If you use too much, your skin will not be able to absorb it all and it will just sit on top of your skin. This can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. So, how much face serum should you use? For best results, apply a pea-sized amount to your face and neck.
Serum. A pea-sized amount of serum gives your skin a concentrated boost of ingredients that help with hydration, exfoliation, acne, or dull skin. If you use too much: Using too much of any product leaves active ingredients sitting on your skin. Some, such as exfoliating serum, can lead to stinging or peeling.
While there is no limit to how many serums you can add to your regimen, esthetician Enrique Ramirez, founder of Face to Face NYC, suggests stopping at three. Piling on more products than that is not only time-consuming, it also reduces the chances of each ingredient getting properly absorbed by your skin.
Serums are only effective when they're applied close to the skin, as this allows the ingredients to penetrate the epidermis. Once you go beyond two or three serums, the product you're applying is less likely to be able to actually sink into your skin—therefore, it's less effective.
Limit to Two Serums Per Routine
We recommend you use no more than two face serums per routine.
Here's a quick recap on how to properly use face serum. First, cleanse and exfoliate your skin and follow it up with a toner or facial mist. Next, gently apply a small amount of serum to your face and neck with either your fingertips or palms. Then, wait 5 minutes for your face serum to fully absorb into your skin.
No, it is advised not to overuse HA. It is a humectant (draws moisture from the environment); excess HA in skincare can cause retention of more hydration than needed. Research suggested that overuse of HA can cause redness and inflammation.
Too much Hyaluronic Acid can dry your skin by drawing moisture from wherever it can, including the deeper layers of your skin. Yikes! You'll want to avoid products with more than 2 percent HA to avoid irritation or dryness. The sweet spot is actually 0.75 – 1.5 percent.
Can I leave serum overnight? Leaving a serum on over night is ideal! As stated above, serums need time to absorb and your skin is most receptive when you're asleep so having a serum on before you go to bed is a great way to have your skin get the most out of the serum.
Acids, vitamin C serums and retinoids can all cause purging. Purging is an initial acne breakout that can occur when you're starting a new active skincare product—one that causes your skin cells to turn over more quickly. Products that can trigger purging include: Hydroxy acids (AHAs, BHAs and PHAs) and fruit acids.
A good rule of thumb with serums is that less is more – the amount will vary, but the standard is around 3–4 drops or pea-sized amounts. There should be enough to lightly cover (not coat) your entire face and neck, but resist the urge to slather on your serum as it's super-potent.
“Generally, most people should be using a treatment serum twice day,” says Hirsch. “It really depends on the ingredients in there.” Of course, it's always a wise idea to start slowly. Retinol, for example, can cause some dryness and irritation if used too often.
But if your scalp is dry (or you suffer from dandruff), you may benefit from leaving the serum overnight — just make sure the ingredients are lightweight and all-natural! Heavier hair serums may absorb into your pillow or face so not only do you not get the full benefits but you also increase your risk of breakouts.
Do I Need To Wash My Face After Applying Serum? No, face serums do not require you to cleanse your skin post application. Make sure your skin is cleansed properly before you apply the face serum, though.
If already using a gentle serum, it is also perfect for the skin around the eyes as long as it is the same skin type as of the face. Retionol serums, Vitamin C serums are effective serums which work for under eyes.
However, some research has shown that overuse of hyaluronic acid can result in redness and inflammation. The takeaway: Choose the one step where you'll get the biggest bang for your buck.
However, you may have noticed that, even when you're using your hyaluronic acid serum, your skin feels tight and drier than normal. The problem isn't with your serum itself, but what comes after it. Hyaluronic acid must be sealed in with a moisturizer to truly hydrate the skin.
“Hyaluronic acid plays well with most ingredients, while caution must be taken when using retinol in combination with alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide, and some types of vitamin C.” Linkner echoes the tip about avoiding vitamin C.
There are no known side effects to topical lotions and creams with hyaluronic acid, as it's already present in your body. Still, you could have an allergic reaction to a specific formulation or brand. Potential side effects of hyaluronic acid dermal filler include: Bruising.
Goldenberg's go-to recommendation for timing between serums and moisturizers is about one minute. This wait has the same reasoning: Sixty seconds — give or take — gives each product a moment to delve into your pores.
Wait, then Moisturize Serums are not moisturizers.
To allow serums to fully absorb, apply and wait 5 minutes before moisturizing.
You should start using face serum at the age of about 20 years, ideally! You may begin to notice some sort of skin damage at about your mid-twenties. So, 20-25 years is the right age to start using face serums. Follow along to explore all about choosing face serums; according to your age in the best way!
Serums usually contain a higher concentration of active ingredients compared to moisturisers. However, if you're wondering, “should I use face serum every day?”, well, yes, they're extremely safe to use every day. In fact, it is recommended by experts that you use a serum every day to get optimal results.
The cold helps ingredients stay potent for longer – especially antioxidants, growth factors and peptides – as well as extending their shelf life.” When a skincare label instructs you to keep your product in a “cool, dark place”, a skincare fridge instantly ticks both boxes.