Face Serums
A serum is the most concentrated step in a routine — a lightweight formula that carries actives like peptides, vitamin C, alpha-arbutin and hyaluronic acid close to the skin before moisturiser seals them in. Choose by what you want to change: firmness, tone, or hydration. 5 products.
Face Serums: a short guide
Which serum should I start with?
Pick one goal. For firmness and fine lines, a peptide serum. For dullness and uneven tone, vitamin C in the morning or the Pigment Perfecting Serum with alpha-arbutin. For tightness and dehydration, a hyaluronic acid hydrating serum. If retinol has been too harsh for you, the Retinol Alternative Serum is the gentler route.
How do I layer a serum?
After cleansing, on slightly damp skin, before moisturiser. Thinnest texture first. Two serums in one routine is plenty — introduce a new active on its own for two weeks before adding another, so you can tell what your skin is responding to.
Morning or evening?
Vitamin C earns its place in the morning, under sunscreen. Peptides and hydrating serums work at either end of the day. Keep exfoliating acids and retinol alternatives for the evening, and wear SPF the next day.
- What Not to Mix With Niacinamide, Honestly: Retinol, Vitamin C, Acids and More
- Ascorbyl Glucoside vs Ascorbic Acid, Honestly: Which Vitamin C Works, and Why Serums Turn Orange
- Peptides, Honestly: What They Do for Firmness — and How to Layer Them
- Retinol Alternatives, Honestly: Bakuchiol vs Retinol, and What Is Actually in the Bottle