Are you looking for the perfect skincare routine for glowing, hydrated skin?
Face serums are potent must-have products in your beauty arsenal and essential to your nourishing regime.
From exfoliation and protection to skin cell renewal and deep hydration, it is essential to know how to apply face serum for maximum effects, the best serum combinations, and how to use them responsibly.
Welcome to our exclusive walkthrough – learn everything there is about using face serums right away!
Too busy to read everything? Here’s a TL;DR:
- Apply serums only on a clean face (oil and build-up sabotage its properties)
- Moisturise after applying face serum
- You can use multiple face serums simultaneously (but at most 3!)
- Choose serums with multipurpose ingredients
- A few serum drops are enough to press into the skin gently; no need to rub
- Salicylic acid serums are perfect for oily skin and stopping acne from spreading
- Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid serum boost each other's properties and treat dark spots effectively
- Apply retinol serum at night to heal your skin and minimize fine lines
- Satin and silk pillowcases minimize skin damage during sleep
The proper order of skincare product application
Regarding the proper order of skincare product application, there are general rules to follow regarding the purpose of the product and its texture. You always want to clean and exfoliate first and moisturise and nurture after.
When it comes to product texture we always want to progress on the product's viscosity or thickness. The thicker the consistency of the product, the later you should place it in your application order.
Compare your products and tailor the order of application to your sense of touch.
The proper order of product application goes as follows:
- Cleanser
- Exfoliator
- Toner, Mist, or Facial Essence
- Treatment Products (such as acne spot treatment)
- Serum
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- Facial Oil
- SPF
- Lip Balm With SPF
You should generally follow this order of application. However, with the wide variety of products available on the market, you will find that sometimes the properties of your products may overlap. For example, if you are using a serum with exfoliating properties, you can skip your physical exfoliator.
There is no need to use exfoliating products every day, as long-term chemical treatment can damage the protective layer of your skin. Use spot treatments only when you notice blemishes.
Your daytime routine and night-time routine will differ. Focus your morning on hydration and preparation for the day and night for hydration and relaxation. Some cleansing products you use at night to remove makeup and buildup from the day, like harsh cleansers and exfoliators, you really don’t need in the morning, as they can unnecessarily stress and irritate your skin.
There is no need to use exfoliating products every day, as long-term chemical treatment can damage the protective layer of your skin. Use spot treatments only when you notice blemishes.
How to prep your skin for serum application
Always apply the product to a clean and soothed face to ensure you are receiving the best of your serums. If you don’t cleanse before applying your serum, built-up oil and bacteria will block the active ingredients from working to their full potential. After removing your makeup, cleansing, exfoliating, and refreshing your skin with a toner, mist, or essence — it is time for serum application.
Although toners aren't a necessary part of a routine, they help your skin soak up and retain the beneficial properties of serums and other skin products.
Tips for applying different types of face serums
Hydrating serums, exfoliating serums, hyperpigmentation serums, and antioxidant serums all have their specific purposes, orders, and ways of application.
The reason for so many? Serums are products with a high concentration of active ingredients designed to target specific skin needs. Needs like healing acne scars, renewing skin cells, treating hyperpigmentation, and minimizing the appearance of pores and wrinkles.
If there are multiple issues you would like to tend to with serums, you can layer serums, in the appropriate application order, from thinnest to thickest.
Always allow enough time between applying serums to ensure your skin fully absorbs the product. However, if you are using multiple serums, limit your use to no more than three serums at once, as the contrasting ingredients can clash with each other and be abrasive to the skin.
Instead, opt for serums with multi-capable active ingredients, like retinol, that treat acne, hyperpigmentation, scars, and fine lines all at once. Discovering the benefits of each active ingredient will help you choose your perfect serum.
The Revoderm Illuminous Antioxidant Serum is packed with active ingredients like salicylic acid that boosts skin renewal and retinol that minimizes fine lines. This product is fantastic to add to your routine if you want your skin to look youthful and energised while feeling healthy and natural to the touch.
In addition to knowing which one, it is also important to know how to apply the serum on face.
Serums usually come in glass containers with glass droppers. You can apply the product from the dropper directly onto the skin of the face. If you decide to do so, glide the dropper horizontally to avoid the product dripping down your neck and chest, potentially ruining your clothes.
However, this method makes it harder to control the amount of product you’re using. Serums are packed with active ingredients and have a very potent effect on the skin, which is why a small amount is enough to use.
Try not to rub the product between your fingers when applying any serum, as all serums penetrate the skin deeply and quickly. You will most likely end up wasting product on the skin of your hands.
Rather, measure a few drops onto your palm, press your palms together once, and gently spread the serum across the skin, lightly pressing in.
How to apply face serum with vitamin C?
Knowing how to apply vitamin C serum on face properly is crucial to its effectiveness.
Vitamin C is most commonly used for skin hydration but is even more known for its brightening abilities — helpful for ruddy spots that remain after blemishes have healed.
