The reason why people suggest a maximum of two or three serums comes down to layering and penetration. Heaps of brands, salons and experts recommend leaving time between applying your serums and moisturisers, and doing it in a specific order so as to allow all of the ingredients to actually sink into your epidermis.
While there is no limit to how many serums you can add to your regimen, esthetician Enrique Ramirez, founder of Face to Face NYC, suggests stopping at three. Piling on more products than that is not only time-consuming, it also reduces the chances of each ingredient getting properly absorbed by your skin.
About 3-4 drops of the face serum are enough to lightly cover your entire face.
Serum. A pea-sized amount of serum gives your skin a concentrated boost of ingredients that help with hydration, exfoliation, acne, or dull skin. If you use too much: Using too much of any product leaves active ingredients sitting on your skin. Some, such as exfoliating serum, can lead to stinging or peeling.
You can use face serum twice a day—before your moisturizer—but reserve products with retinol for nighttime. “Generally, most people should be using a treatment serum twice day,” says Hirsch.
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.
Apply the thinnest facial serum first, or, if serums are the same consistency, start by addressing your primary skin concern. Massage a few drops into the skin, then wait until absorbed before applying your secondary serum.
A Vitamin C serum should be used in your bedtime routine and a couple of drops of it should suffice. Tap it on your skin using your fingertips and leave it on overnight. Wash your face in the morning and apply SPF to avoid any skin irritation.
In general, it is best to apply serum before moisturizer. This gives the active ingredients in the serum the best chance of working. Otherwise, the best order and time of day for a skin care routine depends on the products' ingredients and the person's goals.
Vitamin C serum benefits
If you're wondering when to apply a vitamin C serum, the answer is both morning and night, after cleansing and toning. One study even recommends applying a vitamin C serum every eight hours, or twice daily for the pinnacle of protection.
Vitamin C can certainly be applied before bed, but because of its antioxidant properties it's best to slather on your favorite product in the morning. It's also important to combine it with a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. Sunscreen and vitamin C are a dynamic duo that work together to protect your skin.
There's no proof that Vitamin C causes acne. In fact, it may even help treat it faster! And yet, many of my clients with oily, acne-prone skin complain their acne got worse after introducing a Vitamin C serum into their skincare routine.
Bottom Line: With few exceptions, you can feel free to mix your serum and moisturizer (and most other skin care products) together and apply without concern. The exception is your daytime moisturizer with SPF, as mixing other skin care products with your sunscreen will dilute your UV protection.
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.
Use no more than 3 serums at the same time. If you're wanting to use more than this split them out to three in the morning and three in the evening. Avoid using Niacinamide products with Vitamin C products.
"Because vitamin C serum helps protect your skin from free radicals, most dermatologists have recommended applying it in the morning to prevent damage during the day," says Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Together? Not all powerful skincare ingredients can be mixed, but hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are two that become even stronger when paired with one another. These ingredients can provide both immediate and lasting results when used together in anti-aging formulations.
Vitamin C works best in combination with Vitamin E, Ferulic Acid, Vitamin B, and Hyaluronic Acid. Designed to deliver a high concentration of actives, Vitamin C booster serums are a popular choice in skincare.
Benefits of a face serum
While serums are no doubt nourishing and weed out many skin problems at the root, they also come with visible benefits and perks. 1) Your skin texture will improve drastically thanks to the collagen and Vitamin C content, becoming firmer and smoother, leading to visibly younger looking skin.
“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.
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.
No, it does not. It may stain your skin but it cannot darken your skin. It is important to know the difference between staining and darkening the skin. Staining is where the product reacts with your dead skin cells and leads to a change in the color of those dead cells.