While the average person will most likely be using moisturiser on a daily basis, perhaps the most under utilised step in a beauty regime is a facial serum, containing integral ingredients to help firm up the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
I conducted a survey of 214 people back in 2021, asking a number of health and beauty questions, one of them being ‘do you use a serum’, of which 185 said no, which is 86%!
Of those that said yes, only 62% (18) said they used a serum daily. So I wanted to dive into some detail around serums, answer some common FAQ’s and also highlight the best serum’s in the UK.
What Is Serum?
Serum is a skincare product containing concentrated active ingredients in a lightweight formula. Serum’s will often contain anti-ageing ingredients, however you can get specific serums for different purposes, such as exfoliating, skin brightening or acne.
When Should You Use A Serum?
The first step should always be to cleanse the face. This can be done with an oil cleanser or a foam cleanser (or both).
It depends if you want to include other steps before the serum, such as a toner, essence or emulsion, but the most important factor is that serum goes before the moisturiser. The moisturiser works like a barrier keeping everything in, so you need to add those active ingredients before the thick moisturiser is applied.
How Often Should You Use A Serum?
A serum can be used once per day, I personally use it once per day after getting out of the bath/shower.
Some brands may push for you to use it twice per day, but most studies show that once per day is enough for optimal results. I’d personally say this depends on your skin sensitivity, test it on yourself and see what works best for you.
Where Do I Apply The Serum?
Place a pea sized amount onto your fingertips (which you’ve washed beforehand) and then pat the serum into the skin, smoothing it outwards. The serum should be applied to your face and neck.
What Are The Best Serum’s In The UK?
With so many to pick from, it can be hard to know where to start, so I’ve tested a number out and I’m happy to recommend the serum’s below:
Artistry Signature Select Personalised Serum
Breaking the mould when it comes to buying a serum, Amway allow you to personalise your purchase so the ingredients are focused on your requirements, whether that’s hydration, anti-wrinkle, firming, anti-spot or brightening.
You can pick which ones you want from these five concentrated amplifiers on top of the base serum, picking up to 3.
Artistry Signature Select Personalised Serum is also the first and only product in the beauty industry with their new Power Infused Technology. The airtight packaging is pressurised with nitrogen to infuse the concentrated skincare formulas into the Base Serum, ensuring the ultimate potency and freshness of each unique serum.
- Price: £63.35
- Size: 24ml
- Buy Here
Ren Bio Retinoid Youth Serum
Retinoids aren’t just a buzzword within the skincare industry, they’re proven to work wonders at preventing wrinkles, brightening dull skin and increasing the production of collagen through stimulating the production of new blood vessels in your skin.
The Bio Retinoid Youth Serum by Ren Clean Skincare is clinically proven to reduce fine lines in just a week.
The serum formula includes bidens Pilosa, which has a retinol-like effect on the skin, while it’s also not synthetically produced in a lab, it’s simply extracted from a plant.
The addition of ceramides will create a barrier to protect the epidermal skin barrier from environmental damage and pollutants. Ceramides can also prevent transepidermal water loss as well as moisturising the skin.
The final ingredient of note is niacinamide, which can minimise redness, reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, protect against sun damage and increase skin hydration.
- Price: £62
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Ren Glow And Protect Serum
The lightweight formula of the Glow and Protect serum easily rubs into the skin, creating a brighter appearance within just 14 days (for me it was within just a couple of days).
Ren have included Kakadu plum, dragon fruit and pomegranate in this superfruit-packed serum.
The Kakadu plum is packed to the brim with Vitamin C, which is known to slow early skin ageing and prevent the harmful damage from the sun. It also contains gallic acid and ellagic acid to brighten the skin and providing anti-inflammatory properties.
Dragon fruit isn’t just great for your immune system, it’s also unbelievable for your skin, commonly used to soothe sunburnt skin and to make the skin glow. It’s another ingredient also packed full of Vitamin C.
- Price: £50
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Ren Evercalm Redness Relief Serum
If you suffer from skin sensitivity, as many people do, then this might be the perfect option for you.
Containing albatrellus confluens, a mushroom extract which is rich in phenols and grifolin, which are known to prevent itching and discomfort. But even more crucial, they can reduce the appearance of redness, while this product is clinically proven to reduce redness after just 30 minutes of application.
This serum also contains beta-carotene and biosaccharide, which can protect against UVA-light damage and can prevent pollutants in the air from penetrating the skin.
- Price: £45
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Transformulas Flawless Eye Wakeup Serum
Transformulas have a great range of products (check out their marine miracle crème), while the supplementing of hyaluronic acid will help to increase skin elasticity and reduce visible fine lines, working in the epidermis.
Transformulas have also included acetyl tetrapeptide, which can reduce the puffiness you can get around the eyes (I suffer quite badly with this and it worked wonders on me), as well as enhancing skin elasticity and fading out the dark circles you get below the eyes.
The skin protectant D-panthenol has also been included, which will bring moisture to the skin, create a smoother skin appearance and stop trans-epidermal water loss.
