How Do I Choose the Right Skin Serum?
Serums have established themselves as an important step in our skincare routine. Much like other products there is plenty of choice available which can start to feel a little overwhelming, luckily we are here to help guide you and find out how you choose the right skin serum for you.
How do I choose a skin serum?
With the variety of different skin serums out there a great starting point would be to firstly figure out which skin type you have. A lot of the time we are unknowingly using the wrong products for our skin type which a majority of the time leads to skin concerns that seem to pop up out of nowhere! To help with this you can check out our blog post about the 4 most common skin types to help you figure out which one you are. Once you have established this finding the best skin serum for your skin type will become a lot easier.
Introducing a serum into your skincare routine is vital in maintaining a well-balanced, healthy and fully functioning skin. The beauty of using a serum is that the ingredients used in the formulas are generally a lot more potent with the ability to work further down into the skin and treating the areas such as collagen production and elastin, both of which are hugely beneficial for the overall appearance of the skin. By teaming a serum with a nourishing moisturiser and daily SPF you are giving your skin the best chance of staying protected, looking healthy and repairing any damage it may have experienced already.
To find out more about what the benefits of using serums you can take a look at the dedicated blog post about serums and why you should consider using them.
We are now going to share with you a bit more detail about which serum and ingredients best suit your skin type and concerns.
Best serum for a dry skin type?
When you have a dry skin type you may find that you experience some dry and flaky patches with your complexion looking a little dull and lack lustre. To revive your skin and give it back some vibrancy and moisture opt for serums that contain any of the following:
Hyaluronic acid
Aloe Vera
Vitamin C
Antioxidants
Gentle AHAs
When a formula contains hyaluronic acid it is usually considered highly rewarding to apply the serum onto skin that is still a little wet, allowing the HA to lock in the moisture. Here is some more advice on what to use in conjunction with your serum to enhance the complexion.
Use a gentle cleanser or chemical exfoliator that contain an AHA, such as lactic acid, to help slough away any dead skin cell build-up which reveals new, healthy cells.
Apply a pea size amount of serum and gentle apply it into the skin, many dermatologists suggest that patting the product on is the best way of allowing the serum to absorb into the skin without too much motion that can aggravate.
Hyaluronic acid is a powerful ingredient and has the ability to lock in moisture into the skin as well as pull in any surrounding the skin resulting in a continuous cycle of hydration.
Aloe vera is also extremely hydrating and will give any dry skin a super charged hydration boost.
Finally, Vitamin C will help correct any signs of ageing, pigmentation and restore glow back into the skin whilst its antioxidant capabilities protect it from any free radicals and other daily aggressors.
These ingredients are hugely beneficial for all skin types, the main concern with treating dry skin is ensuring the product is not too harsh as this will lead to a reaction or irritation. By sticking to the ingredients mentioned you will find your skin is feeling comfortable.
Best serum for an oily skin type?
Oily skin types are known for being a little too restrictive when it comes to the number of products in their daily skincare routine. The idea of overloading the skin with too many layers of heavy products will result in blemishes and breakouts.
Serums usually come in a water or gel like formula depending on the ingredients and have a smaller molecular size which allows the product to make its way past the epidermis and into the lower layers of the skin meaning it is perfectly light-weight and non-comedogenic for enlarged pores, a common concern for oily skin types.
The best active ingredients for oily skin types are;
Hyaluronic acid
Salicylic acid
Alpha hydroxy acids
Antioxidants
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, also known as a BHA and unlike AHAs can work deep into the pores. It is able to remove any bacteria, dirt and debris that can build up and develop into breakouts such as blackhead and spots whilst causing the pores to become enlarged.
Use cleanser or toners that contain facial acids, such as glycolic to remove any traces of dirt and bacteria build-up
Apply a pea size amount of serum onto the skin after ensuring it is clean allowing the serum enough time to absorb before applying any following products
Salicylic acid will work its way into deeply cleaning the pores combating any excess sebum, bacteria and dirt that can lead to spots and blackheads
Hyaluronic acid locks in moisture allowing the skin to remain balanced and not stripped of any oil
Antioxidants will combat day to day skin stresses, such as UV rays, pollution and climate that can weaken the skin’s protective barrier.
By using a serum with a unique blend of these ingredients you give the skin a chance to remain balanced and protected, with blemishes and excess sebum controlled. You will also find that the skin is not overloaded with product and will feel comfortable and not greasy. By using a blend that has been formulated for oily skin will find it is also the best serum for blemish prone skin that experiences regular breakouts.
How to choose serum for combination skin?
The difficulty of having a combination skin type is learning how to treat it correctly. Seeing as your skin is a mixture of both dry and oily many beauty experts say that using a selection of serums to topically target any areas of concern with different serums. This can be tricky to achieve depending on your budget and time, try using these ingredients to give your skin an overall improved appearance and help combating any problems you have noticed.
Vitamin C
Gentle AHAs such as lactic or glycolic acid
Hyaluronic acid
Antioxidants
By using a serum that contains these ingredients you will keep your skin’s protective barrier functioning properly and repair any damage.
Now we have established which active ingredients to look out for in your serums depending on which skin type you have we can move on to the most common concerns some have with their skin. You will find that once you have a better understanding of the product that would work you can customise your skincare routine to treat your skin whilst combating any signs of damage, premature ageing, breakouts and dullness.
Best serum for ageing skin
Finding the best serum for ageing skin is the tricky part, working the product into your routine is not due to the fact that serums are easily layered with any existing products you have in your skincare routine. There are a variety of serums that have been developed to help treat the signs of ageing packed full of active ingredients to form a potent blend, the main ingredients to look out for are;
Retinol
AHAs
Antioxidants
Hyaluronic acid
You will be able to find out more about the best serum for ageing skin over on our website which goes into more detail about how to treat any fine lines, wrinkles and any loss of firmness.
Retinol is an anti-ageing powerhouse however it does come with some caution when you introduce it into your skincare routine. The most effective way to start is with a low percentage and build the skin’s tolerance for higher amounts over a slow period of time. There are a number of side effects and reactions that come from retinol if it is not used correctly or introduced too quickly into your skincare routine. Having said this the result you see when using retinoids are remarkable, with fine line and wrinkles ironed out with the texture of your skin becoming smoothed out and airbrushed looking, not to mention the glow from within you are left with from using this multifunctional ingredient.
Best serum for uneven skin tone?
Uneven skin tone is the result of a number of things, sun damage, dark spots, acne scarring or other signs of pigmentation. You may also find that the more exposure you have to the sun the deeper your pigmentation will appear, this is a result of the damage caused deep under the surface of the skin. Thankfully serums are the perfect product to help combat any uneven skin tone as they are able to reach lower down and get to work, especially if they contain the following ingredients;
Vitamin C
Niacinamide
Retinol
Unfortunately, pigmentation can never go away completely, but it can fade to make it appear less visible to the naked eye. The active ingredients listed above will provide the skin with a helping hand in reducing the darkness of any dark spots or areas of uneven skin tone and restore luminosity and vibrance back to the skin.
Now that you have a clear understanding of which active ingredients would benefit your skin type and how to address any concerns you will be able to tailor make your skincare routine to treat your skin, balance the water and oil levels, repair any damage and keep the moisture barrier fully functioning at protecting the skin.
