The "best" face serum depends on your skin concern (hydration, anti-aging, brightening), but top-rated ingredients include Vitamin C (for brightness, antioxidants), Hyaluronic Acid (for deep hydration/plumping), Retinol (for wrinkles/texture), and Peptides (for firmness), with brands like SkinCeuticals, Estée Lauder, and La Roche-Posay frequently praised for effective formulas, like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic for antioxidant protection or Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair for overall rejuvenation.
Our Top Face Serums
There's no single "No. 1" face serum, as the best choice depends on your skin concern (like aging, dullness, or dryness), but SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic (Vitamin C/Antioxidant) and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (Hyaluronic Acid/Peptide) are consistently top-rated overall by editors, while The Ordinary offers great budget options like their Lactic Acid for exfoliation or Hyaluronic Acid for hydration, and La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 is loved for dry skin, with many other top contenders from brands like Paula's Choice, Alpha-H, and Naturium, all focusing on ingredients like Vitamin C, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, and Niacinamide.
Conclusion: The facial serum, in combination with the wash and moisturizer, may be effective and well-tolerated when treating photodamaged skin and may improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
For daytime, we suggest applying vitamin C serum first, followed by your hyaluronic acid serum, and finishing with your B5 serum and broad spectrum sunscreen. At night, continue to cleanse and tone as usual, follow with retinol, then hyaluronic acid and B5 serum.
These recommendations are suitable for ageing skin and address a range of concerns, from fine lines to uneven skin texture. Winner: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 Runner-up: Azio Intense Firming Face Serum Why: Retinaldehyde provides fastest cellular renewal, while peptides offer immediate plumping.
Bottom Line. In most cases, you should use both a serum and a moisturizer. Serums deliver active ingredients to the deeper layers of skin to treat specific problems like dark spots, wrinkles, or redness, while moisturizers hydrate and protect the skin.
In most cases, it's not only okay to use your serum every day—it's recommended to do so in order to reap the full benefits of the product. However, usage can vary depending on the type of serum, its ingredients, and the concentration.
Asgari, associate professor in the department of dermatology at Harvard Medical School. Some serums have one main ingredient, while others, including those that target the signs of aging, are combination formulas. “I use and recommend serums that have a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid,” says Dr.
Parul Garg Illuminating Drops are a lightweight, hydrating serum infused with 1% Hyaluronic Acid and light-reflecting pigments that give your skin a glass-like glow . It can be used alone, as a primer, highlighter, or mixed with foundation for a radiant finish.
N°1 DE CHANEL REVITALIZING SERUM is infused with all forms of the camellia. Red Camellia Extract helps protect against oxidation caused by pollution while also addressing the appearance of the 5 signs of aging. Camellia Yeast Extract helps maintain skin's barrier function, plus helps provide comfort and hydration.
L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Serum, Hydrating and Plumping, Fast Efficacy Formula, Replumps Skin in 1H, Reduces Fine Lines, With 1.5% Micro-Epidermic Hyaluronic Acid, Validated by Dermatologists, 15ml.
Retinoids: Often referred to as the gold standard in anti-aging by dermatologists, retinoids like prescription-strength tretinoin, OTC retinal (a.k.a. retinaldehyde), and retinol are derivatives of vitamin A that work by stimulating collagen production, which helps improve texture and reduce wrinkles, according to Dr.
Retinol and hyaluronic acid are like apples and oranges: Both ingredients are very good for you, yet they are very different. While retinol is the gold standard anti-ager proven to help firm skin and soften fine lines (among many other things), hyaluronic acid is a super-hydrator for dry skin.
Choosing the best face serum for you is all about identifying your skin's tendencies and the specific concerns you want to treat. By looking for ingredients like niacinamide, Naringenin, and peptides, you can choose a face serum that will target multiple signs of inflammaging.
Pat in outwards and upwards motions until fully applied to the face and neck. Note: Serums can be applied as part of your morning or evening routine. However, for those with oily skin, we recommend applying this product during your evening regime. This will help to reduce excess oiliness throughout the day.
Drawbacks Of Using Face Serum Every Day
This is because damp skin is easier to penetrate than dry skin. (And when I say damp, I do mean damp. Think: just-cleansed or freshly-misted skin, not sopping wet.) This means your serums/face oils/moisturisers are going to get their best start so they can do their best work.
Allow The Serum To Fully Absorb Before Applying Other Products Or Makeup. If you have more steps to your routine after the serum, you must wait for the serum to fully absorb into your skin. Post that, you can go ahead and apply any other products or create a makeup look.
🌱𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐔𝐁 𝐯𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐀𝐓: Almost your entire skincare regimen — serums, moisturizers, oils and eye creams included — should be patted into the skin, since liquids, creams, lotions, oils and gel-based products absorb best with this technique.
Take a few drops (3-4) of the serum on your fingertips and gently massage it onto your face and neck in upward, circular motions. Face serums come in different consistencies, from light and watery to thick and oily – so make sure you read the instructions before applying it to your skin.
Here are eight ways to avoid serum mistakes.
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.
This eyeball-grabbing rule suggests that you go straight into your skincare routine immediately after washing up, within 3 seconds. At first glance, this may seem like it's sprouted from the imagination of an ardent skin care-lover.