Whenever we talk about a skincare regime, what comes to mind are the three “basic steps”: cleanse, tone, and moisturise. Where is serum in this? Does it mean it is redundant?
If you notice that despite investing in a great moisturiser your skin concerns are still not improving, read on.
Basic steps are exactly what they are – basic. Each step comes with its own unique function: you cleanse to get rid of impurities, tone to balance the skin’s pH, and moisturise to provide skin with a protective barrier to prevent moisture loss.
This is why it is wrong to assume that using a great moisturiser means you don’t need a serum. This misconception may just be why your skincare regime isn’t working. A serum offers something totally different (but wonderful!) altogether and we’ll tell you more about why you need one.
What is a serum?
A serum is what delivers actual skincare benefits to your skin, and is the one that’s able to transform your skin visibly to achieve the complexion you desire. It is typically lightweight and packed with skincare goodness that gives your skin the powerful booster that it needs. It is used right after cleansing and toning, and before moisturising.
5 reasons why you need a serum
1. You need one, regardless of skin type: Usually water-based, a serum usually penetrates into skin easily and can be used by everyone regardless of skin type. This means that there’s no excuse for not using one, since it’s good-for-all and won’t feel uncomfortable on the skin.
2. It can target specific concern: While the other products in your basic skincare regime offer a fundamental care for your skin, a serum helps address specific skin issues, such as anti-ageing, brightening, and dehydration.
3. It has greater benefits the longer you use it: Using the right serum helps strengthen your overall skin health, which means that you’ll see damage in your skin visibly fade over time, after having a serum as part of your long-term skincare regime.
4. Some are able to deliver fast results: Because serums pack a punch in the active ingredients department, you’ll be able to notice visible improvement to your skin more quickly. While most serum would probably be able to deliver visible results in 14 days, a really good serum like Lancome’s Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate can even transform the appearance of your skin within seven days!
5. It is the star of any product line: Thanks to the formula of potent active ingredients delivered through lightweight texture that penetrates into skin more deeply and easily, serums are usually the workhorse in any product line. In other words, it’s the star product that helps deliver most of the promises the product line offers.
6. (Bonus!) It boosts the efficacy of other skincare products: Besides yielding the benefits mentioned above, if you’re using a serum like Lancome’s Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate, you’re also increasing the efficacy of the skincare products that you apply afterwards by up to three times.
What it means is this: while this best-selling serum by Lancome promises to target “ten signs of youth”: fine lines, coarse wrinkles, radiance, clarity, evenness, texture, resiliency, tonicity, firmness, sagginess, it also acts as a booster to propel your skincare regime forward, to help you achieve the oh-so-elusive youthful aura that you’ve always desired.
This article is brought to you by Lancome.
