Just when you think you have seen and heard it all in skincare, you get one more product – anti-aging serum. Then you have to adjust to an absolutely new thing because you want to look your very best.
This is not the time of getting by with a cream, lotion or moisturizer. You realize that the older you get, the more your skin needs. And the more the world evolves, the more protection you should get. So any tested and trusted product, like an anti-aging serum, is welcome.
An anti-aging serum is a crucial part of any skincare routine. The name should not deceive you; it is not meant exclusively for older people. Anyone who wants to delay the signs of aging is welcome to use it. Therefore, anti-aging serum is a must-have for everyone.
Its necessity stems from its attributes. As with many things, ease of use, fast-acting ability and lightness are some of the properties that people enjoy seeing in products.
These products are not restricted to just skincare but cuts across other categories. Serums excel in these properties which endear them to many people. And this is why many top dermatologists and cosmetologists recommend them to patients and clients.
Serums are capable of being quickly absorbed into the skin and to act fast. They have been proven to deliver nutrients and ingredients to the skin’s deeper layers. They are perfect for every skin type, especially oily skin. We will talk more on this later.
Table of Contents
What Makes an Anti-aging Serum Unique?
An anti-aging serum can be used together with your lotion or cream or be used on its own. Many lovers of serum prefer to use them alone because they have more room to work effectively.
Unlike many lotions and creams, an anti-aging serum contains little or no oil. In fact, it has no ingredient that holds in water like seed oil and petrolatum.
What this means is that once applied, the water is quick to disappear, leaving the active ingredients. They act quicker and longer on your skin, much more than your everyday cream and lotion.
Every anti-aging skincare product has a high percentage of ingredients that fight aging signs, like peptides, retinol and antioxidants.
When they have a fast medium through which to get into the skin, they work better. Serums offer them such media, making serums more effective than other products.
The fast-acting ability of a serum makes it suitable for older people. It gets to a time in life when the skin starts becoming less active. It would require extra to remain supple and young. Coupled with the active ingredients in an anti-aging serum, it is indispensable in delaying and removing signs of aging.
Differences between an Anti-aging Serum and an Anti-aging Cream/Lotion
- An anti-aging serum contains mostly water and little or no oil. It is water-based. Lotion or cream contains more oil.
- Molecules found in an anti-aging serum are smaller than those in a lotion or cream, making it easier to be absorbed.
- An anti-aging serum contains more concentration of active anti-aging ingredients than its lotion and cream counterparts.
- Due to this concentration, the serum tends to be pricier than the others.
Advantages of Using an Anti-aging Serum
Delayed signs of age
When you use an anti-aging serum at a young age, you stand the chance of warding off the early onset of aging. Your skin stores up the nutrients and ingredients it needs to keep you glowing and young for as long as possible.
Your skin is nimble
The ability of your skin to bounce back from any damage is amplified. You find that it is easier for your skin to repair any blemish when you use a serum than when you do not.
You get a glow
Yes, your cream, lotion or moisturizer already gives you a glow. But the glow you get from using a serum lasts longer and goes deeper. Remember how it has a higher concentration of active ingredients? This makes it more effective.
Every skin discoloration is taken care of
An anti-aging serum goes deep beneath your skin to supply nutrients. These nutrients, in turn, make your skin resistant to brown or black spots and blemishes. Your skin is left looking and feeling young, soft and smooth.
Supports your skin
As you age, your skin weakens. It is the natural process. But when you start early to use an anti-aging serum, your skin becomes firmed up. It does not sag or weaken easily because it has a storehouse of nutrients to work with.
Brighter and even skin tone
Serums have the capacity to brighten your skin and even out the tone. If you have had such a problem and can’t seem to solve it, an anti-aging serum would it for you.
7 Important Factors in Choosing the Right Anti-aging Serum
Going into a beauty store and picking out an anti-aging serum is not as easy as it sounds. Believe it when we tell you that there is a massive market on serums out there. A single store may have more than 100 brands on display and you could get confused.
But there are certain important factors that can help you make the right choice. Armed with them, your choices are greatly narrowed. That way, you stand a better chance of coming home happy.
Below are just a few of those to keep in mind:
Ingredients
As much as every anti-aging serum contains effective active ingredients, there are particular ones that work best for you. And then, there are those which would not be good for your skin.
Check the ingredients in the serum you choose and see if you’re allergic to any one of them. You would not want to spend money on what isn’t good for your skin. Pick out a serum with the ingredients that are suitable for you.
Skin Type
Your skin type would also inform you on the serum to buy. One that would work for someone with normal skin may cause irritations for someone with sensitive skin. Check the label to see the target skin type.
