Why Serums are a MUST

There’s been a lot of buzz in the last few years on skin care regimens. Many of which typically include 10-20 different steps (at least for the popularized Korean skin care regimens out there). But steps aside, one of the most important steps that you absolutely cannot skip is serums.

If you want to give your face the best fighting chance to battle against wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, loosening skin or dryness, serums are a must! But before we can jump straight into serums, let’s quickly review a typical step-by-step skin care regimen.

Here’s my skin care regimen:

  1. Oil Cleanser
  2. Makeup Remover (if I have any leftover hard to take off waterproof makeup)
  3. Foam Cleanser
  4. Facial Peel (2x week)
  5. Pore related products or removers
  6. Toner
  7. Essence
  8. Face Masks (3x a week)
  9. Serums (apply thin to thick)
  10. Eye Cream
  11. Lotion & Sleeping Mask (I alternate between the two)

Other steps that you can throw into your regular routine are misting your face throughout the day to give added moisture and weekly facials. I also NEVER step out the door without some SPF on my face.

If I’m super lazy and absolutely do not want to go through all of the steps in my regimen, the minimum that I will do is:

  1. Oil Cleanser
  2. Toner
  3. Essence
  4. Serums

I will never skip the 4 steps above, no matter how lazy I am, because these are all musts for me. Notice how I don’t have lotion listed as a must. This is because serums actually offer a much higher concentration of active ingredients than most typical moisturizers and creams.

Serums are great because this is your chance to self-access your own skin and decide what can be improved or what area of preventative care you’d like to focus on. Personally, I tend to be a lot more reactive, rather than proactive. When my skin is looking a little dry, I’ll incorporate a hydrating serum into my daily routine. When my skin is looking a little dull or I’ve had over exposure to the sun, I’ll incorporate a retexturizing serum until my skin improves. Otherwise, if my skin is looking flawless, I default to an anti-wrinkle and hydrating serum to try and be more proactive. I tend to get the best targeted results when using serums.

Although multiple serums can be used at a time — generally 1-2 minutes between each application, starting with the thinnest to thickest serums — there are some ingredients that you should avoid mixing. According to Formulyst, you should avoid the following ingredient pairings:

  • Retinol and alpha hydroxy acids
  • Certain forms of Vitamin C, such as L-ascorbic acid (shown to cause irritation when mixed with retinol or alpha hydroxy acids, or become less effective)
  • Retinol and benzoyl peroxide

These combinations aren’t always bad, but when in doubt, it’s always good to do your research and fact check!

What’s your favorite skin care tip?

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Thanks for reading!
xoxo Sarah

Disclaimer: This post is 100% original content written by myself (owner of XliciousGirl.com), but is paid for by Formulyst. No products from Formulyst were provided and this post is not a product review. The information in this post is a true and accurate report of my current routine. 

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