Serums are now ubiquitous in skincare. But I remember a time when no one understood what they were or did. And I’ll take a hunch and say that many still don’t. Everyone tells you serums are good for the skin. And they are. Well, the decent ones, anyway. But do they do anything more than your bog standard moisturiser? Well, actually, yes. A serum, particularly important for mature skins, is not simply a liquidy moisturiser. Moisturisers tend to treat and hydrate the top layer of the skin. A serum has a concentrated level of active ingredients that are designed to sink deeper to address specific issues. Soho Skin’s is calming (as is Paula’s Choice and Stella’s) and regulates pigmentation. The antioxidant-rich Green Booster by Ere Perez is like a superfood for the face. By Terry’s delivers deeper, longer-lasting hydration (and is also available in eye serum). Vichy’s is retinol-infused – great for resurfacing and smoothing the skin. Seasoned retinoid users will also love Dr Sam’s offering. This great overnighter will unclog pores, reduce pigmentation and boost skin-plumping collagen. For brightening, Sephora’s Ultra Glow serum is a win (and one of the beauty industry’s secrets). Tired of heavy creams weighing down the delicate skin around your eyes? Try this excellent cooling serum by La Roche-Posay. As with all skincare routines, you need decent sun protection. Ultra Violette feels and acts more like a serum and is one of the best SPFs I’ve used in a long time.
1. La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Eye Serum £32, laroche-posay.co.uk
2. Ere Perez Quandong Green Booster Serum £36, ereperez.com
3. Soho Skin Renewal Serum £76, spacenk.com
4. Dr Sam’s Flawless Nightly Pro Serum £60, drsambunting.com
5. Paula’s Choice Calm Repairing Serum £36, paulaschoice.co.uk
6. Sephora Ultra Glow and Strengthening Serum £19.99, sephora.co.uk
7. Vichy Liftactiv Retinol Specialist Serum £42.50, boots.com
8. Stella Alter-Care Serum £110, stellamccartneybeauty.com
9. Ultra Violette Queen Screen SPF + Luminising Serum £36, libertylondon.com
10. By Terry Hyaluronic Global Serum £85, byterry.com
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