- Price: £45
- Size: 17.5ml
- Buy Here
Jeunvie Rejuvenating Serum
This vegan friendly serum contains organic rosehip and organic jojoba oil, providing antibacterial properties and containing plenty of antioxidants.
Jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, meaning you don’t have to worry about your application being followed by an outbreak, while the addition of rosehip will help to boost collagen formation and exfoliate the skin to offer a more bright appearance.
- Price: £39.95
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Sakrid Superfood Frency Serum
The Sakrid Superfood Frency Organic Facial Serum comes in a larger tube than most, containing 50ml of liquid.
The Sakrid Serum contains pomegranate seed oil, which is rich in Vitamin C, while it has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to help promote collagen production.
The ingredients also includes rose flower water, which can help to reduce skin redness and balance the natural oils on your skin.
- Price: £29
- Size: 50ml
- Buy Here
Luna Goddess Night Serum
The main ingredient in the Made By Coopers Luna Goddess Nourishing Night Serum is argania spinosa (argan oil), which is known to protect the skin against sun damage, to help moisturise and boost elasticity back into the skin.
Full of omega fatty acids and Vitamin E, this is a powerful ingredient, left on the skin overnight for the best effects.
The other key ingredients are rosehip, which will exfoliate and brighten the skin, as well as hydrating and reducing any inflammation, along with evening primrose oil, which will work on those fine lines and wrinkles.
- Price: £25
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Beauty Pro Retinol 1% Overnight Serum
This overnight formula contains ‘ocean retinol’, from the addition of a seaweed kelp complex. Sea kelp has anti-inflammatory properties which can help to reduce acne swelling.
Sea kelp has also been shown to help firm up and exfoliate the skin. The essential fatty acids contained within sea kelp can help to support your skin’s protective barrier.
The BeautyPro overnight serum also contains organic pine oil, which is ideal for those with sensitive skin, helping to ease itchiness, reduce dryness and inflammation.
The pine essential oil is also antimicrobial and contains antioxidants to fight off free radicals.
- Price: £15
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
TheBeautyWorx Retinol Recovery
While many skincare ingredients are talked about in publications, there is one ingredient that is consistently positively spoken about by dermatologists, with studies to back it up, and that’s retinol.
Retinoids can help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, exfoliating the skin and increasing cell turnover. This in turn will also stimulate collagen synthesis.
But you don’t always have to break the bank, The Bueaty Worx have a low cost retinol serum, with micro-encapsulated retinol and with macadamia ester infused into the formula.
- Price: £7.99
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Nuture Facial Treatment Serum
The Nuture Facial Treatment Serum was formulated to help people deal with post-blemish scars and hyperpigmentation.
The formula contains 3.5% glycolic acid, which is an incredible ingredient to exfoliate the skin as well as helping you to maintain a natural PH balance.
5% of the formula is centella asiatica extract, which can help to support your skins barrier against environmental damage, as well as being packed full of antioxidants.
The 2% addition of niacinamide will also help to brighten the skin and calm any inflammation or redness you might suffer from.
- Price: £7.99
- Size: 30ml
- Buy Here
Kivu Firming Serum
The Kivu Skincare Firming Serum contains witch hazel, which is known to tighten pores and cleanse the skin of excess sebum.
This serum also contains Helix Aspersa, however you may better know this as snail slime. This was a huge trend a couple of years ago, featured in numerous beauty publications and national articles, as dermatologists and beauticians discussed the healing properties of Aspersa mucus.
The concept behind this is that the Helix Aspersa is present on the snails skin to help it heal and regenerate the skin and protect the shell.
- Price: £93
- Size: 50ml
Can I Skip Moisturizer And Use Serum?
I wouldn’t recommend this, as they have different roles in your skincare routine. The serum’s are packed full of active ingredients which will hydrate your skin, exfoliate and provide anti-ageing properties, however the moisturiser helps to seal them in.
How Long Should You Wait To Put On Moisturizer After Serum?
You’re meant to wait five minutes in order for the serum to fully absorb into the skin, before applying the moisturiser. However, this is where I will guiltily admit I tend to do them just 20-30 seconds apart.
If you had a well-formulated serum, then they should be able to penetrate the skin layers and be absorbed pretty quickly, without leaving any form of sticky residue.
Can I Leave Serum Overnight?
Yes you can, in fact many of them are formulated for overnight application. You certainly shouldn’t wash them off your face at any point.
Can I Use Face Serum Under Eyes?
The skin under your eyes is much thinner than on the rest of your face, hence why it normally looks more aged and fragile. However, serum’s are a lightweight formula, meaning they can easily be (softly) rubbed into the skin under your eyes and help to replenish and hydrate the sensitive skin.
Can Serums Brighten Skin?
Absolutely, many of the serums highlighted above are ideal for brightening the skin. You should look out for ingredients such as Vitamin C, niacinamide and glycolic acid if you want brighter looking skin.