Friday 17 June 2016

5 SUPER SERUMS TO TRY

This time last year if you'd asked me for my opinion on serum I would have probably thought you were talking about a hair product, one which I am no stranger to. 

However the product I am going to discuss in this post was a complete stranger to me at that time, it's a serum for your face. 

When I think of hair serums I instantly think thick, heavy and oil based, so how can this be good to use on your face daily, especially for those of us with combination or oilier skin?

Well, having now tried many many different serums over the last 10 months I can tell you they were many different consistencies, however none lived up to my initial preconceptions thankfully. 

If you are new to face serum I will just briefly explain what it's all about, it is essentially a skin product which in terms of your 'routine', fits in between cleansing and moisturising. Serums are designed to deliver and penetrate powerful ingredients deep into the skin for effective results. During my serum journey I have noticed that there as so many different varieties containing different ingredients which all target different skin concerns such as brightening, hydradting and anti aging. 

For the low down on serum there is a really helpful article on into the gloss here, I would really recommend checking it out if you'd like to learn more.

I am now in the habit of using my serum day and night, some say to pat it or push it gently into the skin, others say gently massage which is the technique that I subscribe to. Now that I am getting closer to 30 and as I have normal to dry skin I have found that moisture is key to my skin looking fresh and healthy and I ensure that each step of my routine contains an element of hydration from my cleanser, to serum, toner and of course my day and night creams. 

Now that I have road tested so many serums I think I am in a good position to share my current favourites with you, so here they are, ranging in brand, price and function. 




The first favourite is from the skin care brand Nourish and is part of their Balance range. This retails at £20 for 30ml of product.



The Nourish Balance Nutritious Peptide Serum is a refreshing, light textured and highly hydrating serum which was perfect for my dry to combination skin. It's one that I tend to keep to mornings only as it gives me a little burst of energy and the crisp apple scent is is really refreshing, importantly it leaves my skin glowing and healthy. This also had a slightly toning quality in the sense that my pores did appear to be slightly reduced after using this for several weeks. 

This has the classic viscous, water based gel like texture I have come to expect with facial serums. 

Ingredients include hyaluronic acid to help boost hydration, which is combined with tripeptides to help the production of collagen giving a smoother and more youthful appearance to the skin. Antioxidant vitamins C & E, Vitamin C3 and Vitamin B5. 


Jurlique is an Australian beauty brand which is available to buy on several UK websites such as Look Fantastic. This is the most expensive serum I have included in my favourites, yet there are others out there which I have tried that are much more pricey, however I currently see them to be on a par with this or not as good.

                                                                                     

Firstly I have to say I love the rosy light scent that this serum has, it is a nice lightweight slightly creamy texture and it sinks into the skin pretty much instantly after application. 

I used this morning and night and found whilst I can't comment on the anti aging benefits it's said to have I found my skin felt much more supple and elastic, I also noticed a little boost of radiance which was certainly welcome. 

This retails at £49.50 for 30ml so is quite pricey but I do feel that it makes a difference to my skin.


Clarins has long been a firm favourite brand for me and for some time I have been using the hydraquench range in the winter. This is one of the first serums I tried and I have to say it is possible that this is my current favourite serum. 

At £44 for 30ml, this is not a budget product and as such it's not one that is part of my daily routine. I find this is perfect for when my skin needs a little extra, say if I have caught the sun, perhaps the wind has dried my skin or generally it's not looking as good as it could - I use this to pep it up a little and it works a treat.

Although I would say this is predominantly water based I do feel like there is a little more oilyness to it than some of the other serums I have used, this isn't as quick to dry but it does sink in really well within a couple of minutes. 

This serum has made it possible for me to use certain products that have previously irritated my skin and almost works for me as a protective layer between my skin and the elements. 


Having tried a few and gaining confidence in serum I started to explore to see what cheaper alternatives were out there and these next 2 are what I came up with.

This Hyaluronic Acid based serum from the brand InstaNaturals retails at £27.61 for 60ml (therefore £13.81 for 30ml) 


This serum contains a whole host of beneficial, natural ingredients, including Jojoba oil, Green Tea, and of course Hyaluronic Acid.

The serum has a light and silky texture which absorbed really well into my skin without feeling heavy or greasy, this has helped my makeup apply flawlessly, it would appear that the texture of my skin improved.


This smells pleasant, nothing special but I can certainly cope with it, and I have to say it is fantastic value for money.



This is another at the cheaper end of the spectrum, this is sold on amazon and is pretty much always on offer, £14.42 for 30ml (current offer).

This product is great for the price, it hasn't caused any outbreaks or adverse effects, it's a great start to the morning and is very light and refreshing.

I wouldn't say it's changed my skin in any major positive way, however it maintains a healthy balance.

More serums to try!



Here are a couple more serums that are currently in my stash to try. I can't wait to see what great skin benefits these have to offer and ultimately make a decision on which select few are going to be my holy grail serums.






Madara Cellular Repair Serum £40 for 30ml




And finally here are two that are on my shopping list.. well Christmas wish list perhaps!


Picture from Pixiwoo.com
Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum 

I have heard some great things on YouTube and on Blogs about this product, I believe I saw it in one of Kathleen Light's videos and I have to say I was sold very quickly! There is also a fabulous article on Pixiwoo blog explaining what it's like and it sounds amazing! However I do need to mention that this retails at $90 for 30ml and as far as I could find it's not available to buy in the UK or Europe.




This is a slightly more budget pick for me, retailing at £16.99 for 30ml. It's said to be great for brightening which is just what my skin needs. I'll probably be more likely to purchase this one sooner than the above based on price and accessibility alone. 

So to round it off you've seen my favourite serums, those I'm yet to try and those that I most certainly have my eye on. I'd love to know what your holy grail serum is? I would love your recommendations and to hear about your experiences so please drop me a line below!

Cookie x

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