Written by OSEA Staff | Published on: July 25, 2024
Have you noticed a proliferation of serums on beauty store shelves recently or caught your favorite beauty influencers incorporating them into their skincare routine?
If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about and asking, “Why should I incorporate a serum into my skincare routine?” We have answers! Whatever your greatest skin concern is — from dryness to fine lines and wrinkles — there’s an effective serum to help you achieve a glowing, healthy complexion.
What Is the Purpose of a Serum?
Whether you’re dealing with issues like dryness, discoloration, signs of aging, or acne, you want to see fast results from your skincare products. A serum is one way to achieve that.
Serums are low-viscosity, sometimes water-like, products with high active ingredient concentrations. Because they aren’t as thick as lotions and creams, your skin can absorb the beneficial ingredients quickly and easily without clogging pores or making it feel greasy. The fact that serums contain more active molecules than lotions and creams also makes them more powerful, so you see visible results sooner.
If you need proof, 100% of our customers who use our Hyaluronic Sea Serum reported more hydrated skin after a single use.* With ingredients like hyaluronic acid, seaweed, and snow mushroom, this serum delivers a powerful punch of hydration.
Once you apply the serum, slather on a layer of moisturizer, like our Advanced Protection Cream, to seal it in.
How Do I Pick a Serum That’s Right for My Skin?
With so many serums to choose from, how do you pick the one that’s best for your skin concerns?
The first step is to identify your goals, like reducing the look of fine lines, reducing dryness, or promoting glowing skin. Keep in mind you can mix and match serums or choose products with several active ingredients to get the best results, like our Anti-Aging Sea Serum. Our serum is packed with nourishing ingredients like Vitamin C, niacinamide, ceramides, and natural peptides that target signs of aging and restore your skin’s moisture barrier.
Look for products with the following key ingredients to target specific concerns:
- Fine lines and signs of aging: Bio-retinol, peptides, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide
- Dryness: Hyaluronic acid
- Reduce sensitivity and irritation: Hyaluronic acid
- Brighten your complexion: Vitamin C and niacinamide
- Exfoliate to improve skin texture: AHAs. Try our Seaglow Overnight Serum, a powerful AHA treatment that promotes cell turnover for smoother, more even skin overnight
- Dark circles and under-eye bags: Caffeine, peptide, and hyaluronic acid. Our Ocean Eyes® Age-Defying Serum contains a blend of all three ingredients to help visibly depuff the delicate eye area and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How Should I Incorporate It Into My Skincare Routine?
The best way to use a serum in your skincare routine is to apply it after cleansing and toning. This way, the beneficial ingredients come in direct contact with your skin, where they can have the best impact.
One easy way to remember how to apply products in your skincare routine is to use them from thinnest to thickest. However, if your serum causes any dryness or irritation, apply it over another product, like a lightweight lotion, which will create a buffer.
Although you should always apply serum first right after cleansing the skin, the time of day and how many times a week you should use it can vary. For example, if you use a hydrating serum to combat dryness, apply the serum twice a day. However, an anti-aging serum that contains retinol is best limited to once a day — preferably at night — so it can work with your body’s natural tendency to speed cell turnover and repair your skin while you sleep.
The best way to apply serum is via the one-drop method: Use the applicator to put one drop of the product on each part of your face, then rub it in. If you’re using a thicker serum, put a few drops in your hand, rub your fingers together, and apply to the desired areas.
*Based on a third-party clinical study conducted over 4 weeks on 30 women ages 43-64 (including expert skin grading, instrumental measurements & consumer perception study).
