- Hi everyone.
And welcome back to another episode of "Skincare Nerds".
Today, we're taking you back to basics.
Maddie just told me she didn't know what a serum was
when she started at Adore Beauty.
- [Maddie] Don't out me like that.
- (laughs) So, that's what we're gonna talk about today.
Serums101 essentially is today's topic.
So let's start with what is a serum?
So a serum is essentially
a highly concentrated skincare product.
It usually has a very watery to gel texture
and it often contains active ingredients that help
to treat some kind of skin concern.
Now, the reason we use serums
is because they can deliver active ingredients
to the skin more effectively.
And that's because they have a smaller molecular weight
so they can penetrate the skin better
than say a moisturiser can.
Now, that takes us to how can you use a serum
in your routine?
Now, that's entirely dependent on the ingredients
that are in that serum.
So, that'll determine whether you use it in the AM or PM
or if you should avoid using it
with other kinds of ingredients.
As a general rule, a serum is used after a toner or essence
if you use one.
If you don't use one of those products in your routine,
it would be after you've washed off your cleanser
and patted your face dry
and a serum would come before your moisturiser.
When you layer skincare
make sure you go thinnest to thickest.
And I tend to recommend no more than three serums at a time
only because the ones that you're applying
on top of each other,
they're just not gonna be as effective
and it's a waste of product.
If you wanna know more about layering
you can watch this video here.
The different types of serums.
Now, this is a little bit tricky to explain.
I'm really having to go back to basics here
but if I had to break down serums into four categories,
I'd probably go with hydrating, protective,
resurfacing and anti-aging.
So, you're hydrating serums
will contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
Your protective serums will contain things
like vitamin C and other antioxidants.
Your resurfacing serums will contain glycolic
and salicylic acid or AHAs and BHAs.
And then, your anti-aging serums will contain things
like retinoids and peptides.
Some serums can be a mix of all of these categories
or they could just be one.
So for example, I'd consider something
like ASAP's Radiant Serum just a resurfacing serum,
because it's an AHA and BHA blend.
Whereas something like Alpha-H's Midnight Reboot
which will pop a photo of up here,
I would consider that to be more of a hybrid
of several of those categories.
So, that's got antioxidants in it.
It's got peptides in it.
It's got a retinoid in it and it's got glycolic acid in it.
So, technically it would be all of those things
except hydrating.
And it probably does have some hydrating ingredients too.
So, it ticks pretty much all of those boxes.
Now, just because a serum falls into being a hybrid product
or it fits into multiple of those categories,
it doesn't mean that it's better than another serum.
You might want a serum that just targets
something very specifically because you're trying
to treat a skin concern.
Now, I own a lot of serums.
I'm very guilty of having an excessive stash of skincare.
I've probably used hundreds of serums in my life
but I've narrowed down some faves
to suggest for different skin concerns.
Let's start with dehydrated, dry skin.
I'm gonna gonna recommend the Hada Labo Lotion 1,
I think it's called.
This is a relatively new brand to Adore Beauty.
It's a Japanese brand.
Apparently, it's the number one
selling skincare brand in Japan.
And it uses something called super hyaluronic acid.
So, I definitely recommend that
for our dehydrated people out there.
I use that myself and it definitely leaves your skin
looking plump and juicy the next day.
For those of you with pigmentation
or discoloration concerns.
Aspect's Pigment Punch+ is gold standard.
Definitely recommend this if you are struggling
to keep pigmentation at bay
especially if you live in a warmer climate
where you just can't get away from the sun.
That is a really good one to incorporate in your routine.
Another product that I actually use as a spot treatment
and not all over, but you could use it all over
is The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%.
A great product that's very targeted.
You can use this as a spot treatment as I said,
just on the areas that you're experiencing breakouts.
Try not to go too overboard with it
because it is quite potent.
But it will be really effective in treating things
like breakouts, congestion that's under the skin
and inflammation as well.
For those of you who are interested
in starting your retinal journey or you have ageing concerns
like fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration,
might wanna opt for a retinal.
The beginner one that I'd recommend
is actually the Medik8 Crystal Retinal.
The number three is a good one to start with
if you haven't used retinal before.
I believe there's also a one,
so you could start with that too.
And it goes all the way up until 10, I think.
So, that's a very strong one.
I would not start with that.
It is best to start with the lower strength retinal
and that can help to treat those signs of ageing
quite early on.
And it gives you somewhere to migrate onto
as you want to up your strength as well.
A product that I really rely on
as someone with rosacea and redness concerns
is the Osmosis Rescue Epidermal Repair Serum.
This is very expensive, but so worth it.
I honestly can't fault this product
except it kind of smells like an indoor pool.
I will preface with saying that, but you can just use
like a fragrance moisturiser over the top if you have one.
The Aspect Phytostat 9 is really good
for stamping out that smell.
But it is really effective for treating redness concerns.
So, if you've tried everything and you're not seeing results
and you're not prepared to go into a clinic
that's probably something I'd try
before you go and see a dermatologist.
And then last but not least,
my favourite ingredient niacinamide.
Of course, you need that in your routine
especially if you're wanting to add radiance and bounce
and just overall hydration and glow to your skin.
The Viviology Niacinamide + HA is a great product.
I'm loving that at the moment.
And I'm also using that on my friends
when I'm doing skin needling on them
and they seem to like it as well.
So, that is one that I would recommend.
And it's on the affordable end
if you're comparing it to similar brands.
Now, all of that information
might have been really confusing,
especially if you're a beginner.
And you're probably wondering,
"I still don't know how to select a serum."
My best tip to you is to identify your skin concerns first.
So figure out what they are.
List them out in order of priority if you want to,
if you have that many.
And then figure out which ingredients
are actually gonna target those skin concerns
and select your serums
based on how they can treat those concerns.
I'm telling you do not buy
what that girl on TikTok told you to buy,
because it's probably not meant for your skin type
or your concerns and you 'll end up wasting a lot of money.
And if you're still stuck, you can check out
the skincare menu on adorebeauty.com/au.
We actually have the serums listed out by ingredient
but also by concerns, so it makes it super easy to shop
and takes that guesswork out of selecting
the right serum for you.
So, head over there if you need a little bit of extra help.
Do you need a serum?
No, you don't.
You could opt for a cleanser, moisturiser and SPF.
That's a very basic skincare routine that will get you by.
But if you are looking to target
very specific skin concerns.
You've got pigmentation, you've got acne,
you've got fine lines that seem to keep getting deeper.
That's where you need a serum.
So, that's where you would start to incorporate
or start to think about ingredients
that might be beneficial in a serum form.
So, as I said at the start of the video
they're much more concentrated
and usually contain a high concentration
of active ingredients than your moisturiser will.
I hope that's answered
all of your basic beginner questions on serums.
If you have any other questions,
leave them in the comments below.
Otherwise hit the bell button, subscribe
and I'll see you next time.