How To Choose the Right Face Serum

The importance of a good skincare routine for improving and maintaining skin health can’t be overstated. And, while a serum is often considered an optional step, it’s one that brings an assortment of benefits with it—addressing everything from dullness, dryness, and loss of firmness to the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Curious about how? Keep reading to find out how serums work, why they can be so good for the skin, and how to find the right serum to improve and maintain your skin’s health.

What are face serums, and what do they do?

Face serums are lightweight, fast-absorbing skincare products formulated with a high concentration of active ingredients. They can be either oil- or water-based and are designed to penetrate deeply into the skin, ensuring that the potent ingredients are delivered beyond the surface layers, providing a more targeted for a range of skincare concerns, from dehydration, fine lines and wrinkles to dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and acne. There are also a few different types of targeted serums; some of the main ones include:

• Hydrating serums
• Anti-aging serums
• Exfoliating serums
• Eye serums
• Brightening serums

What are the benefits of using a facial serum?

Healthy, radiant skin doesn’t just happen. You must take all the necessary steps to care for it, including using the right products. You can easily incorporate face serums into any skincare routine and layer them with other products to customize your routine based on your skin’s needs. What makes them so easy to layer is how lightweight and non-greasy they are—they absorb into the skin quickly without leaving a heavy residue.

Because of their high concentration of active ingredients, serums deliver hydration, vitamins, and nutrients deeper into the skin for maximum effectiveness. They are commonly used to help reduce blemishes, address uneven skin tone, boost hydration, and keep skin looking youthful and vibrant. Plus, they can be used on all skin types, including oily skin, dry skin, combination skin, and sensitive skin.

Many are formulated with hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, that help keep skin plump and moisturized. They can also contain powerful anti-aging ingredients, like retinol or peptides, which can be beneficial for reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

How to use a face serum

Using a face serum correctly can make all the difference in your skincare routine. While individual products tend to come with “directions for use,” you may still have questions about incorporating these powerful products into a skincare routine and maximizing their benefits. Here are the answers to the two most-asked questions.

Do I need both a face serum and a moisturizer?

Whether you should add a face serum (or even face oils) into your skincare routine depends on you. If your skin has trouble maintaining hydration, using both a serum and a moisturizer is crucial to prevent water loss from the skin's barrier. If your skin retains moisture easily, you could choose between either a serum or a moisturizer, should using both feel like too much.

Can I use face serum on its own? What goes first—moisturizer or serum?

The best time to add a face serum into your skincare routine is after using a cleanser and a treatment essence, but before your favorite moisturizer. Face serums have liquid formulas that absorb best into clean skin treated with an essence. Afterward, you should apply the best moisturizer for your skin type. The recommended routine where a serum is included is a face wash, face toner, essence, face serum, face moisturizer, and eye cream.

Skincare ingredients to look out for in targeted serums

A big part of choosing the right serum is knowing what ingredients will be the most beneficial for your unique skin type.

• Hyaluronic acid: Hydrates and plumps the skin by locking in moisture.
• Vitamin C: Brightens skin, evens out skin tone, and boosts collagen production (among other benefits) for protected luminous skin.
• Retinol: Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, boosts collagen production, and improves skin texture.
• Niacinamide: Improves skin elasticity, enhances the barrier function, evens skin tone, and addresses dullness and fine lines.
• Peptides: Promote collagen production, improve skin firmness, and reduce the signs of aging.

The best fresh face serums for every skin need

Read on to explore our curated guide of the best nourishing, brightening, firming, and wrinkle-correcting serums for your everyday routine.

Rose Deep Hydration Oil-Infused Serum

The Rose Deep Hydration Oil-Infused Serum is an ultra-hydrating formulation perfect for dehydrated, dry skin. The unique bi-phase formula has both oil and water: oil to nourish and soften, and water to soothe and hydrate.

Shaking the bottle transforms these two potent phases into a silky face serum that gives thirsty skin what it craves. The balance of nourishment and hydration comes from a powerful formulation that combines squalane to prevent water loss, rose water to calm and soothe, nourishing oils to soften, and damask rose extract to retain moisture while strengthening the skin’s barrier. Unveil dewy, plump skin and hydrate for up to 24 hours. To use this face serum, apply after your face toner. Shake the bottle well to mix the water and oil phases, and then lightly pat the formula onto your face with your palms. This nourishing formula can be used alone or before your favorite moisturizer.

When to use it:

• On dry, cold, or windy days
• When you've been drinking coffee instead of water
• When you've spotted dry, flaky skin
• On dehydrated skin post-workout

Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Serum

Set your skin up for success with our Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Face Serum. Formulated with vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B5, this brightening serum is clinically proven to brighten skin, smooth skin texture, reduce signs of tiredness, and instantly hydrate. Give your skin its daily dose of nutrition with a bonus boost of antioxidant protection for a glowing, healthy look. To use this vitamin C serum, apply to clean skin daily, morning and night.

When to use it:

• When you've had less exposure to sunlight, especially during the winter months
• To wake up dull, tired-looking skin
• To revive and revitalize skin after long flights or travel
• For extra skin nourishment and protection during stressful periods
• When your complexion needs a quick pick-me-up before a special event

Black Tea Firming Peptides Serum

Tighten skin and boost luminosity with our Black Tea Firming Peptides Serum. This peptide-powered serum firms the face and neck for a complexion that appears lifted and sculpted. This fast-penetrating serum is enriched with black tea, firming peptides, and honeysuckle extract and is scientifically proven to provide antioxidant protection, improve skin elasticity, and support skin density. To use this unique face serum, turn the bottle over and gently squeeze both sides of the dropper to dispense a few drops of the formula into your palm. Apply to clean skin (both face and neck for best results) daily, morning and night. Follow with your favorite moisturizer for firmer, luminous skin.

When to use it:

• To tackle tech neck
• Before important events
• When you want to give skin a lifted look and extra definition
• To maintain the skin’s density and resilience during seasonal changes

Crème Ancienne Supreme Face Serum

Visibly smooth lines and restore your youthful look with our most indulgent face serum. The Crème Ancienne White Truffle Face Serum is powered by fresh’s exclusive white truffle extract, as well as monk’s cress extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae, and meadowfoam seed oil. It addresses signs of aging by minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, visibly defining the jaw with a lifting and firming effect, and brightening skin for a luminous look. To use, apply the face serum on your face and neck in an upward motion. It is best to use after cleansing every morning and night. Follow with your favorite moisturizer for restored skin.

When to use it:

• To fight signs of aging
• To soothe and rejuvenate
• When you want to look younger
• On stressed skin
• Following long periods of sun exposure

Target your skin concerns with concentrated face serums with fresh.