Any skincare routine needs a few basic products to keep your skin happy and healthy. While some are made with simple ingredients, others have a more powerful dose of active ingredients. A face serum is one such product that is made up of active ingredients. Initially, people may have been hesitant about using a serum, but now it has become quite an essential part of most skincare routines. It is formulated to nourish, protect and hydrate your skin and makes for an incredible step to include between a face cleanser and a moisturiser. There's so much more that you need to know including the benefits of face serum and how to use one. But first, let's understand what is face serum and what it does to your skin.
- What is a Face Serum
- Ingredients Used in a Face Serum
- Benefits of a Face Serum
- How to Use a Face Serum
- How to Choose a Face Serum
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a Face Serum?
A face serum is a concentrate of active ingredients targeting specific skin concerns. The concentration contains powerful ingredients that are made up of smaller molecules. Face serum has higher levels of active ingredients as compared to usual face creams.
Ingredients Used in a Face Serum:
Before you understand the use of face serum, you need to know the ingredients that are used in this skincare product. Here is a list of typical ingredients that are used in a face serum.
Plant-Based Active Ingredients:
Ingredients like liquorice help brighten your skin tone and lighten the dark, pesky sunspots or scars or even patchy skin.
Hyaluronic Acid:
These work wonders to hydrate your skin without feeling too heavy like creams and emollients. They basically trap in the skin's natural water levels and make sure that your skin doesn't lose its natural moisture, thus promising replenished skin.
Antioxidants:
These are exceptionally important to protect your skin from stress and environmental damage. Hence, a lot of face serums have beta-carotene and green tea extracts. Some serums also have berries, pomegranate and grape seed extracts, along with other active ingredients to benefit your skin.
Vitamin C
This one is a common ingredient that is used for anti-ageing. So, if you're looking for a face serum to use in your 30s and 40s, vitamin C is the ingredient that you must consider in the face serum. It boosts collagen production and enhances skin immunity.
Retinols
This ingredient works well on acne-prone skin while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Anti-inflammatory:
If you're someone with sensitive skin, you should definitely use a face serum with anti-inflammatory properties as it can prevent redness, breakouts and inflammation of the skin. Some anti-inflammatory ingredients that you might find on the label are zinc, aloe vera and arnica.
Benefits of a Face Serum
Now that you are aware of the common ingredients to find in face serums, let us tell you about all the benefits of using the serum on the face.
1. It Hydrates Your Skin:
One of the best benefits of face serum is that its regular use can make your skin feel hydrated at all times. Face serums are designed to be extremely hydrating, and with consistent use it can help battle dryness and turn dull and lifeless looking skin into dewy and fresh skin. As a face serum has powerful moisturising ingredients like hyaluronic acid, it helps lock in moisture in your skin and leaves it soft and supple. So, if you have a dry skin type, you must include a face serum in your morning and evening skincare routine to make your skin look and feel moisturised throughout the day.
We'd recommend you to use the Pure Sense Macadamia Reviving Face Serum. It is a blend of exotic oils that boosts collagen and restores a youthful glow. This face serum has a relaxing fragrance that helps calm your senses. It is a pure formulation that improves skin elasticity and smoothes your skin while keeping it hydrated for long hours.
2. It Gets Rid of Excess Oil and Reduces Breakouts:
People with an oily skin type shouldn't confuse a face serum to be an oily skincare product that can cause more breakouts. In fact, one of the greatest benefits of face serums is that it can highly benefit oily skin as it has a range of oil-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, tea tree oil, etc. that can keep excess oil at bay and mattify your skin without leaving it greasy. You can also use an anti-acne serum to mainly target pimples and excess oil production on your face and help reduce breakouts in general. If you're wondering how to use face serum on oily skin, simply dap two to three drops of the face serum on your face with the help of your fingertips and follow it up with a lightweight moisturiser.
