THE SERUM EDIT
The secret to a plump, luminous, clear & radiant complexion? A serum. That’s right, incorporating a serum into your beauty ritual is a key factor in achieving the skin you’ve always dreamt of. A serum is the often overlooked step that needs to be clarified & deserves to be prioritized. When you want to see significant improvements & targeted results, implementing a serum is going to make the most dramatic impact. A serum could just be that essential product you are missing to take your skin to the next level.
FOR DULL & DEHYDRATED SKIN
If you’re looking to target dry patches & lackluster skin that just can’t seem to retain substantial moisture, you’re going to want to look out for serums that contain ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, squalane & antioxidants. These powerful agents are humectants, which draw in moisture from the air and infuse it into the skin, allowing them to lock in moisture and really replenish parched, dry skin. One of our top choices to quench your skin’s thirst and give you plump, hydrated results is, of course, the Kypris Antioxidant Dew serum - our number one best selling serum! It’s truly a staple to include in any skincare ritual, not only for the hydrating benefits, but for the protection that the antioxidants provide.
Another serum loaded with an abundance of antioxidants, nourishing oils & hydrating botanicals is the award-winning serum by Vintner’s Daughter, their Active Botanical Serum. This truly is one powerhouse of a serum. While it provides relief to dry skin through deep hydration, it also appeals to a variety of other skin care concerns as it infuses the skin with phytoceramides, phytonutrients, plus harmonizing vitamins & minerals that work to brighten, balance and soothe the skin. This is a great serum to grab for if you experience any kind of irritation, imperfections or overall dullness.
Other serums that are formulated to target dryness and nourish the skin with intensive moisture include the Pai Back to Life Hydration Serum and the Patyka Advanced Plumping Serum.
FOR OILY, BLEMISH PRONE & UNBALANCED SKIN
Whether you’re experiencing the occasional blemish, common skin irritations or even a severe case of acne, it’s important to utilize a serum to replenish your skin & infuse your pores with highly targeted ingredients that detoxify, provide relief, soothe & balance the skin. One of the most profound ingredients that works to calm redness, reduce irritation and help with the purification process is Zinc, which is a natural anti-inflammatory and one of the star ingredients in Pai’s All Becomes Clear Serum.
Pai is on the forefront of formulating products that help to combat acne and congested pores. Their latest launch, and a new arrival to Citrine, is their Carbon Star serum, used as an overnight treatment to clarify the pores with black cumin seed oil and vegetable charcoal. It’s truly a detox for your skin, working whilst you indulge in your beauty rest to fight bacteria and control unwanted oils.
Another blemish busting serum that utilizes Zinc for its calming properties is the Clearing Serum by Kypris. This product delivers serious results by balancing the skin barrier & utilizing soothing stem cells, plant derived AHAs & nutrient rich botanicals that accelerate the skin’s healing process. This serum really targets your sebum production, keeping your pH balance in perfect harmony & giving you a clearer, more radiant complexion.
Other serums to reach for when you are suffering from breakouts & unwanted redness, irritation or acne of any kind, are those in the hydration and exfoliation categories. When you strip the skin by using harsh products meant to combat acne, it actually has an adverse effect by dehydrating the skin, which inadvertently causes the skin to react & produce more sebum, inflicting the skin with more oil, more clogged pores and therefore, more acne and imperfections. Using serums that work to accelerate skin cell turnover and keep pore-clogging dead skin cells at bay will also ensure that your complexion is being continuously refined and cleared. Keeping the skin both hydrated and exfoliated will give your skin the harmony that it needs to stay clear and luminous.
FOR EXFOLIATION
Exfoliation is a natural pore refining process that involves the removal of dead skin cells, revealing the clear, fresh skin that lies underneath. Exfoliation is key to keeping our skin clear, balanced and youthful. It’s a vital process to heal skin concerns such as acne, dullness and aging. Using a serum to elevate the process of skin cell turnover is one of the most effective ways to achieve your softest, most supple & radiant complexion yet . Ingredients to look for that encourage cellular renewal are enzymes, willow bark, which is a natural alternative to retinol, and AHAs & BHAS which gently slough off dead skin cells.
Kypris’ Moonlight Catalyst is an amazing nighttime serum and our number one suggestion if you are looking for an all natural retinol alternative. This revitalizing serum uses fermented pumpkin enzymes, Hawaiian sea algae & Bioidentical Epidermal Growth Factors to clear & remove skin cells, rejuvenate the complexion & help restore its natural youthful glow.
Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Serum is another outstanding serum to transform dull skin through exfoliation. Utilizing a perfect combination of AHAs & BHAs (alpha & beta hydroxy acids), this serum gently buffs away dead skin cells, penetrates into the pores to remove excess sebum, and helps to reveal a brighter, fresher complexion. Loaded with protective antioxidants and nurturing botanicals, this serum leaves your skin baby soft & free of imperfections.
