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.
What is a serum? Serums pack a serious punch. These highly concentrated formulations are designed to deliver a potent mix of active ingredients to your skin. Serums often address specific skincare concerns, such as aging, redness, dullness or blemishes.
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.
Still, serums aren't for everyone. Wu says the liquid or gel-like texture of a serum can be a poor match for people with chronic skin conditions like eczema or rosacea, which weaken the skin barrier. For these people, serums may penetrate too quickly, causing irritation.
Serums are thinner and lighter than moisturizers and have a greater variety of functions. A serum usually has smaller molecules combined with a high concentration of ingredients designed to penetrate, improve and/or nourish the skin in some way. A moisturizer's job is to hydrate the skin and prevent water loss.
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.
There's not much of a difference between a night cream and a night serum per se. However, night serums are lighter in texture and weight as compared to night creams and they also absorb quickly. Nonetheless, they are equally beneficial when it comes to taking good care of your skin at night.
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.
“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.
It is not necessary to have a serum in your skincare regimen. "Serums are simply an added step for those that have the right skin type and are looking to go the extra mile in their daily routines," explains Dr. Charles.
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.
Moreover, face serums address specific skin issues the best possible way. These serums are rich in retinol, vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and many others. All these ingredients help in lessening wrinkles, fine lines, acne, dark spots, and much more.
Use your fingertips to gently apply the serum to your face and neck and then lightly tap, pat, and smooth the serum out. Avoid tugging the skin and rubbing too hard, let the product absorb on its own once you've smoothed it out. The second method is to use your palms. Apply 2 pumps or 3-4 drops of serum into your palm.
Serums can be used alone by people with naturally oilier skin, or under a moisturizer to help protect the hydration levels in normal to dry skin. During the winter months, it's a good idea to use a moisturizer over your serum for extra hydration, to help your skin cope with changing temperature and drying winds.
“For dry skin types, especially during winter months, a serum that contains ingredients that can bind water to the skin or create a protective layer that holds water in the skin can be a noticeably helpful addition to your skin care routine,” adds board-certified dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD.
A vitamin C serum is a skin-care product packed with vitamin C. It has the consistency of a liquid or gel, and is applied topically to the skin. You'll find these serums wherever you normally purchase skin-care products — at department stores, beauty stores, and some drugstores, too.
Q. At what age should I start using vitamin c serum? A. From the age of 18.
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.
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.
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.