Beauty serums = healthy skin!

Beauty serums have existed in the market for quite some time, but the trend is growing stronger with more awareness and innovation in this segment. When applied to the skin, they moisture your skin and are ideal for treating skin care concerns such as acne, aging, dullness, and fine lines. While experts suggest that these serums can actually push the aging process a bit further, we explore what makes them so important in today’s time. Since serums are concentrated potent doses, smaller penetrable molecules, they are a beauty breakthrough tackling concerns effectively and more efficiently. It is a trend to stay forever and will be tapped further by the beauty market.

With our change in lifestyle in today’s day and age, consumers are becoming more conscious of what they apply to their skin. The serum has the ability to penetrate deep into the skin, and have a high concentration of natural vitamins and active substances such as antioxidants, exfoliates, moisturisers and botanicals which help improve the skin’s texture and natural luminosity. Swati Kapoor, a co-founder of natural beauty brand, says, “The advantage of face oils and face serums over conventional products is because they are highly concentrated. Oils are a rich source of essential fatty acids that strengthens the skin lipid layer which in turn helps in stabilising the skin oil production. Strengthening of this lipid barrier is an essential requirement for healthy, problem-free skin for all skin types and conditions. Today, ayurvedic cosmetic brands across the globe are working on solutions to treat these concerns in a very rooted fashion by using natural and organic ingredients in their products. Ayurvedic concoctions made using raw ingredients like saffron, turmeric, sesame seeds, etc., help replenish and rejuvenate your skin, and bring a natural glow to your face.”

Generally, serums are used by women in their early 30s for dull and mature skin to prevent aging. But given that we are constantly exposed to dust, heat, and pollution, the skin gets affected from an early age, it can be used even in your 20s for their long-term skin benefits. Using serums from an early age with specific concerns will not only delay aging but will also repair your skin, says Rajni Ohri, founder of brand that makes ayurvedic products.  Ayurveda. She says, “It is a combination of powerful herbs, extracts, active nutrients so it is super effective. Most of the time, they contain lysomes actives to help them carry it to the deeper layers of the skin, treating concerns that require skin deep treatment like pigmentation, collagen building, etc. They also contain essential oils or plant essence that travel through the bloodstream rendering them very effectively. While choosing a serum, make sure it is highly absorbable and should not leave any greasy layer. Ideally, 100% natural plant and herb-based serums are best suited for all skin types.”

While we are always on the lookout for beauty products that aid in our pursuit to age gracefully, face serums is something we are gradually integrating into our skincare routine, remarks Vibhuti Arora, founder of beauty brand. She says, “You have to look at the ingredients to make sure that not only do they address your skin concerns, but also that the product includes ingredients that makes skin healthy.”

It’s imperative to understand the difference between serums and facial oils to learn how differently they work towards a similar goal i.e flawless and healthy skin. Serums have a smaller molecular structure and are normally used before oils, they penetrate into the skin for great results. On the other hand, facial oils have a bigger molecular structure and are normally used after using all the skincare products as the last step. They help lock the moisture inside the skin and prevent skin from getting dehydrated. Supriya Malik, founder of beauty oil brand, explains, “An important difference between oils and serums is that an oil blends contains hundreds of different bigger sized molecules. This makes them more suitable as moisturisers rather than as serums. Serums that include natural ingredients like aloe vera for sun protection work very well. Serums and oils go for all skin types but they should be nonclogging i.e they should be non-comedogenic. As per the level of dust pollution in India, try dry oils like rosehip seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, avocado oil, and vitamin E oil. Oils are for all age groups- from a newborn baby to an adult, oils are safe for all to use. For serums, it depends on the ingredients and content of the serum to decide the age suitability.”