A basic facial routine normally means to Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturize. As environmental aggressors continue to become stronger, ‘Treat’ has become a vital part of the basic facial routine. And this is where Serums make their grand entrance.
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What is a Serum?
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How does it differ from a moisturizer? Why is it more effective than a regular moisturizer?
According to a dermatologist friend, moisturizers have larger molecules, meaning they don't get absorbed effectively into the deeper layers of the skin. So moisturizers can only treat the outer layer of the skin. On the other hand, serums have smaller and compact particles, and they can go deep into the skin where cell regeneration and reproduction takes place. As your skin regenerates itself overnight, the extracts in serums can help boost your skin's cell regeneration, induce the reproduction of important skin components such as collagen, and clear up pigmentation.
How does a serum differ from a night cream?
Molecules, again. And price tag too. I’m a user of both skin care products, and in my observation, night creams can also aid skin in cell renewal, and it helps prevent water from evaporating from the skin during sleep. Even if night creams have ingredients that can be found in a serum, serums are purer, ergo more effective than the former. With night creams, I wake up to a fresh- looking and supple skin. And with serums, I wake up to a clearer and more radiant skin.
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What are the different types of serums?
Serums come in gel, liquid, oil, and cream form, and are usually thick, goopy, and take time to dry. That’s why they’re best used during night time, a crucial time for cell renewal as well. It can also be used during daytime, but it can be too thick and heavy. There are various serums in the market that can brighten skin, treat fine lines and wrinkles, re-texturize skin, and lighten pigmentation. The serum that you should buy depends on the skin concern that you want to address.
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What are the common ingredients in a serum?
The star ingredients in any serum brands are Retinol, Peptides, Collagen, Plant extracts, synthetic extracts, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Whitening compounds.
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Are they really effective?
As a serum user myself, I can say that yes, they are indeed effective. However, change doesn’t happen overnight. Consistency is key if one desires to know if a serum is effective or not.
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Can I skip moisturizers and replace them with serums instead?
Yes and no. Yes if your serum is in cream form. No if it’s in gel, liquid, or oil form. I still recommend that you use a moisturizer because it acts as your skin’s water supply during the day. Even if serums can moisturize, it cannot moisturize as effectively as a moisturizer. You can use serum during the day, and top it with moisturizer to lock the serum deep within your skin.
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How much is a serum?
Price range for serums depends on the brand. There are cheap serums that are around P400.00, while the most expensive one I’ve seen is around P15,000.00.
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Where can I find serums?
Serums are very accessible. You can find one in a specialty store down to a supermarket.
14 Comments
Thanks for this post! I was really confused on what the difference is between a serum and a moisturizer. :)
ReplyDeleteHi! This is really informative! I love serums.
ReplyDeleteI've always been wondering, though, what is the difference between serum and essence? Moisturizers never leave my routine, but I'm confused between essence and serum. They feel the same but I'm not sure.
Break it down! Now i know the big difference between serum and moisturizer. I used to neglect moisturizers before, but after reading blogs and watching make-up tutorials i've learned that it is one of the most important routine that i shouldn't forget. Thanks to this post Ms.Martha!
ReplyDeletewow, im learning a lot from you. didnt know that it depends on the kind of serum that one has if one decides not to have a moisturizer anymore :)
ReplyDeletenice one! what effective serum can you recommend?
ReplyDeletepp sisters: glad you like it girls! :D
ReplyDeleteJoyce: an essence, I think is a Serum with a cooler and less serious name. Serums are actually pure extracts, and essences are pretty much the same. So yah, I think they're the same. Essence is a prominent name for some korean skin care products. :)
jen: thanks for sharing! glad it helped you out. :)
ReplyDeletejakie: glad to be of service jakie. :)
theresa: I recommend kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate. :)
Sis, me a big fan of serums. Been using one for 1 year plus now, need kasi to treat my big pores, and yes I'd like to testify na it's effective. ;)
ReplyDeletethanks for this..medyo awkward kase saken yung serum dahil di ko alam yung mga benefits nya..i won a bobbi brown repairing serum but afraid to try it kase baka di sya compatible sa skin ko..thanks for this :D
ReplyDeletetala: thanks for sharing! :D
ReplyDeletealpha: you should do a patch test first. apply it at the back of your ear for three consecutive days. if you don't experience any adverse reaction such as itchiness and dryness, or if you don't develop rashes, then it's safe for you to use. :)
thanks for the info. would definitely do that..thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteOh my! Mali pala ginagawa ko all this time, hehe. I usually use serum after I put on moisturizer. Baliktad pala :p Thank you for sharing this, Martha.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. Now I know what serum is. My sister send me different kinds of serum products but haven't tried any one of them. More on moisturizer kasi. But I'll definitely try this one :D
ReplyDeletereally? any reviews about it? I would love to try serum because moisturizers are not so good to me.. :(
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of this post! :)