Vitamin C benefits all skin types, so feel free to add one to your skincare routine. Remember that serums with a higher concentration of Vitamin C have a higher potential for irritation for those with slightly more sensitive skin.
Use vitamin C serums and SPF to protect the skin from UV light harm.
Never replace your sun protection products with vitamin C — combine their powerful properties. Due to its protecting properties, it is best to use vitamin C serum in your morning routine while preparing your skin for the day.
It helps fade hyperpigmentation, especially if your skin is prone to it. Due to its antioxidant capacity, vitamin C has proven as a great anti-inflammatory agent.
Vitamin C serums also stimulate collagen production; collagen synthesis isn't possible without this vitamin, making it one of the anti-aging serums for a more radiant, smooth, youth-full-looking appeal.
You can add vitamin C to the topical skincare regime for any skin type, as the benefits are multi-faceted. However, various vitamin C serums have additional substances, so their application may vary. Always make sure you read directions for the use of the specific product.
How to apply retinol serum to the face?
Measure out a few drops of the product onto your palm, directly transfer it to the skin, gently pressing the serum in, without rubbing.
Retinol serum is one of the first to fight against skin aging, and it helps accelerate skin renewal and reduce fine lines. Therefore, include Retinol serum in your everyday skincare routine to maximize anti-aging results.
Retinol increases skin cell production and helps unclog pores, affecting skin texture and evening skin tone. It encourages the production of collagen, which results in fresh, healthy skin, keeping it clean and glowing.
It is vital to add retinol to your routine gradually. Start with once or twice a week, gradually increasing the frequency as your skin adapts.
Apply retinol at night since sunlight reduces the efficiency of retinoids, but also retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays. Always remember to put sun protection on in the morning, no matter the weather, at least 30 SPF.
How to apply the salicylic acid serum on the face?
Salicylic acid is excellent for treating oily skin or skin prone to recurring acne breakouts, blackheads, and whiteheads. It exfoliates pores, makes the skin less oily, and decreases sebum production, reducing pimple spreading.
Read more about acne healing in our blog post — the truth about acne.
Apply salicylic acid serum only in the area where the skin needs treatment. Sometimes frequent use might dry out the skin. Your skin absorbs this substance quickly, removing dead skin cells from the first layer, so only use a small amount of this serum.
Knowing how to apply the salicylic acid serum on the face with SPF with crucial, like with any other exfoliating treatment.
The same application rules apply if you want to know how to apply the salicylic acid serum on the face. Gently spread the product across the skin, lightly pressing in without rubbing.
How to apply hyaluronic acid serum to the face?
Hyaluronic acid is an incredible substance that our bodies naturally produce. It is in charge of our skin's elasticity, smoothness, and hydration. It retains water and keeps your skin moist for a long time.
Hydration helps the skin stretch, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Oily skin must also be hydrated. And poorly hydrated skin is more likely to be damaged by external sources. Long-term use of hyaluronic acid can benefit overall skincare.
Hyaluronic acid pairs well with vitamin C, especially in treating dark spots. Apply it as your second step of skincare, right after the cleanser: one or two drops while your face is still damp. Once you press it in, wait until it is absorbed and continue your routine.
With hyaluronic acid serum, if your question is how many times to apply serum on face, the answer is once, at night-time. Avoid using this serum during the daytime, especially when you are out in the sun.
If you are spending time in the sunshine, it is of utmost importance, especially with hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine, to apply SPF after the serum.
Always consult your product's instructions to be sure how to apply face serum correctly.
How to apply oil serums on the face?
Oil serums provide exceptional nourishment, usually rich with antioxidants, making skin soft and healthy. You can use them on your whole face or cover only dry parts.
Oil serums are oil-based, thick in consistency, absorb slower than serums, and should be applied after or instead of a moisturiser, depending on your skin type.
All skin types can find oils beneficial; you must find the right one.
Apply oil serums twice a day onto the face, neck, and chest. Apply at the very end of your routine. Look for non-pore-clogging oils for a natural, hydrated look.
What is your pillowcase made of? Opt for satin and silk.
Silk and satin pillowcases have a clean surface and absorb less dust, which helps treat acne and decreases its spreading. They are very gentle on the skin, protecting it from wrinkles and fine lines.
Combining this practice with a great serum is the perfect anti-aging method.
Make sure you wash your pillowcases regularly. For best results, change pillowcases once every couple of days.
Who are we, and why should you trust us?
Revoderm Pharma was founded by a triple-certified dermatologist, dermatopathologist, and laboratory medicine specialist Dr. Ken Alanen and skincare and medical cosmetic specialist, Ildiko Juhasz, with 20+ years of clinical experience.
Together, they have created a unique fusion of clinical dermatology and laboratory medicine — a medical-grade luxury skincare line — ensuring that our products are backed by solid scientific research.
Revoderm Pharma has been trusted by patients and clients at Derm.ca, a leading dermatology and laser cosmetic practice, for over a decade. Our products are not only tested, but have consistently delivered real results in clinical settings, giving you peace of mind knowing that a proven track record backs your skincare.
