Serums: Concentrated wrinkle-fighting action

With their high concentrations of active anti-ageing ingredients, serums can enhance the effects of your facial treatment.

When used in your morning and evening beauty regimens or as a one-off course of treatment, a serum can boost the moisturising effects of your anti-wrinkle cream to give you better nourished, even more radiant skin.

 

Find out now exactly what a serum can do for your face and how you should use it.

What is a face serum?

 

A cosmetic serum is an intensive facial treatment, specially formulated to provide a targeted response to the needs of the epidermis against:

  • deeper wrinkles
  • laxity in the shape of your face
  • loss of hydration
  • dull skin
  • the appearance of dark spots
  • oily skin
  • etc.

Brimming with powerful active ingredients, serums have a more fluid texture than beauty creams to ensure they penetrate your skin deep down, through its different layers.

Rich in ingredients known for their moisturising, nourishing and/or soothing action, face serums may contain a number of those active ingredients, depending on their formulation:

  • hyaluronic acid (a natural component of the skin that captures and retains water in the dermis and epidermis)
  • aloe vera (moisturising and anti-ageing effects)
  • peptides (amino acids that stimulate the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid, which are sought out for their moisturising, toning and wrinkle-fighting action)
  • essential oils (rosehips, ylang ylang, bitter orange, etc.)
  • vegetable oils rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins (argan oil, grape seed oil, borage oil, etc.).
Although serums are more concentrated than a classic skin care treatment, they are used in small quantities, which is why they are sold in small bottles with a dropper cap or a measuring pipette. They can be incorporated into your beauty regimen on a daily basis or as a one-off course of treatment.

Because their fluid texture cannot protect the skin’s acid mantle, a serum cannot be used as a replacement for a facial treatment (day or night cream, oil, etc.). On the contrary, it serves as a complement to your usual treatments, multiplying their effects.
 

What is the role of a serum?

The purpose of a serum is to give the skin everything it needs while reinforcing the action of the treatment with which it is paired.

Generally speaking, to ensure it works synergistically, you are advised to choose products (serum, day and night creams, skin care oil, etc.) from the same range. 

 

Serums for every skin type

Depending on your skin type and its needs, the role of a serum will focus on the hydration of your epidermis, the radiance of your complexion, the suppleness of your skin, the area around your eyes or lips, the reduction of wrinkles or the lightening of dark spots, redness and imperfections in the epidermis, and so on.

The serum’s deep-down action is then supplemented by the application of a skin care cream which will contribute to the skin’s comfort by moisturising the outer layer of the epidermis, while setting up a barrier against external aggressors.

 

 

Serums for every age

Beginning at the age of 20, your skin requires targeted treatments. To fight the harmful effects of free radicals, you should lean towards a moisturising serum.

At the age of 30, a smoothing serum can be added to your beauty regimen to refine the texture of your skin and give your face a radiance boost.

At the age of 40, the application of a serum rich in peptides will be the best ward against the appearance of wrinkles on the forehead and at the lips and nose.
At menopause, the best option will be a wrinkle serum or overall anti-ageing serum, with the goal of stimulating the fibroblasts that induce the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin.

How to use a serum on your face?

To optimise the effects of your serum, your epidermis needs to be clean, with all make-up removed. In other words, before using a serum on your face, you will need to cleanse your skin with a foaming gel and water or a moisturising lotion with natural active ingredients.

The serum can be applied once your skin is dry. A small dose is enough. In order to spread evenly, this concentrate needs to be heated in the palm of your hand. Then, apply it using your fingertips, with gentle pats and circular massaging, from the bottom of your face to the top and from the lips to the temples.

The application of a lip and eye serum follows these same principles. Once the serum has been completely absorbed by the epidermis, and before starting on your make-up, it is time to move onto your day or night cream. A serum is an effective way to supplement the effects of your treatment in the morning, but also at night. To preserve the full benefits of the combination of a serum and a wrinkle cream, and to avoid paying the price of exposure to the sun, opt for high SPF sun protection for the face and body. Don’t forget to protect your hair too, for example with a dry oil.

 

What wrinkle serum should you choose?

What is the best wrinkle serum to combat laxity in the shape of your face, dark spots, creased skin or a cloudy complexion? Why should you opt for a treatment specific to mature skin? What texture and active ingredients should you prioritise?

To help you find the right product from among all the serums on the market, here are some important criteria.

  • Choose a serum which targets the skin problem that you want to correct. Mature skin needs specific treatments focussing on the skin’s hydration, tone and radiance.
  • Select your serums and creams from the same product range to ensure optimal synergies.
  • Opt for a fluid texture which can be quickly absorbed by the skin so as not to bog down your beauty routine.
  • Prioritise natural formulas containing powerful active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, polysaccharides, peptides, antioxidants, vitamins, trace elements, essential oils, vegetables oils, and so on

Need some beauty tips specific to your age and skin type? Read our pages dedicated to the ageing of the epidermis and natural anti-wrinkle products