Why a serum may be the most important part of your skincare routine

Everyone’s got an opinion on skincare. And most of those opinions revolve around

which kind of skincare products to use, which order to use them in and which ones it’s

okay to admit. Every person is different and has their preference, but it’s a fair

conclusion to say that less is more. You really don’t have to use thirty bottles of skincare

products each night to have healthy, radiant skin.

Serums are often used fairly early in the skincare routine–after you cleanse but before

you moisturize. They bring active ingredients straight to your skin to penetrate the skin’s

surface deeper than your everyday moisturizer. Their higher concentration leads them

to deliver specific benefits to the skin for targeted results.

You can find serums that are designed to even skin tone, some target pores and others

are meant to brighten. With hydrating ingredients most moisturizers keep skin looking

and feeling more hydrated while also firming the surface.

“Serums help give your skin a fresher, younger and healthier appearance,” celebrity

makeup artist Kristofer Buckle explains. A good serum will address your particular

skincare concerns to provide an added benefit to your routine.

Serums are typically water-based or lipid-based. A water-based serum is the best

overall and you should opt for this formula if you’re aiming to find a serum for

hyperpigmentation, and need water-soluble ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide.

Water-based serums won’t cause breakouts or clog your pores and they offer light

moisture that you can wear underneath your makeup. If you are looking for younger skin

or anti-aging properties, this is the way to go.

Lipid-based on the flip side, is meant for those with sun spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. It

can build collagen (the protein responsible for elasticity) and is a good nighttime product

for those with dry skin.

Without a serum in your skincare routine, you’re likely missing a product with targeted

active ingredients meant to treat your skin and provide benefits. If you feel like you’re

spinning your wheels with little results in your current lineup, it’s probably time that you

introduce a good serum.

HOW DO I USE SERUM?

Serums must be absorbed into the skin, so it’s important that you’ve removed all

makeup, dead skin and cleansed well prior to application. Your skin should be slightly

damp. Apply it like a facial massage with your palms.

Keep in mind: you don’t need a lot! This isn’t like slapping on a quarter-sized dollop of

moisturizer. A little goes a long way–these are active ingredients, remember? Just a few

drops is good, no more than a pea.

You can use serums with your all-star night creams, masks and moisturizers. Some can

be used as spot treatments when you’re battling dry or dark spot, acne scars and other

blemishes.

Serums aren’t anything to be scared of. Their potency means that you are helping your

skin to heal and achieve its optimal state. Serums provide the confidence you’re looking

for in a skincare routine and can replenish the youth that sun and physical damage

caused to the skin. The LeCerre Rapid Brightening Serum is an example of a serum the brings multiple benefits into a single bottle. It has a high concentration of great ingredients that nourishes the skin while actively works hard to reduce melanin production to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation.