Finding the right face serum

Face Serums

Recently at a bridal shower, I sat with my friend Celeste.  We laughed as we reminisced about a time several years ago when we went shopping and I insisted that she start using a serum. To her credit she is younger than I am and had never tried using one before. We stood at the Chanel counter as the salesperson rang up all her purchases. I’ll admit there was a moment of sticker shock, as aside from the serum she also bought moisturizer, and makeup. Regardless, this was an introduction to a skin care regime that addressed aging skin. Which is quite a concern for women our age as although we can’t turn back the clock we can redefine it.     

The older we get, the more skin care products we are required to use

When I was in my twenties it was just cleanser, toner, and moisturizer, then in my thirties, eye cream was added to my routine.  When I turned forty, I started applying a serum. Then, in my fifties I started with my first prescription retinol cream. Now I laugh because at sixty, three separate times it was suggested I start using a neck cream. I had never even thought about a neck cream, but when I tried a sample, I was impressed that it worked better than the facial moisturizer I was applying on my neck. Apparently neck creams are richer and thicker than face creams. Need I tell you how long it takes me to get ready for bed!  

In regards, to serums I’ve used them for a while. I’ve switched up the brands several times because I enjoy testing out different products to see what works specifically for my skin. One product I always keep going back to was Skinceuticles C & E Ferulic. I’ve used it on and off several years now. It’s pricey and for that reason I had often looked for alternatives, however it still remains a tried and true favorite of mine.

I think the combination of vitamin C and E works well on my skin. Referring to a story I did on my blog about facial oils, I mentioned that vitamin C and E are two of my favorites. Vitamin C works helps protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays and the antioxidants in vitamin C are especially beneficial when you apply it before your sunscreen. Vitamin E helps to repair your skin, and a combination of the two is a benefit to maintaining healthy looking skin.      

What does a face serum do?

A serum will give you an extra boost to restore the glow that aging deprives from us.  Serums can contain a variety of ingredients that will target your specific needs. Depending on your skin type and which serum you choose, serums will alleviate redness, target acne, improve dryness, and help antiaging.

How to apply a face serum

After you wash and dry your face apply a small amount of serum on your figures and pat it all around your face. It’s important that you wait for your serum to dry before applying moisturizer.

Finding the right serum

With each of our own individual skin care needs I can only suggest what some serum ingredients will help with. You’ll need to decide on a serum that is best for your skin. Which is where a good esthetician can assist you. Serums are not prescription and several department stores will offer free samples. Don’t hesitate to ask.

As mentioned earlier I have experimented with quite a few serums over the last twenty years. It takes time and you may not see immediate results, but I do think that using serum does improve the overall appearance of our skin.

Here are a few ingredients to look for in a face serum

• Vitamin C brightens skin and helps with sun protection
• Retinol helps to reduce appearance of wrinkles
• Hyaluronic acid will alleviate dry skin
• Salicylic acid is good for acne
• Glycolic acid is an exfoliant
• Rose hip alleviates redness
• Other key ingredients to look for would be ceramides, peptides, and collagen

Worth the hype- Face Serums that we have tried