How To Use A Face Serum The Right Way

If you’ve been a part of the skincare community – or know skincare, then you will probably have heard of serums. After all, they’re a big part of Korean skincare! For the uninitiated, serums are a highly concentrated blend of nutrients directly applied to your skin. Designed to nourish, protect, hydrate or gently exfoliate your skin, serums are a great step to incorporate into your skincare routine and can amp up your existing skincare by large! These are the ‘problem solving’ part of skincare. Their job is to deliver active ingredients deep into your skin and produce actual results. All of this sounds simple enough, right?

Here are a few benefits of serums

If you’re thinking of adding a serum to your skincare routine, think no more! Here’s why you should:

• They absorb quickly

Serums are light-weight and often watery formulation that enables it to penetrate deep into your skin. So, even if you have oily or acne prone skin, then this is one step you can incorporate!

• Reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Face serums containing actives like retinol, bakuchiol or vitamin C can help slow down the ageing process by fighting free radicals and increasing skin cell turnover.

• Provides visible results

Out of all the skincare products, serums will start showing results first. This is because they deliver a high concentration of good actives directly to you skin.

• Feels light and comfortable

A good serum will absorb almost instantly and leave your skin soft and smooth. Face serums don’t usually feel heavy or greasy, making them easy to incorporate into your skincare routine.

Your guide to applying serums the right way

If you don’t apply face serums right, they won’t really do much for you – money down the drain, quite literally! So, to save you from that, here’s a guide that’ll tell you how you can get the most out of your serums!

• Use it on freshly cleansed skin

This is a nonnegotiable step! If your skin still carries dirt and grime of the day, the actives won’t really be able to penetrate into your skin and do what they’re supposed to! Use a lightweight cleanser like the Chialeader Shine Control Gel Facewash which comes with a built in silicon brush to help you deep cleanse your skin. It has a gentle, non-irritating formula that gives your skin a boost of moisture as well!

• Rebalance your skin

With a toner or an essence! If you’re using a toner, make sure it is alcohol-free and gentle, suited to your skin type. We are partial to the Mama Cica Intense Oil Control Essence which has a watery, lightweight formula that soothes your skin and rebalances its pH, making sure your serum can do its job to its full potential. While your skin is still a teensy bit damp, move on to the next step.

• Treat your issues

Pick a serum that’s suited to your skin concerns. If you’re looking for hydration and anti-ageing, try the Bravocado Intense Brightening Serum which contains bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid and avocado for deeply nourished, hydrated skin.

For acne, we recommend the Chialeader Zit Fix Serum that is powered by salicylic acid that deep cleanses pores and reduces breakouts.

Now, to apply, take a few drops of the serum on your palms and press it onto your face. Press it on your forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and neck until absorbed. Don’t rub. The skin is a delicate organ and rubbing it can induce damage by causing an inflammatory response by breaking down collagen. It can also aggravate active acne – and potentially spread bacteria around! Gentle pressing makes absorption better and ensures even distribution of the product. Plus, it also increases blood flow, giving you a nice rosy glow!

• Don’t skip your moisturizer!

As we know, water evaporates. After you apply a serum, you want to lock that good stuff in so that you skin can get the maximum benefits! Within a minute or so of applying your serum, you want to follow up with a light moisturizer. We are fans of the Mon Cherry Ultra Light Moisturizing Gel which contains 2% niacinamide and moringa oil which boosts glow and absorbs quickly! Just layer it on and lightly tap it into your skin until absorbed.

You can apply serums in the morning and in the evening but make sure you study your active ingredients before doing so. For example, save your exfoliating serums and retinol based serums for once at night. You can apply hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C and hydrating serums twice a day! Try these tips and let us know if they work for you!

Read more about applying skincare here:

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