How to choose a face serum
Waking up to the skin of our dreams is a fantasy for most of us. We wish to have clear skin with minimal texture, zero signs of ageing, no hyperpigmentation at all, and an overall subtle glow. However, achieving this near-perfect skin is not possible with mediocre skincare steps. You need to be highly proactive and step up your skincare game if you wish to achieve heavenly skin. In order to do this, you need to have a personalised and well-curated skincare routine with different products catering to the various needs of your skin. You need a face wash that suits your skin, a moisturizer that aids in hydration as well as nourishment, an active to target specific concerns, an SPF in the morning and a retinol-based product at night. Today we’ll talk about the above mentioned actives, specifically skin serums in a bit more detail. Before we get into the type of serum that will work the best for you, let’s first discuss what serums are and why your skin needs them.
What are face serums?
A “face serum” is a synonym that we use for all the goodness sent from the skincare heavens above packed into a small glass bottle. Jokes aside, serums are highly concentrated solutions of actives that target specific skin concerns which range from hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, visible signs of ageing, to excessive skin dryness. As these contain such a high concentration of actives, serums work in a short span of time of about 6-8 weeks for you to see good results. Face serums are mostly water based preparation with the active ingredient (the most potent ingredient) having a small enough molecular size to penetrate deep into your skin to induce either cellular or DNA changes.
Adding a face serum into your routine will speed up the time that is required to see a particular result. This is why these form an essential part of your skincare routine.
How do you choose a perfect face serum?
Even though the variety of face serums available in the market is enormous, you do not need to try and test every single serum. Just go for one that suits your current skin concern. And how do you do that? We have curated a perfect guide for you to choose your next face serum keeping in mind the top 5 skin concerns.
Choosing the perfect face serum for your skin
If you see signs of ageing- a retinol based serum will be your best bet to begin with. These are the simplest of the formulations that you can add into your skincare routine if you want to give vitamin-a based products a try. However, retinol can be a little harsh on the skin in the initial days, so you want to go slow with it. Even better, you can start with a bakuchiol based serum, which is a milder, plant-derived form of vitamin A.
For hyperpigmentation- hyperpigmentation occurs when your skin starts producing or storing excessive amounts of the pigment melanin in your skin cells. Serums that contain ingredients like niacinamide, alpha arbutin or tranexamic acid work by reducing the synthesis of melanin, thus reducing the formation of spots.
For enlarged pores and excessive sebum production you would want to use a niacinamide based serum as it is known to reduce the appearance of pores. Niacinamide also regulates sebum production when used twice daily for a period of about 6-8 weeks.
For dull skin- vitamin C based serums are probably the most trusted and most purchased serums of all, and for good reason. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which reduces the amount of free radicals and thus reduces the stress on your skin. Additionally it also induces the synthesis of collagen, rendering your skin plump and younger looking.
For blackheads- beta hydroxy acids like salicylic acid are oil-soluble formulations that penetrate into the deeper layers of your skin and dissolve whatever has been clogging your pores.
