There’s a certain glow to a clean and healthy skin, which is the fancy of anyone who wants to improve their self-image. Proper skin care can make you feel more confident about yourself and about interacting with others. However, there is no way you could achieve a fresh-looking skin overnight.
What you need to do is to develop personal care habits including the application of moisturizer and serum on your face. If you’re not quite sure about the difference between the two and is too hesitant to ask, don’t worry, as we’re here to shed light on the distinctive features and uses of a moisturizer and serum for facial care.
How Face Moisturizer and Serum Differ from Each Other
Part of distinguishing moisturizer and serum is knowing what they do and don’t do to your skin.
Moisturizers keep your skin hydrated, which means there’s an increased amount of water in your cells to give you a smooth and plump complexion. Note that when you drink water, your skin is the last to absorb it, so you have to help your skin get more moisture into it. Moisturizers help seal natural moisture in your body through sealing ingredients such as petrolatum and mineral oils.
Meanwhile, serums are also good for skin hydration. They are especially formulated with antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins that are meant to control skin aging and other forms of skin damage. Because serums are made up of small particles and do not use sealing particles that make them lighter in weight than moisturizers, serums penetrate more deeply into the skin at the cellular level.
However, between a moisturizer and serum, the former is the one that shields your skin from harmful elements in the environment or the makeup that you use. Therefore, it’s not enough that you use a serum. You should also seal it in with a moisturizer on top.
The bottom line is that you should hydrate to bind water to your skin and moisturize to trap the water and prevent it from leaving your skin.
When to Use a Serum and a Moisturizer
As mentioned, serums and moisturizers have different compositions, so the way they’re used will also vary. The next section identifies which one is more suitable for your skin type, as well as the skin problems you may be experiencing.
For dry skin
The lack of moisture or oil in your skin can make it appear rough or flaky. This skin type could benefit from using moisturizers that contain oils to help seal the skin and retain moisture and other nutrients.
The best products to use are those with rich ingredients such as jojoba, coconut oil, carrot seed oil, and chia seed oil.
For oily skin
If you have oily skin, you may or may not apply moisturizer as often, as your skin naturally produces oil to keep water from evaporating from your skin. Instead, you may use hydrating serum products that contain humectants, which keep the moisture locked in.
However, if you have a combination of dry and oily skin and you really need to have some moisture on your skin, you could use facial products that have grapeseed or hazelnut oil as a base since this type of oil does not clog your skin pores.
For dehydrated skin
Don’t mistake it for dry skin, which means the skin lacks in lipid content or oil. A dehydrated skin is one that lacks water, making your skin look dull and tight.
Use a serum first and then follow it up with a moisturizer to seal in the moisture.
Uses of Serum for Specific Skin Concerns
Serums are primarily used as a skin repair component of your skin regimen due to their high concentration of active ingredients and their ability combat free radicals that damage the skin cells. Serums can offer the following benefits, too:
- Repair sun damage on your skin
- Reduce wrinkles
- Give your skin a firmer texture
- Aid in exfoliation
- Reduce skin redness and sensitivity
Frequency of Use
You can use serums in the morning and at night to keep skin issues such as breakouts and dark spots under control. Serums are also helpful in halting the effects of skin aging, so you should be more religious in using facial serums once you reach your 30s.
Using a moisturizer over a serum can provide extra hydration for your skin especially at winter when cold winds tend to dry your skin. During the day, you should use a sunscreen moisturizer, while a non-SPF moisturizer is best used at night. Just make sure you consider your skin type in choosing the product that’s best for you.
As they say, we have to look good to feel good – whether for our own gratification or a photograph session with Ralph Wunsch. To look radiant each and every time, daily personal skin care using a serum and moisturizer is a must.