Are you looking for a skincare product other than a cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and exfoliator that gives an effective and concentrated dose of active ingredients? Are you looking for a potent source of nourishment and nutrition to take your skincare regime to the next level? If yes, then a skin serum is what you are looking for.
Skin serums are essentially the concentrates of active ingredients that target specific skincare issues as the active molecules potentially penetrate the skin’s surface for optimum effectiveness and take considerably a shorter period to see visible results. Skin serums are lighter skin formulations as compared to face moisturizers. The thinner viscosity allows these serums to be absorbed more easily into the skin, which makes the skin serums an ideal first step in the layering process of your skincare regime.
Many people wonder why serums are necessary are why a face cream or just a face moisturizer is enough. This is because the concentration of active ingredients in skin serum is much higher than the concentration in ordinary face creams and moisturizers. After all, the heavier ingredients and oils are done away with. Skin serums have a whopping seventy per cent of active molecules as compared to face creams that may only have around ten per cent.
If you want to incorporate a skin serum in your routine but are confused about which one to choose, here’s a guide that will help you pick the perfect serum for your skin.
How to choose a skincare serum?
You must recognize the different kinds of serums with specific ingredients to choose from, based on your skin’s needs. The serums usually fall under these categories:
- Hydrating serum
- Acne-prone and sensitive skin serum
- Anti-ageing serum
- Free-radical fighting serum
- Skin-brightening serum
- Texture improvement/reparative serum
1. Hydrating Serum
The hydrating serum contains hyaluronic acid, a molecule that physically binds water in the skin to make it look plump, fresh, and younger. Children make loads of hyaluronic acid as it is attached to their collagen. We lose collagen as we age and so, also the attached acid. Hydrating serums that contain hyaluronic acid can temporarily bind water in the superficial layers of the skin. This makes the skin look dewier and fresher. Hydrating serums contain vitamin B5 along with hyaluronic acid, which helps the skin to stay hydrated, making it appear smoother and also have the ability to temporarily minimize fine lines that appear on your skin.
2. Acne and Sensitive skin serum
Anti-acne serums usually contain salicylic acid or other similar ingredients derived from plants. If you have acne-prone and sensitive skin, then you must also look for niacinamide, which is a form of vitamin B3 and has soothing, hydrating, and anti-inflammatory properties. This vitamin, when combined with other active ingredients, helps in minimizing irritation and soothes sensitive skin.
3. Anti-ageing serum
Anti-ageing usually encourages collagen production and skin renewal. This type of serum includes bakuchiol, retinol, vitamin C, or a combination of all of these ingredients that help in promoting skin renewal and boost the production of collagen.
4. Free-radical fighting serums
Serums that contain antioxidants fight free radicals that can damage healthy skin. In order to protect the skin from these harmful free radicals, look for beta carotene and green tea extracts. Grape seeds extract, pomegranate, and berries also contain antioxidants that are effective in fighting free radicals. Choose a serum that contains Vitamin A, E, and C, and resveratrol.
5. Skin-brightening serum
Serums that help in brightening skin tone are often loaded with pigment fighting ingredients and antioxidants that improve the quality of the skin and its radiance. The key ingredients in skin brightening serums are ferulic acid, glycolic acid, kojic acid, lactic acid, mushroom extract, vitamin C, and liquorice root.
6. Texture Improvement/Reparative
The serums that contain glycolic acid are recommended to boost the skin’s texture and also its overall appearance. The glycolic acid, which is sugarcane derived alpha hydroxy acid, has the ability to penetrate the top layers of the epidermis to disrupt the intercellular bonds. It helps in shedding the dull, dead, and discoloured cells in order to reveal smoother and glowing skin with a more uniform tone, colour, and texture.