Why You Need A Facial Serum NOW

Cleanser? Sure. Moisturiser? Of course! Wondering why you need a serum, too? Read on…

By Sophia Hussain

Many people don’t actually know why you need a serum. Often, they think a skin cream is enough.  But that’s not always the case.

Why? Well,  in a nutshell, the molecules in a serum are smaller than those found in a moisturiser. That’s why serums penetrate the skin more deeply, and are more effective. For this reason, many serums are targeted at specific skincare problems they can help to solve.

So, a serum can’t really take the place of a skin cream. Serums don’t contain emollients, hydrating oils or thickeners which create that rich creamy texture. Additionally, serums won’t contain sunscreen ingredients like a daytime moisturiser might.  So a serum can’t replace your daily or nightly moisturiser. But it will boost your overall skin health when used regularly.

In fact, regular use is the key here! While you will probably see some improvements immediately, as their antioxidant-rich formula soothes redness and brightens skin, in the long run, if you find the right product for you,  you’ll be sure to see signs of damage fade. Your skin will look and feel healthier and firmer, too!

Let’s take a look at some more of the amazing benefits of face serums, below.

Why You Need A Facial Serum

A facial serum can do so much for you! Here are just a few of the benefits.

why you need a facial serum

1. Erase the signs of ageing

When you use a face serum, you’re applying small molecules of powerful ingredients to the surface of your skin. These help lock in and retain moisture, preventing the loss of natural oils and water. As a result, skin appears more youthful and fine lines are visibly reduced. 

2. Improve your skin’s moisture barrier

When skin feels sensitive, itchy, or tight, it could be an indication that your skin’s moisture barrier is compromised. Think of the moisture barrier as a brick wall. In between each brick is the mortar to fill in all the gaps. Without this mortar, there is more space between each brick (cell) through which moisture can escape and foreign contaminants can enter. A strong moisture barrier is the body’s first line of defense against outside elements. serum can strengthen and maintain this bThe rightarrier.

3. Give you a glow

Many types of waste build up in the skin as a result of normal body functions. Also, dead and damaged skin cells can build up on the surface of the skin and cause issues for your pores. Face serums often contain ingredients that hydrate and exfoliate. The result? More glowing skin!

Key Serum Ingredients

Hyaluronic Acid

This molecule is found naturally in the body, but it diminishes with age. Luckily, it can be applied directly to the skin in a face serum. This ingredient locks in moisture, and can improve the look of ageing skin.

Glycerin

This clear substance occurs naturally in plants, animals, and humans. It contributes to the elasticity of the skin by creating a strong barrier that makes the skin look healthier and feel smoother.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)

Humans do not naturally produce AHAs. They are found in citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges, and lemons. This ingredient is found in many face serums because it cleanses the skin, resulting in a softer feel and smoother look. 

How to Choose The Right Serum

Serums are often more expensive than day or night creams, so you should see purchasing one as an investment in your skin. Look for  serums with proven anti-aging ingredients that have been shown to be  effective based on a large number of independent, peer-reviewed clinical trials. Such substances include potent, stable antioxidants (such as vitamin C, green tea, and chaga mushroom, goji berry and vitamin E), stem cells, peptides, and  cell-communicating ingredients like retinol and niacinamide.

Make sure you never buy a serum packed with harmful ingredients: preservatives, toxic fragrances, emollients and other chemicals are packed into most big brands’ products (think L’Oreal, Estee Lauder and all their subsidiaries), and these can not only be dangerous to your health in the long run, but can even speed up the ageing process!

Don’t be shy about asking  or a sample at the beauty store, and use this for a week to see how you react to the product. Also try it in the shop: you should see some immediate, slight improvement. And of course read reviews, like those coming up below.

When to Start With A Serum

We all know that eating a balanced diet and exercising keeps your body healthier and younger-acting as you age.

With that in mind, would it make sense to wait until you are unhealthy and in your 50s or 60s to start a healthier lifestyle? Of course not! And the same is true when it comes to anti-aging for your skin.

Start using products loaded with these types of impressive ingredients before signs of damage occur (it’s never too soon) and you’ll be on track for a more even complexion and firmer, healthier skin as you age. Your skin never “gets used” to these types of ingredients, just like your body never gets used to eating healthy foods.

Of course, these ingredients do work even after skin damage starts showing up, but there’s no doubt that  sooner is better than later!

How To Use A Serum

Now that you know the potential benefits of serums, it’s time to learn the best ways of making them work for you.

1. Use serum both in the day and night time

You can’t have too many antioxidants in your skin care regimen, and nor can you apply them too often. In the morning, apply a thin layer of serum under your sunblock to help protect the skin from pollution and other free radicals you’re faced with during the day.  At night, apply another layer after cleansing the skin to allow the serum to help your skin repair itself while you sleep.

