and two different serums in the evening.
This will vary from product to product — a toner may take mere seconds to dry, while a serum or thick nighttime eye cream could take a minute, or even a few minutes to dry and be properly absorbed. A good rule to follow to simplify things? Wait about one minute between applying each skincare product.
As long as you have the serum sandwiched between slightly damp skin and a moisturizer, you're good to go. It really plumps up the skin and makes it look nice and moisturized, and stays moisturized, throughout the day. NT: You definitely want your skin to be wet or damp before applying a hyaluronic acid serum.
Some experts suggest that the best time for your nighttime skincare routine is just before going to bed. However, you may end up with more moisturizer on your pillow than your face. The skin needs at least 10-20 minutes for products to get properly absorbed into the skin.
Face serum can be applied during the day and at night. Apply a serum after cleansing your face and pat drying. If you are applying serum at night, make sure not to layer too much. Night cream or moisturizer forms a heavy layer.
Well, the quick answer is yes, you can mix serums with moisturisers. For this, you should follow the same guidelines as when you mix two serums together. Mix a couple of drops of serum in the palm of your hand with the moisturiser of your choice. Then just apply it to your face.
But, whether you get it in a toner, exfoliant, serum, or moisturizer, it doesn't matter. Just find a product you like and that works for you. If it's a toner, use a toner. If it's a serum, use a serum and skip the toner.
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.
Dr. Rebecca Baxt, a dermatologist in New Jersey told Insider the easiest way to tell if your routine is working is if your skin is clearing up. "No skin problems or complaints," likely means your skin is balanced, hydrated, and regulating itself. "Ideally the skin is smooth, supple, and uniform in color," Waldorf said.
The Serum You Should Use Under Your Eye Cream or Gel
Many serums say right on the packaging that you can't use it under the eye area. That's not the case with our Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Not only will it help any eye cream or gel work better around the eye area, but it can also stimulate the production of collagen.
Showering first allows your pores to open up from the warm water and steam, prepping your skin for a deeper cleansing experience. If you have drier skin, you may be better off applying your mask before taking a shower. This helps to seal in the moisture from your mask and the shower.
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.