You are not alone in not getting an earthly understanding of what a serum is. Even if you are the proud owner of many serums, the substance on the surface is not especially simple. Think of the contradictions: it’s hydrating, but you must need a hydrating agent. It may be sticky, but it’s not just face oil. It may be watery, but is that the core of it? So many questions, and we haven’t even gotten to the list of ingredients!
Skincare should never stress you out (that would kind of negate the goal), so we pooled our collective expertise, studied a little more, and assembled a kind of cheat sheet. There’s not going to be an exam, but I’m going to research anyway. We hear talk about skincare making perfect party ice breakers.
What’s a serum?
After cleansing, but before moisturizing, Serum is a skin care product you can apply to your skin with the intention of delivering powerful ingredients directly into the skin. Serum is especially appropriate for this role as it consists of smaller molecules that can penetrate the skin deeply and have a very high concentration of active ingredients. This makes them a perfect weapon, such as wrinkles, to target particular skincare issues. Farewell, signs of ageing!
Is serum a hydrating substance?
Yeah, yes and no. To help the skin maintain moisture, serums can be chock-full of moisturizing ingredients (hyaluronic acid, ceramides). But in the conventional sense, that does not make them moisturizers. In order to keep all the good things in, face lotions and creams are richer and build a barrier on top of the skin.
How often should I use a serum?
Ok, all this depends on the serum being used. Read the mark, but the bases will probably be covered once a day.
What’s the difference between facial oil and a serum?
Pretty good question. While, as the trend of face oil rises (and on the market there are more and more oils), more oils are sold as ‘serums.’ Office favorite Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum comes to mind, it is very much a face oil. With Aida Bicaj‘s calming voice in your head, use whatever floats your boat, saying these words: “You have the water-based serums and the oil-based serums. Water-based serums go under the cream and they are so important. They nourish the inner layer of the skin because the molecule is very small so it penetrates—because of the P50, of course. The oil-based serums go on top of the moisturizer because they have a bigger molecule. They’re supposed to keep the cream and whatever you put underneath moist during the entire day. There are so many products out there and everybody claims that it’s the best, so consumers are confused as to what works for them.”
Is serum essential?
Mostly. Serums and essences are somewhat similar depending on where they come in the routine (after washing, before moisturizing) and what purpose they serve (targeted skincare needs besides basic hydration). They vary in texture if anything; serums are more gooey and concentrated, while essences are watered down with a more liquid texture (ex. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence). In marketing, however, it’s mostly a distinction. In Korea, for example, the Advanced Night Repair Serum of Estee Lauder is referred to as “essence.”
Can I afford a serum?
Yeah, serums appear to be at the pricier end of the continuum of skincare. But for a cause that is very decent! Do you remember this bit about being super centered and powerful? Here you are having your bang for your buck…
How long will my serum last?
When they come in contact with air, certain potent ingredients frequently contained in serum may become unstable. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) can oxidize and lose effectiveness over time as a result of instability. But thanks to technology, improved forms (which are water-soluble, etc.) of the ingredient last longer so that your skin can do better. The best rule of thumb is to store your bottle (obviously) in a cold, dry place and use it for six months to a year.
Is the serum appropriate for my skin?
Most definitely. Firstly, get to know your ingredients. If you’re…
Acne-prone: Look for vitamin C (increases the production of collagen, strengthens the healing process of the skin and decreases inflammation), retinol (also an antioxidant, reduces inflammation), zinc (soothes irritation, controls the production of oil) and salicylic acid (unclogs pores).
Dry: Look for vitamin E (an antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative damage), niacinamide (improves skin elasticity, increases skin ceramide levels), glycolic acid (gently exfoliates and discolors), and hyaluronic acid (retains moisture).
Feeling dull: Search for green tea extract, resveratrol, ferulic acid, antioxidants (these combat free radicals, increase effectiveness of sunscreen by day, and promote cellular repair and healing by night).
A word of caution: more is not necessarily better because the serums are super potent. Before piling on it, be careful. Sensitive skin can be irritated by strong ingredients. Still patch-test correspondingly.