3. It Reduces Pore Size:
There are several face serums that can help shrink pores and increase cell turnover, leading to minimisation of large pores. Thanks to the antioxidants and exfoliating acids present in face serums, they are also designed to unclog and clean dirt and sebum out of pores. Face serums are light in weight, have a liquid consistency and hence, they don't feel heavy on your skin. They get absorbed quickly, which means it won't be an issue to layer your skin with a moisturiser and sunscreen right after a face serum.
4. It Reduces Skin Irritation:
If you're someone with a sensitive skin type, you must experience rashes, irritation, itchiness and redness quite often. Pollution and sun can inflame your skin even more and that's why you need to use a face serum. One of the many benefits of face serum is that it can help reduce inflammation and skin irritation. There are many face serums that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients like zinc, glycerine, shea butter, aloe vera, etc., all of which can take good care of skin irritation. Certain moisturising face serums can also calm down dry skin, and irritation caused by dryness.
5. It Gets Rid of Blemishes:
No one likes to deal with pesky skin blemishes and spots that are caused by acne, pigmentation or the sun. There are many people who try various products to get rid of dark spots on the skin. But if nothing seems to be working, you can rely on face serums that are meant to lighten your skin and have ingredients like plant concentrates and vitamins that can target these scars and spots. Face serums can help repair and regenerate cells and hence, heal scars by reducing blemishes on your skin.
6. It Can Give You Younger-Looking Skin:
Dealing with dull skin and lots of wrinkles and fine lines? Well, worry not! Get yourself a face serum that contains anti-ageing benefits. The high percentage of antioxidants and active ingredients in face serums like retinol, vitamin C, etc., can do a fabulous job at brightening your skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Consistent use of face serums can result in naturally glowing, youthful skin. You can also use a face serum that contains collagen-boosting ingredients like green tea, argan oil, etc., which can promise you soft and firmer skin.
How to Use a Face Serum?
The best way to use a face serum is to include it as a base layer under your heavier skincare products like moisturiser, sunscreen and then go ahead with applying makeup if you desire. You can use a face serum once or twice a day after using a face cleanser and toner to prep your skin for all the skincare products.
Here are three simple steps to understand how to apply the serum to the face
Step 1: Start by cleansing your face with a gentle face wash.
Step 2: Take two to three drops of the serum and dab it on your face.
Step 3: Massage it in upward, outward strokes for better results.
How to Choose a Face Serum?
There are always going to be an array of products to choose from. But the best way to pick a face serum that can cater to your skin is to keep the following points in mind:
- Consider the skin problem you want to target. It could be to reduce fine lines or get rid of dark spots. Choose a serum that claims to target these specific skin issues.
- Always make sure you pick a face serum that suits your skin type. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, you need a face serum with salicylic acid and retinol.
- For mature and dry skin, you can pick a serum with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. If you are someone with normal skin, glycolic acid in a face serum will work well for you to keep your skin refreshed.
Conclusion
Now that you know when to apply face serums and how it can benefit your skin, it only makes sense to start including this wonder product in your skincare routine. There are numerous face serums available in the beauty market, each with its unique purpose and ingredients. Make sure you pick something that works for your skin and skin issues and you will soon start seeing noticeable results in your skin. If you're unsure or confused about which face serum to use, you can always consult a dermatologist to suggest one. Also read articles such as Vitamin c benefits & What is double cleansing to get beautiful, radiant, and healthy skin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Can we use a face serum every day?
Yes! In fact, most face serums are safe to be used twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. Just make sure you read the directions before including the face serum in your daily skincare routine.
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What is the right age to use a face serum?
Taking care of your skin, in general, should begin when you're around 25 years of age. Even dermatologists recommend that 25 is the right time to start using anti-ageing products or follow a proper skincare routine.
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For how long do you have to leave the serum on your face?
After you're done applying the serum using your fingertips or palms, wait for five to seven minutes for the product to get fully absorbed by your skin. If your serum leaves any residue, it's most likely not the kind of product that suits your skin. But most face serums are meant to be left on the skin before you wash it at the end of the day. If you're using a face serum in your evening routine, you can layer a moisturiser on top of it and wash your face directly in the morning with a gentle cleanser.
