The saying used to be ‘Cleanse, tone and moisturise’ but if you want to see changes in the skin it’s really ‘peel, serum and SPF’ This will change your idea of a skin routine and help you understand why serums benefit the skin and is my favourite step of my everyday skin care.
A serum is a concentrated liquid packed with ingredients to penetrate and treat various skin conditions. Known for better penetration and smaller molecules, serums are found to be superior than creams.
Whatever you want to change about your skin, you can find a serum to target it.
Serums for different skin Conditions:
For acne prone or oily skin,
Look for products with salicylic acid or retinoid to help smooth the skin’s texture, accelerate cellular turnover and prevent clogged pores. Vitamin C, bearberry, liquorice, and willow bark extract assist with scarring by lightening the skin. When the skin is too oily it may be because the skin is dehydrated (lacking water) and is trying to compensate by producing too much oil. Look out for ingredients such as Red Clover which help to reduce dilated pores.
For age spots, hyper pigmentation, Vitamin C, bearberry, liquorice, and willow bark extract assist with scarring, blotches and sun spots by lightening the skin. Also look for tyrosinase inhibitors which will prevent future melanin production. Peonia Flower extract, L-ascorbic acid and Phytic acid all lighten and prevent.
For ageing skin, find a serum with potent peptides that inhibits muscle contraction, prevent the formation of wrinkles and promote collagen production. There are serums fortified with Collagen and Elastin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic acid for replacing water loss and vitamin E for increasing the elasticity of the skin. Suirtuin Hyaluronic acid serum is our ageing regulating serum.
If you want to get technical add any of these: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) reduce expression lines, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3P (Matrixyl Synthe) reduce wrinkle size and Acetyl Octapeptide (SNAP-8) inhibits muscle contraction, are just a few of the peptides to look out for. Plant derived stem cells have also been found to provide protection against oxidative stress and to have anti-wrinkle effects.
For dry skin, look for hydrating ingredients like Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid which binds 1000x its weight in water and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 which increases collagen production and dermal thickness. Hydrating serums enhance your skin’s moisture levels, giving your face a fresh, youthful radiance – perfect for thirsty skin that could do with a beauty boost!
For sensitive skin, look for serums containing vitamins B complex for a powerful anti- inflammatory and anti- irritant action. B5 vitamin increases skin hydration and reduces skin irritations and erythema whilst B6 has anti-inflammatory properties. Say goodbye to your embarrassing red cheeks with Redyless and Panthenol.
In a nutshell
The addition of a powerful facial serum for specific skin conditions will produce prolonged results and knowing the difference between serums will help your client get the best outcome possible.