The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Skincare Serum
Is your skin feeling lackluster, dull, or tired? Are you noticing more sun spots or unevenness in your skin’s tone? Has the seasonal change been the cause of breakouts, dryness, or worse, both? When our skin displays unwanted changes, it doesn’t mean we have to go back to the drawing board and buy a new skincare routine. It most likely means we need to add a more active product to use with our existing regime. The little product that will most likely make a big difference in the health of our skin is a Serum.
Serums contain higher concentrations of active ingredients that will address specific skin concerns. They are lighter in weight than an oil or moisturizer so they penetrate the skin on a deeper level to effectively enhance our already beloved routine.
Some common serums you’ve most likely heard of or seen a tic-tok video are retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, and glycolic acid. They target issues such as cellular turnover, hydration, brightening, soothing irritation, and reviving dull, dry skin. Understanding that we can all use serums in our lives is the easy part. Deciding which is a must-have in your life right now isn’t always so evident. Let’s look at some of Wren and Wild’s fan-favorite serums and how they can transform your skin.
When it comes to serum, it’s all about the active ingredients. These are our powerhouse ingredients that do the most. We recently highlighted the two heaviest hitters: Retinol and Vitamin C. You want both of these in your routine for their combined effort to boost collagen and repair at a cellular level. Our queen chemist, Marie Veronique’s adage is Antioxidants by day, Collagen by night. If you have not yet added either of these to your routine, read more about the many benefits of Vitamin C serum here and the long-term pro-aging value of Retinol here.
Vitamin C and Retinol are musts in our skincare routine, but they are not the only ingredients we need or will want to achieve instant results. What about the youthful look of plump, hydrated skin? Or the soothing relief when our skin becomes sensitized? How about lifting and firming or simply hydrating in a hot, dry climate? Do not worry, beauties; we’ve got a little something for everyone!
Lift + Plump + Firm
Peptides are similar to retinoids in that they essentially communicate with our cells to behave better. When our cells are in tip-top shape, they produce collagen and elastin at an optimal pace, which gives us youthful plumpness and keeps the skin firm and glowing. Mix your Peptides with Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin, both humectants that pull in moisture, and you’ve got a superstar serum like Youth To The People’s Triple Peptide Cactus Oasis Serum.
When you mix Fatty Acids to strengthen and smooth the skin's surface and improve the skin's barrier and elasticity with Humectants like Hyaluronic Acid and Propanediol, you get the Boosted Contouring Serum from Tata Harper. With a whopping 62 ingredients, Tata's more-is-more philosophy is evident in this multi-targeted miracle formulation. Pro tip: Use this one on your neck and decolletage, where its effectiveness is truly remarkable!
Moisturize + Soothe + Calm
The Edelweiss Plant developed powerful antioxidant properties and impressive protective actives to survive in the harsh conditions of the Alpine Mountains, making this ingredient a soothing, repairing, and protecting superhero. Odacité’s Edelweiss Extreme Super Serum is fabulous for fatigued, environmentally compromised skin.
Harness the power of Niacinamide with Marie Veronique Soothing B3 Serum. With a potent 10% concentration, this serum effectively targets skin conditions such as rosacea, acne, and dermatitis, leaving your skin hydrated with a strong and healthy barrier.
Boosts Hydration
Hyaluronic Acid is famous for its crazy water-holding capacity, as it can bind 1000 times its weight in water. Add Tremella extract from the Silver Ear Mushroom, which has a slightly greater capacity to hold water and Glycerin, and your skin will soon have a perfect dose of moisture with Osea’s Hyaluronic Sea Serum.
Experience the luxurious hydration of One Love Organics Love & Rose Hydrating Serum. Enriched with emollients, this serum will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth, and absolutely lovely. Receive a burst of hydration and the instant gratification of a silky, glassy look and feel.
Decongests Pores + Fades Dark Spots
LESSE Ritual Serum contains Turmeric and Calendula extract for their healing powers and antibiotic and antimicrobial properties. Along with skin softening and hydrating activities, this ritual is one you want if your skin needs a little love.
Tea Tree, Lavender, Rosemary, and Thyme Extracts make Tammy Fender’s Clarifying Dermagel a must-have if you are experiencing breakouts and need soothing relief from congestion and blemish-prone skin. Pro tip: this product is fantastic for ingrown hairs, razor burn, wax irritation, and insect bites.
There’s no doubt that skincare science is incredible, and so many powerful ingredients can assist us in obtaining the very best version of our skin. But don’t let the enormity of skimming ingredient lists or wondering which active is right for you. Schedule a virtual consult, and let us help you find exactly what your skin needs. There's a serum out there that could elevate your skincare routine and deliver the long-awaited results you are after.