Nourished. Hydrated. Moisturized. Replenished. Firmed. Plumped. All of these words are ones we hope will describe our skin. Using a serum every day is a vital part of your skincare ritual, as the right one delivers high concentrations of ingredients to leave your skin looking and feeling soft, smooth, and supple. Keep reading to learn more about this essential step in your skincare routine, and discover the best face serums for each skin type.
What is Face Serum?
If you already moisturize (and we hope you do), you may not have realized the added benefits of incorporating serum into your skincare routine. Serums are highly potent skincare treatments that work to increase the overall effectiveness of your entire skincare ritual. These liquid or gel formulas contain high concentrations of ingredients, which are able to penetrate into your skin more deeply. At night, these concentrated and nutrient-dense formulas can also help to aid in skin repair while you sleep.
When Should You Apply Face Serum?
Serum should be the fourth step in your skincare ritual, and should be applied both morning and night to your face and neck. It comes after cleansing, exfoliating, and applying essence, and before applying moisturizer and sunscreen. This is because you should apply your skincare products in order from lightest to heaviest, so that each one delivers its maximum benefits to your skin. And, since serums help the ingredients in your moisturizer and sunscreen to work more effectively, you should always ensure that they are applied in this order.
Furthermore, anyone can benefit from introducing a facial serum into your skincare ritual. Whether you are in your 20s or your 60s, your skin can always use an added boost of nourishment, especially in drier months and drier climates.
What is the Best Face Serum for Dry Skin?
For those with dry skin types, we recommend using a hydrating serum with ingredients that will feed your skin with moisture, such as the ever-popular hyaluronic acid. Give your skin new life with The Dewy Serum—a 3-in-1 serum that gently resurfaces with lactic acid in Hadasei-3™, plumps with hyaluronic acid, and locks in moisture with squalane for hydrated, dewy skin. We suggest incorporating this serum into your morning skincare ritual..
In recent trials with this serum, we found that it immediately boosts hydration 6X, with 91% showing improvement in radiance**, and all-day wear maintained 2X the hydration*. After two weeks, 100% showed improvement in radiance** and 98% showed improvement in texture**. After four weeks, 100% showed improvement in radiance and texture**, 87% showed improvement in elasticity** and 82% showed improvement in the appearance of fine lines**.
What is the Best Face Serum for Uneven Skin Tone or Fine Lines?
Those with uneven skin tone or fine lines and wrinkles can benefit from a serum that features vitamin C. Our VIOLET-C-SERUMViolet-C Brightening Serum—a clean, kind-to-skin formula with two types of vitamin C and antioxidant-rich Japanese beautyberry—works to brighten skin and reveal a translucent, youthful glow. Mild fruit AHAs also work to resurface dull, uneven skin, while Japanese angelica root helps to reduce the look of dark spots, discoloration, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, and post-acne scarring. We suggest incorporating this vitamin C serum into your evening skincare ritual.
Is There a Face Serum for Touch-ups Throughout the Day?
As a matter of fact, there is. If you feel as though your skin is needing a touch of extra freshness during the day, reach for The Serum Stick. This touchup and treatment balm is formulated as a concentrated serum with 80% squalane and Japanese lemon balm to target the signs of aging and dryness instantly and over time. Lemon balm has been used for centuries to help calm inflammation, and it visibly reduces fine lines and crepiness while helping to minimize the UV damage that can cause signs of aging to appear. Meanwhile, all-natural squalane works instantly to richly moisturize, hydrate, and improve the skin barrier. It absorbs easily without clogging pores or leaving behind oily residue, making this balm ideal for those with combination skin or oily skin.
In addition, The Serum Stick is formulated with Hadasei-3™, our proprietary complex of double-fermented Uji green tea, Akita rice, and Mozuku algae. This trinity of time-tested ingredients work in harmony to deliver radiant, healthy-looking skin. Uji green tea is known to help reduce the signs of aging and to detoxify the skin. Protein-rich Akita rice nourishes the skin, leaving skin feeling plump and supple. Okinawa mozuku algae is packed with hydrating polysaccharides essential for skin water retention and renewal, helping your skin retain moisture and maintain a smooth, hydrated appearance. Rich in a symphony of essential amino acids, this trio supports the skin’s natural moisture-keeping factors while promoting natural skin surface turnover for brighter, beautiful skin at every age. At Tatcha, it is our long-espoused belief that beauty knows no age. This formula that would traditionally be referred to as an anti-aging serum, and does indeed treat the signs of accelerated aging that occur from environmental elements, lifestyle choices, and other factors. However, we believe that time is a gift, and to better align our language with our values, we have pledged to phase out the term "anti-aging" in our marketing.
Patting on a face serum and drenching your skin with essential nutrients is an act of self-care you can perform for your skin each and every day. We welcome the opportunity to help you treat your skin with the utmost respect by incorporating these treasures into your daily skincare ritual. For our full range of serums and other targeted face treatments, visit tatcha.com.
*based on bioinstrumentation study conducted on 25 people
**based on an expert graded 4 week study, twice daily use on 45 people
Victoria Tsai
Chief Treasure Hunter