2. Apply your serum after exfoliating, but before moisturising

As I mentioned, most serums don’t provide much in the way of moisture. So you will need a cream as well as a serum if your skin tends to be dry.

3. If you are using a prescription topical cream

All serums will work well with any prescription treatment, and you can apply your serum before or after your retinol, acne treatment, or whatever prescribed cream you are given. Just experiment to see which order works best for you.

The Best Organic Serums To Try

Why You Need A Serum NOW

As mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to read tried and tested reviews of serums before you commit to buying: after all, these are usually pricier than mere skin creams, and you want to ensure what you choose will work for you!

Here, we’ve tested several natural serums and wrote honest, non-sponsored reviews to help you select one for yourself.

1. REN Evercalm Anti Redness Serum

As someone who suffers from sensitive skin, which is easily irritated by the pollution I experience every day living in the big city, I was hoping this would lessen the redness I get around my nose and mouth. I needed a single pump of the milky fluid  to cover my face. It took a few minutes to blend into my skin. For some reason, the more I rubbed it, the whiter it got, but eventually it soaked in.

The serum promises to reduce redness and repair skin with its variety of natural ingredients, including rice and milk protein, Vitamin E, while Tyronsinase helps to decongest the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. The serum also  contains Hyaluronic Acid, which is an ingredient I’m always looking for in my skincare routine.

After a few weeks of using this, I noticed the redness I get has calmed. But it’s not fully gone. I still need to use makeup over it. But then again, I’d probably need a few months of using this to really see results.

Overall: A gentle, slightly hydrating product that won’t break the bank.

Vegan friendly? No – the brand is now owned by Unilever, which is not vegan friendly

Price: $60

 

why you need a serum

 

2. Organic Pharmacy Gene Expression Lifting Serum

The Organic Pharmacy’s Gene Expression Lifting Serum claims to address all the issues our skin has to deal with at it ages. Think:

  • rough texture
  • uneven tone
  • surface dullness
  • appearance of enlarged pores
  • loss of elasticity
  • dehydration/dryness
  • the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • sagging skin

That’s a lot of issues to tackle! But a combination of plant based bio technological extracts, antioxidants, sea algae, essential vitamins, remodelling, stem cells, growth factors and lifting herbs and 3 different sized hyaluronic acid molecules (low, medium and high molecular weight) in this luxurious serum are said to help save your skin.

This one goes on strangely. It looks like metallic bronze coming out of the cannister, and we feared it would go on all sparkly. But surprisingly (oddly?) the metallic looking particles just disappeared with a few rubs into the skin, leaving no trace whatsoever.

This seems to be the result of micronized particles. We don’t know much about them, but it seems these are teeny tiny particles that are deeply absorbed by the skin. Is this a good thing? We’re not sure yet.

The serum doesn’t feel very moisturising, and leaves the skin with the same hydration as before application. But it’s good to know that it’s getting to work on growing healthy new cells to bring out a fresher, brighter skin over time.

Overall: A very high tech formula that promises great results. Not sure about the safety of the micronized particles though

Vegan friendly? We think so

Price: $282

 

Organic Pharmacy Gene Expression Lifting Serum

3. Dr. Hauschka Night Serum

As you’d expect from such an established natural brand, Dr Hauschka’s Night Serum is packed with organic ingredients that are known to help stimulates the skin’s natural cell renewal process overnight. Two of the key actors in this process are organic rosen apple flower extracts and hydrolates, which act to maintain the moisture levels to reveal smooth nourished skin when you awake the next morning.

The serum also contains citrus peel extracts for their natural skin brightening effects; of course, they also add a delicate citrusy scent to this reasonably priced product. Only a tiny amount (a few drops) of this concentrated formula is required to cover the entire face and neck.

On the skin, the serum feels light and leaves a refreshing, somewhat firming sensation.

Overall: A light and lovely organic formula. Great for all skin types.

Vegan friendly? Yes

Price: $48

Dr. Hauschka Night Serum

4. Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Skin Serum

If you don’t often use a serum because you have oily skin and feel most serums make the condition worse, well, I’ve found the perfect solution!

This mattifying product by Aromatherapy Associates is designed to create a more balanced, matte complexion without stripping the skin. Orange Flower Water and Aloe Vera to replenish moisture, and Lavender, Petitgrain and Oat Flour help to absorb excess oil.

Overall: This is a great product for anyone prone to breakouts, acne or oily skin

Vegan friendly? Yes

Price: Around $48

 

Aromatherapy Associates

 

5. Kypris Clearing Serum

Do you have sensitive skin? Do you often see redness or inflammation after tweezing, exfoliating or even just washing your face? Then you’ll love Kypris Beauty’s Clearing Serum! It’s enriched with Green Tea, Lavender and Chaparral to soothe irritated skin, and its gentle formula also diminishes the appearance of blemishes while preventing new ones, thanks to skin’s microbiome friends, Zinc and Centella Asiatica.