Knowing what your skin accepts is paramount in making the right choice. Even though serums are basically oil-free and water-based, the ingredients make all the difference.
The Target Aging Sign
As you well know, there are different signs of aging, from wrinkles and lines to brown spots and dry skin. Most anti-aging serums are designed with one or two aging signs in mind. So you would do well to identify that which bothers you more than others.
That way, you would pick the serum that would tackle it correctly. Keep an eye out for what the available serums propose to treat so you don’t choose wrong.
Brand and Return Policy
The manufacturing brand of any product is usually important. More times than not, people would be more comfortable going with established brands. This does not say that little-known ones cannot be trusted.
But there is something to a name and experience. You find that it is easier to return products if there is a name to protect. It may be best, then, to pick an anti-aging serum from a brand with a trustworthy return policy. This would save you time and money.
Budget
Anti-aging serums are usually expensive. This is because the ingredients that make up about 70% of them do not come cheap. And the amount that each bottle contains is usually more than the average jar of cream, moisturizer or lotion.
Therefore, if you are going the way of serums, be sure you budget adequately for them. Be prepared to spend more on them than you normally would on a body lotion. And beware of ridiculously cheap anti-aging serums. They would do you more harm than good.
Sunscreen
When you start aging, you tend to need more skin protection from the sun than a younger person. That means that any skincare product you choose must have some sunscreen in it. Sunscreen becomes vital to your well-being.
Your choice of anti-aging serum must boast of a bit of sunscreen, at least SPF 15. This is to keep you protected even on days you do not put on sunblock. Look out for those with enough sunscreen to shield you. It should be a determinant in your choice making.
Fragrance
In skincare products, fragrance does not do much in the way of improvement. It has the tendency to cause a breakout of rashes and irritations, much like alcohol on sensitive skin. However, it is the added fragrances that cause the reactions.
Choose an anti-aging serum with no added fragrance. Does that mean it would be odorless? Not necessarily. The natural scent from ingredients should suffice. Besides, there isn’t much fragrances do for your skin.
Tips to Get the Best Results from your Anti-aging Serum
Now that you know how to make the perfect choice of an anti-aging serum, you should know there’s more. The following are tips you could employ to ensure you use your serum correctly, for great results:
-
Have a steady skincare routine
A skincare routine, no matter how basic, goes a long way in keeping your skin healthy and young. When you create and maintain one, you would be amazed at the results you would get.
Let your anti-aging serum be a constant part of your everyday routine. It is not meant for a special occasion and it is not meant for a particular time of day. You can use it morning and night.
The important thing is for you to keep steady at it and don’t break the flow. Your skin would get used to the process and before you know it, you will see results.
-
Maintain a specific range of products
This does not mean all your skincare products must come from one brand. It means that if you opt to use a particular brand of anti-aging serum, stick to that brand. Don’t g jumping from one to another.
Many people do not see the results that they desire because they don’t stick with one for a long time. After using one jar of cream, for example, and there is no glaring result, they give up on it.
Such a practice would unbalance your skin’s pH thereby giving you bad skin. If you choose an anti-aging serum, use it for a long time along with other products. Don’t go skipping to the next one after just one tube.
-
Give it time to work
This tip works hand-in-glove with maintaining one product for a long time. Patience is a primary factor in getting the best out of any skincare product. If any product promises you quick results, you should not trust it.
Your skin would need time to adjust to any new thing you try on it. Hence, your anti-aging serum would need time to show you results. You see, the signs you target did not appear overnight; they took time to show on you. In the same way, your serum would need time to treat them, especially from the inside.
Again, you should know that people respond differently to things. If your friend saw results from their serum in two weeks, it does not mean yours would be the same. The safest time range for you to expect results is 4-6weeks.
-
Let your skin absorb it
After you apply it on your skin, give your anti-aging serum time to be absorbed. It is basically water so won’t take forever to dry. Sit for about 2-3 minutes and allow some of the ingredients to sink in before you apply anything else.
If it is not absorbed, it is wasted. This is another important part of seeing great results. Do not be in a hurry to get going but let it sit on you briefly. That way, there is time for it to soak in and not be rubbed off in your haste.
Anti-aging serums happen to be some of the most important parts of any anti-aging skincare routine. Buying one is one thing but knowing how to use it correctly is another thing entirely.
But if you follow the steps we have listed in this guide, your journey would be made easier. Caring for aging skin, and skin generally, just got better and easier.
We would like to hear from you. Share with us some of your experiences and skincare routines in the comments section below.
Pingback: anti-wrinkle serum used to enhance youthfulness and beauty