“Skincare routines have changed massively over the years” says Kiri. The introduction of new products and breakthrough research into how our skin responds to techniques and ingredients has meant there’s now a huge range of different skincare products for us to choose from but knowing which face serum to choose for glowing skin can be overwhelming.
Gone are the days when a basic cleanser and moisturizer were enough to have gorgeous skin. These days there are pre-cleansers, oils, scrubs, retinols, acids, and the increasingly popular face serums that go into a skincare routine. Facial serums in particular are hot news and the truth is they really do work and used regularly can result in beautiful glowing skin. They tackle all sorts of complexion issues from dark spots, acne, redness, and even fine lines and wrinkles.
A face serum is a light, thin skincare product that contains concentrated amounts of one or two active ingredients designed to target specific skin care needs. There are several ingredients most commonly used in face serums. Some serums combine a few of these and others focus primarily on one or two. These ingredients include:
Vitamin E — This is a strong and powerful antioxidant known for its ability to protect, nourish, and moisturize skin.
Vitamin C — Vitamin C is an antioxidant with skin brightening properties to improve overall skin tone and radiance.
Retinol — A form of Vitamin A, retinol is another antioxidant that boosts collagen production in your skin, minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid — This ingredient occurs naturally in our bodies and helps keep our skin and tissues hydrated, but we produce less of it as we age. It deeply hydrates and plumps the skin.
Peptides — Peptides are the building blocks of collagen and other proteins, working to smooth and improve the texture of skin.
Facial serums tend to have smaller molecules, than for instance moisturisers, which allows the ingredients in the serum to go deeper into the skin.
So even though you may have the same active ingredients such as Vitamin E or Hyaluronic Acid in your moisturiser, serum is the best and quickest way to get these ingredients deep into your skin layers.
No, face serums and moisturisers are different and help the skin in different ways so both should be used as part of your daily skincare regime. Facial serum is the worker in your skincare products. A facial serum treatment will target specific skin concerns, whereas a moisturiser will provide a barrier for the skin, locking in moisture.
Oils are great at softening the skin and locking in moisture but most oils don’t contain the important active ingredients we see in serums so they can’t address specific skincare concerns.
It can be so confusing knowing what to put on your skin and when.
Top Tip No 1: THIN to THICK
So what I mean is, thinnest products should always be applied to your skin first and the thickest ones last (cleaner / toner aside). This is because each application can then be absorbed fully by the skin before applying the next (thicker) product.
After cleansing and toning, apply just a few drops of serum to your skin, massaging in to the pores to allow it to be fully absorbed so it can work its magic. Then use your chosen moisturiser to lock in the serum and create a barrier against the elements.
• Cleanse your skin with a face wash.
• Apply toner.
• Put a few drops of serum on your fingers or directly onto your face. Smooth onto skin. Let absorb for a minute or two.
• Apply moisturizer.
• Apply eye cream.
• Apply sunscreen (in the am)
Top Tip No 2: If the serum is taking a long time to absorb into your skin, there are two possible reasons – either you’ve applied too much (you only need a couple of drops as it’s powerful stuff!) or you need to exfoliate and remove the dead skin that is sitting on your top layer which is preventing the absorption.
You can use serums as often as you like and I’d recommend incorporating into your day and night time regimes for maximum benefit and you really will see your skin becoming more dewy and glowing in a matter of weeks. Germaine de Capuccini’s Hyaluronic 3D Force Serum will give you results in just 10 days if used every day.
Retinol is just another name for Vitamin A but it’s an amazing ingredient and is the buzz word of the beauty industry right now. Retinol is effective because this ingredient is broken down and converted into retinoid acid as soon as it is absorbed by the skin. Retinoid acid is a substance that affects skin cells and how they behave so it literally attaches itself to almost every skin cell and ‘tells’ the cells that they should behave like healthy, younger skin cells. You can clearly see results in just 10 days after using a retinol serum, it’s amazing!
When it comes to skin care, serum is your No. 1 friend! If you’re looking to get a natural revitalised glow on your skin each morning or want to work on specific skin issues, adding a face serum into your daily skincare routine is essential.
Serums can:
Hydrate
Reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles
Smooth skin and refine texture
Provide antioxidant protection
Plump skin and create a more youthful look
Give you a glowing skin complexion
Minimise the appearance of dark spots