It’s great for blemished, oily or sensitive skins, and can be worn under makeup to minimise redness or shininess. It contains quinoa, which contains 8 essential amino acids that nourish your complexion.

After cleansing and before moisturizing, apply this serum, carefully avoiding the eye area. It absorbs easily, has an effect on the skin immediately, and can be used both morning and night.

Overall: A calming serum to balance angry skin

Vegan friendly? Yes

Price: $63

Kypris Clearing Serum

6. Vanderohe No.1

When it comes to an organic serum, sometimes we want something that falls on the luxurious side. But of course, without compromising our ethics. Vanderohe have managed to create a serum that is not only decadent and rich, but also crafted from entirely natural components. These include loads of essential oils and 100% natural ingredients. Made from the world’s highest-grade of organic, cold-pressed oils and 100% pure, organic, wild-harvested essential oils, this serum is one that is going to transform your skin before your very eyes.

A favourite with top models like Daniela Christiansson, this serum uses a carefully selected range of plant-based ingredients work to rebalance, revitalise and repair the skin immediately upon application of the serum, whilst the soothing aroma works to relieve your body of feeling such as anxiety and stress.

The feel of this oil based serum was like rubbing silk into my skin. As my skin is pretty oily, I wasn’t convinced that it would fully absorb. I enjoyed the intoxicating scent of it whilst I massaged it in. I took a moment to really inhale the blend of essential oils and allow myself to unwind. Surprisingly, not only did it sink into my skin, but it did so in a matter of seconds. And when I looked in the mirror, my skin seemed to glow.

The next morning when I woke up, I touched my face expecting to find it greasy from the oil. Instead, it was matte and soft. When I went to wash my face I still had that glow to my skin.

Overall: Slightly pricey, but worth every single penny

Vegan friendly: Yes

Price: From around $110

 

 

Vanderohe No.1

7. Moon Beings Earthbound 

Do you suffer from brown spots on your skin? This serum by Moon Beings is for you!

This is how it works. Small peptides called Glycine-Proline-Hydroxyproline are found naturally in our collagen structure. Collagen is a long sequence of amino acids. Breaking it down produces short amino acid sequences, aka peptides. These peptides “signal” to the skin that collagen was lost and that new collagen should be produced.

This helps correct discolored pigmentation by stopping melanin synthesis. Vitamin K-1 halts skin discoloration by binding to pigment compounds that carry them out of the skin cells. The result? Gentle lightening of the skin.

Overall: Surprisingly hydrating and gentle

Vegan friendly: Yes

Price: $36

Moon Beings Earthbound 

8. Makanai Skin Jewel

This 100% natural, organic facial serum is super luxe! It’s a precious synergy of plant oils and 24k gold leaf flakes to illuminate and soften the skin. 

The light, fast-absorbing blend will perfectly balance any kind of skin, leaving it more supple, hydrated and radiant. It’s packed with 7 botanical oils:

  • Jojoba Seed Oil
  • Macadamia Nut Oil
  • Squalane
  • Sesame Oil
  • Hybrid Sunflower Oil
  • Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
  • Coix Seed Oil

…and gold! Which is sourced from the Yoshitaka Gold Leaf Foundry in Kanazawa, Japan. Tip: This serum is perfect to use in combination with Makanai’s Pure Gold Sheets. Doing so will enhance the antioxidative effect and fade brown spots and pigmentation.

Overall: Beautiful and luxe

Vegan friendly: Yes

Price: $58

gold flake serum

9. LUVIḤ Absolute Radiance Brightening Serum

If you want to treat your skin to a luxurious serum, this one by LUVIḤ is simply gorgeous. It combines rich ingredients with timeless Ayurvedic wisdom to make a potent and powerful serum that will have your skin looking and feeling its best.

Saffron is considered a miracle ingredient. It brightens skin, repairs sun damage and reduces pigmentation and dark spots. All Luvih’s ingredients work together to visibly brighten skin, restore skin’s radiance and help firm skin.

Overall: A luxurious Ayurvedic serum that was designed specifically to whiten and lighten skin.

Vegan friendly: Yes

Price: $79

LUVIḤ Absolute Radiance Brightening Serum

Sophia Hussain
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2 thoughts on “Why You Need A Facial Serum NOW”

  1. Basically, as your article suggested, a serum will be more beneficial as it can penetrate the skin deeper. That is something that my wife would be sure to love as she’s quite particular about skin care. Having an organic anti-aging serum will definitely make a great gift for her. Thanks!

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