Types of Serums
- Niacinamide Serum
In your serums and creams, niacinamide, a type of vitamin B3, can stand on its own, but when combined with other skin-boosting ingredients, it is even better. Purvisha Patel, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, says, “B3 is an essential nutrient the body needs.” She explains that you will find it applied to skincare products because it helps regulate the production of oil, decreases skin water loss, and reduces inflammation.
As it affects melanocytes, cells that play a role in the production of pigments in the skin, niacinamide also has a significant brightening effect. For that reason, Dr. Patel says, you can find the ingredient in products intended to combat discoloration, reduce acne leftover red marks, and encourage a more even tone of the skin. Moreover, because niacinamide decreases inflammation, other anti-aging ingredients that can cause the skin to respond, such as wrinkle-smoothing retinol or exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids, she adds, can temper the results.
“Serums are one of the best vehicles for niacinamide, in reality. The vitamin is soluble in water and is most easily absorbed into the skin in a serum,” Dr. Patel says.
How to select and use the right serum for niacinamide?
Look for the correct dose: 2 to 10 percent niacinamide should be an effective product, says Annie Gonzalez, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Riverchase Dermatology in Miami.
Read the label: Check the ingredients, despite what the packaging suggests, and look for “niacinamide”-not nicotinic acid. “Nicotinic acid is thought to be converted into niacinamide, but nicotinic acid can cause skin flushing and redness,” says Dr. Patel.
Layer it properly: As for any serum, after washing the skin (to eliminate makeup, dirt, and oil) and before moisturizer (so it can penetrate the skin more easily), make sure you layer it on. Serums should also be applied in the morning before your SPF to ensure that the sunscreen can do its job effectively.
You can give your skin the glow it deserves now that you have the basics down. According to dermatologists, here are the best serums of niacinamide you can try:
Regenerist MAX Tone Serum
Combining the antioxidant properties of vitamin C and niacinamide, this delightfully smooth serum gives the skin a visible improvement in hydration and brightness. The fast-absorbing formula almost looks like a lightweight lotion, but the sticky or tacky feeling is never left behind. It layers beautifully under heavier creams or SPF and has no smell, so it can be enjoyed even by those with sensitive skin.
- Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum
While a vitamin C serum is this product, it is packed with many more key players than that. But let’s talk about vitamin C before we get to it, though. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a stable form of vitamin C, is used in particular in this serum. This means that it is less susceptible to oxidation or skin irritation.
Vitamin E, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid, konjac root, chamomile extract and clary sage are also the other major ingredients. Vitamin E decreases the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration and allows ferulic acid to have an antioxidant effect when combined with vitamin C. From there, Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps the skin, protects and softens the nutrient-rich konjac root, calms chamomile extract, and acts as a natural toner to balance the skin out.
It has a lot of advantages
Of course, to deliver results, the ingredients need to be present in efficient concentrations, and Mad Hippie doesn’t share those numbers. However, the brand does say that this serum is comparable to other 15-20 percent serums of vitamin C.
The Feel: Leaves a tacky feel to the skin
A light gel is the serum, making it easy to apply. Even with a small amount, it can feel slightly tacky, so be careful about over-applying. After application, the sensation lasts for less than an hour, but it continues to leave my skin feeling dry, so it is a must to follow it with a moisturizer. If you’re going to use makeup afterwards, give yourself time to let the item sink in.
The Results: Slow but continuous
For three weeks, I have been testing the serum day and night. I found myself wondering when I would start to see results, just like with similar products. But then I noticed, towards the end of the three-week mark, that my dark spots were really lighter, and that my skin tone was more even.
This item works well as a serum that gets things done, I think. It helped my skin to look more even overall, along with lightening dark spots, and its ingredients also have long-term anti-aging benefits.
Best of all, while utilizing the serum, I never experienced any breakouts or irritation. For the first few applications, those new to vitamin C may feel some tingling (I did the first time), but my skin is accustomed to vitamin C and other major active ingredients.