The Clear + Bright Mandelic Drops from Fitglow utilize a combination of mandelic acid, kojic acid and hyaluronic acid to gently resurface and refine the skin. Mandelic acid is an AHA known for its ability to fight blemishes, while Kojic acid, a unique form of fungi, acts as an antioxidant to further repair & heal the skin. Hyaluronic acid keeps the skin balanced & hydrated during the exfoliation process. This is a great serum to reach for if you are experiencing blemishes, breakouts or intense dryness associated with acne and are looking to keep the complexion clear, hydrated & luminous.
FOR UNEVEN SKIN TONE & TEXTURE
Everyone could benefit from a more radiant, luminous and glowing complex. That’s where a brightening serum comes into play. You’re going to want to use the following target serums especially if you experience any type of hyperpigmentation, whether it’s from sun damage, acne scarring or any other type of skin discoloration.
First up is the Tata Harper Concentrated Brightening Serum. This serum does exactly that, BRIGHTEN the skin & visibly removing dark spots. Utilizing a unique target technology that fights hyperpigmentation and inhibits the production of melanin, this serum is a powerhouse product at not only unveiling a more even complexion, but helping to counteract the signs of aging by helping support the skin’s collagen production and elasticity resilience.
Radiant Rani by Ranavat is one of the absolute most brightening products we’ve yet to come across. The star ingredient in this serum is the luxurious spice saffron, which has been utilized in ancient Ayurvedic practices throughout history for its brightening and beautifying properties. Saffron is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and fights dark circles, age spots & hyperpigmentation.
If you’re looking to really illuminate, clear and brighten your complexion, another ingredient you’ll want to add to your beauty arsenal is Vitamin C. While this product doesn’t technically qualify as your typical serum, we couldn't be more obsessed with the brightening, tightening and refining results of the Agent Nateur Holi(C), an ultra-potent combination of Vitamin C and calcium. When activated with the Agent Nateur Holi(Water), it turns into a liquid, serum-like texture that visibly resurfaces fine lines, clears and tones the complexion, and leaves it feeling plump, tight and refined.
FOR PREVENTATIVE AGING
One of the best ways to both prevent and repair any signs of aging, from fine lines & wrinkles to discoloration & dullness, is to incorporate a serum that is targeted to resurface, hydrate and nourish. You’re going to want to reach for nutrient dense, enriching serums that encourage cellular turnover with potent ingredients such as Vitamin A and stem cells.
Agent Nateur’s Holi(Oil) Youth Refining Serum is a beautifully formulated serum that helps the skin retain moisture, protect against environmental stressors, repair the appearance of scarring, stretch marks and dark spots all while restoring the skin’s natural elasticity. Rosehip oil, Calcium ketogluconate, rose and a gentle form of Vitamin C work together to smooth out fine lines, plump, sculpt and contour the skin.
Stem cells help to play a crucial role in delaying the aging process, so a serum we highly recommend when it comes to preventative aging is the Stem Cell Serum by Indie Lee. This serum helps to promote collagen production, increase the firmness and elasticity of the skin, improve texture and tone and protect against pollution. This is essentially your one and done serum if you’re looking to reverse and prevent the signs of aging.
Tata Harper's newest serum, specifically targeted at anti-aging, is the ultra-gentle yet super potent Superkind Bio-Barrier Serum. Tata Harper’s serums are always formulated with the most high-powered and up to date, multifunctional ingredients and this new serum does not disappoint. This serum fortifies the skin barrier & rebalances the microbiome while relieving stressed skin with plant ceramides, a unique tri-algae complex and volcanic postbiotics - the perfect combination to promote a nourished complexion.
Once you’ve decided on your skincare weapon of choice, you’ll want to ensure that you’re applying your serum in the right order. A simple rule of thumb is to use a serum after cleansing and toning the skin but directly before applying your moisturizer or beauty oil. You want to think of your skincare routine in order of the weight of the products: first you cleanse (usually the most lightweight formula), then you go in with your toner or essence, and then the serum. This order of product application will ensure that the serum can properly penetrate the skin and give you the most visible results. After applying the serum, you’ll finish off by applying your oil or moisturizer, which is typically the heaviest or most dense product. The final finishing touches are an eye serum and we always include the lips and lashes as well, sealing our ritual with all the nourishing treatments we can. We suggest using a serum both day and night to get the most benefit.
Note that you can also layer a variety of serums into your skincare routine and don’t need to commit to just one. For example, if you’re experiencing both dryness and looking to get ahead of the anti-aging game, then by all means, create a serum emulsion by combining let’s say the Antioxidant Dew with the Holi(Oil) for a beautiful serum elixir. Layering serums is what they are designed for, so feel free to get creative & create a ritual that feels nourishing, beneficial and luxurious to you and your specific skincare needs.
