Should you use serums? I guess it depends. If you want to avoid looking like Rick the Hormone Monster for as long as possible, then yes. Adding a serum to your daily skincare routine would be a good idea. If you want to be rid of your adult acne once and for all, also yes. If you just want your skin to look better than it does now, then by all means, yes! Welcome to Serum City, baby, population all of us!
This quick and easy (promise!) addition to your morning and evening routine is like a little vial of highly-concentrated magic. Serums make your other products, like face wash and moisturizer, work better. Think of them as the shot of espresso in a morning red eye, ready to take your caffeine buzz—aka skin health—to the next level.
Serums are packed with vitamins and other powerful ingredients (Amino acids! CBD! Retinol!) that work to improve your skin’s condition over time. The product’s consistency falls somewhere between water and cream (yes, what I’m trying to say is serum looks and feels a little like semen and we all just need to deal with that fact and move on, just FYI) but don’t be afraid! That texture is a good thing because it lets the product really sink in. Serums go on easy and dry in a flash, and just a few pumps or drops rubbed between your fingers is enough to cover your whole face and neck.
You might remember that we got deep into Retinol as an important skincare ingredient a few months ago. It’s worth noting here that (honk honk, skincare routine lesson coming through) not all serums contain retinol, and retinol isn’t only used in serums; it’s also in moisturizers and face oils. So, you can mix-and-match a serum and a retinol in your routine, or combine them in one product.
The best thing about Serum City (other than how good everyone looks there) is that it’s actually a big, wide world, full of options you can tailor to your specific needs. Like, you might need a seriously moisturizing hyaluronic acid serum to survive the winter, and a reviving vitamin C serum to bring that mug back to life come summer. Or an acne-fighting serum now, and an anti-aging serum in five years. Plus, you can layer them up to combat multiple issues at once, since they’re so lightweight!
So come, join the plump-cheeked, even complexioned, smooth texture skin people. We’ve been waiting for you. Creepy, but also welcoming, no?
Ursa Major Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum, $54
Fair warning, reading the list of ingredients in this serum will make you want to take off all your clothes and bathe in it. It’s got a fancy form of vitamin C called Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, as well as the naturally-occuring vitamin C in rose hip—all of which brightens skin while improving its tone and firmness. Nice. It’s also got aloe to soothe and hydrate (mmm), aspen bark to gently exfoliate (ahhh) and edelweiss, a stem cell complex that apparently has lots of antioxidant properties to minimize dark spots, scars and fine lines.
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Acid Serum, ~ $30-$40
If you haven’t yet heard Eva Longoria pronounce ‘hyaluronic acid’ in a seriously crazy way, do that, then come back here. Okay, moving on. Hyaluronic acid is an essential addition to your skincare routine if your face is feeling dull or dry, because it attracts and holds in moisture. The HA will help your skin retain the moisture it needs, while silk proteins smooth fine lines and improve texture.
Mario Badescu Peptide Renewal Serum, $45
Please don’t be mad that I called your skin mature. I’m just saying that if you’re advancing in years but want to look like you aren’t, then it would be a good idea to add this gentle, sensitive-skin serum from Mario Badescu to your routine. It’s pumped full of collagen-boosting peptides to help skin look smoother, lifted and more toned. Plus, white willow bark exfoliates to make dull skin look more radiant. Yes, radiant I said goddamnit!
MD Complete Healthy Complexion Booster Serum, $25
Ugh, adult acne is the worst. But, it’s not the same as that scary, unruly hormone-y skin you had as a teen. Forget scrubbing it raw or drying it out with harsh astringents. This serum from MD Complete contains retinol, vitamin C, and vitamin E, all of which help to restore depleted antioxidants and calm irritation, both of which can be a root cause of acne flare-ups.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, ~$160
Time to bring out the big guns. This luxe serum will improve the overall look and feel of your skin—it’ll be softer, more even in tone (normal, non-skincare obsessed person translation: fewer red blotches), and hydrated AF. So, no flakes or rough patches. Whatever issues your beautiful face might be up against, you’ll find the solutions at the bottom of this vial of C E Ferulic Serum from SkinCeuticals. Yes, it’s expensive, but SkinCeuticals is considered one of the most investment-worthy skincare brands in the game because their formulas are crazy effective.
The ferulic acid makes the antioxidant benefits of vitamin C and E more powerful, and the hyaluronic acid will help lock in moisture. All-in-all, you’re getting anti-aging perks, dark spot and sun damage reduction, improved firmness and less lines and wrinkles.