Value: definitely worth it, of course.
The price of the Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum is practically a steal because of its quality and list of ingredients. Other serums with vitamin C can be priced at about the same price, but they often lack anything other than vitamin C itself. And yet others are often much, much more costly.
Moreover, a little goes a long way. Nearly every day and night, I use this serum, and I suspect one bottle will last me for about two months.
- Cerave Vitamin C Serum
Because of its luxurious label, we’re all guilty of coveting a product, whether that’s La Mer’s notoriously expensive face cream or Skinceuticals’ editor-approved vitamin C serum. But our focus on high-end options also leads us to overlook affordable picks from the drugstore that at a fraction of the price promise the same skin-changing performance. But Amazon shoppers, starting with CeraVe’s Vitamin C Serum ($16; amazon.com), are ready to make us see the error of our ways.
The successful anti-aging treatment has more than 3,000 excellent reviewer reviews who claim their skin is markedly hydrated, brightened, and plumped, and the proof is in the formula. The serum has 3 anti-aging powerhouses, developed with the help of dermatologists: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and skin-repairing ceramides.
The ingredient trifecta means that the serum can effectively help with a variety of skin concerns, including the removal of acne scars, eczema clearance, and plumping of wrinkles. But this inexpensive range is hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and gentle on the skin, unlike other vitamin C serums, which can be too harsh for sensitive skin.
Plus, it contains just 10 percent of the namesake ingredient previously said by Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist based in New York City, Health is an ideal concentration level to get all its benefits without irritation. Better still, l-ascorbic acid is preferred over other vitamin C derivatives that can be less stable and more irritating.
In CeraVe’s packaging, you will not find fancy glass bottles or droppers, only powerful design elements. In order to avoid oxidation and corrosion of the formula over time, the heavy-duty tube, screw-on cap, and squeeze-out design are all important. So while it may not be your vanity’s sleekest beauty commodity, the travel-friendly tube serves an important role.
All things considered, this inexpensive product has already snagged a spot on Amazon’s list of best-selling facial serums. We’re not surprised. But if the rankings are not enough to persuade you to give it a go, then hundreds of reviews should be written.
A single reviewer wrote, “My skin breaks out all the time and the red marks never seem to fade.” “I wanted to see if the redness would help. Holy Moly, these things are working! There is no heavy smell, and the serum is easily absorbed into the skin. I haven’t finished the tube yet, and I can assure you that my skin is smoother, and that I haven’t had a breakout. Actually, my boyfriend noticed and commented that my skin looked better. This guy doesn’t even notice when I get a haircut.
Another said: “I’m 65 and I’ve tried so many goods, from cheap to expensive.” Nothing has compared to this: within a few days, I noticed a change in my skin. My skin has a lighter appearance, my pores are actually smaller, and my face looks more youthful overall.”
- Clarins double serum
A Full Age Management Focus designed to aid operate on the 5 essential skin functions for clearly younger looking skin is Clarins Double Serum 30ml or 50ml. Clarins Double Serum works on the appearance of significant signs of aging of the skin and includes 21 active extracts of the herb, including turmeric. Turmeric is recognized for its excellent anti-aging characteristics. The spinning push button of the bottle supplies a made-to-measure serum dose. The skin looks more beautiful, firmer and smoother with fine lines.
How effective are Hair Serums?
What hair product would you hope to have in your possession if you were stranded on a deserted island? If you asked Alex Brown, a Chicago-based celebrity hairstylist, it would possibly be a hair serum.
“A hair serum is a styling product that can be used to decrease frizz and give the hair shine and moisture,” she says. In humid environments (i.e. the imaginary deserted island) and for those with coarse, textured hair types, a hair serum is particularly helpful, says Brown. “Tiffani Patchett, a hair stylist at Baja Studio in New York City, adds, “It also protects hair from the sun, toxins, and heat styling from instruments.
Choose the best hair serum for your form, density, and texture of hair, Patchett suggests. “You’re going to want something on the lighter side for fine to medium density,” she says. The heavier ones will weigh your hair down and can make it look sticky.” Patchett recommends a heavier-duty serum for thick, coarse, and dry textures.” The stronger serums would have more oils in them to help moisturize frizzy hair and weigh it down,” she says.” As suggested by both Brown and Patchett, look for hair serums formulated with oils like argan, coconut, jojoba, and macadamia.
For each hair texture and style, here are our favorite hair serums.
Best Overall: Initial Hair Serum of John Frieda Frizz Ease
For a very good cause, this hair serum has stood the test of time. It works hard to get rid of frizz with silk proteins and other hair-taming ingredients, protect your hair from heat styling, block out moisture, nourish dry hair, and retain control of flyaways. The finished look: a smooth, polished, frizz-free mane.
Best budget: Anti-Frizz Serum Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine
With this cheap, but still fully effective, hair serum, smooth, shiny hair is feasible on a budget. It is formulated to transform frizzy hair into sleek smoothness with Moroccan argan oil (a gold-star hair care ingredient). Users rave about their ability to protect hair and hydrate dry strands from frizz-causing humidity.
Best for Heat Styling: Super Skinny Serum Paul Mitchell
It is an absolute must to add a heat protector before you blow-dry, straighten, or curl your hair. This hair serum speeds up the process of drying so that you can get out the door more easily. Plus, with no frizz in sight, lightweight silicones in the formula turn hair from frizzy and unmanageable to glossy and smooth.
Best for Split Ends: Beauty Custom Hair Serum feature
Adjust your hair care routine with a serum specially made for your hair care. This lightweight serum, along with a personalized combination of oils based on your hair goals, amps up the shine and calms frizz with argan, jojoba, and sunflower oils. With this hair serum, one of the issues that you should address: split ends. To get your special recipe developed and marvel at your healthy, split end-free hair, just take the Role of Beauty quiz.
Best Drugstore: Anti-Breakage Serum OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk
Say goodbye to rough, damaged hair with this serum from the drugstore and hello to solid, shiny hair. Organic coconut oil and proteins of silk keratin help restore damaged hair and cuticles, seal split ends, and tackle frizz to make your hair look healthier and feel healthier. Bonus: This serum for hair smells positively divine.
Best for damaged hair: Serum Oribe Gel
This hair serum has a special hair management gel feel, plus it is flecked with gold, so when you use it, your hair will really look like a million bucks. The formula is suitable for dry, damaged hair: polymers condition, improve shine, and add body; creatine smooths hair and protects it from heat styling; microproteins of corn, wheat, and soy moisturize, fix, and reinforce hair; and a protective coating is given by silk-derived glycoprotein.
Best for frizzy hair: Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum
With Paul MitchellSuper ®’s Skinny® Serum, blow-dry hair in less time. This best-selling blowout primer helps to speed up the drying process so that silky-smooth outcomes are quicker. There are lightweight silicones in the moisture-resistant formula that condition and seal the cuticle, leaving hair frizz-free in any heat. Only rub one pump in your hands and apply it to clean, damp hair for smooth, shiny strands before drying.
Best for Straight, Wavy, Curly, and Coily Hair: The Ordinary Multipeptide Hair Serum
A concentrated serum to encourage hair that is smoother, fuller and healthier. Multi-Peptide Serum For Hair Density, lightweight and revolutionary, deeply penetrates the scalp to stimulate circulation and promote healthy hair follicles. This critical formula, simple to apply, transforms the hair, making it longer and stronger than before.
What is a Serum sickness?
Serum sickness is a hypersensitivity reaction of type III that results from heterologous or foreign protein or serum injection. Non-protein drug reactions are clinically comparable to serum sickness reactions.
Historically, the term serum sickness refers to a self-limited syndrome caused by immune complex deposition resulting from exposure to extraneous proteins or haptens. In 1905, von Pirquet and Schick first described the syndrome, reporting fever, skin eruptions (mainly urticaria), joint pain, and lymphadenopathy in regions draining the site of injection after antitoxin in the form of horse serum was given to patients.
