Fact: Certain skin care ingredients only work best if delivered deep into the inner layers of the skin. This meant that creams and lotions were never going to be the best thing to ever happen to our skin. Consequently, with some deeper research and advanced technologies, serums were borne. A skin care serum is built for deep and rapid absorption into the deeper layers of the skin, with a non-greasy finish and a very high concentration of active substances. And now, here’s why they should have a place in your skin care routine.
Unique characteristics of skin care serums
Deep absorption:
Serums are formulated to deliver the contained active ingredient beyond the outer surface of your skin. This type of delivery is essential for ingredients that are meant to work on your skin from within, such as with #anti-aging, blemish-removal, acne-removal and skin-lightening products. Such active ingredients would be almost useless outside the outer surface of your skin.
High concentration
Serums come packed for intensive action. This means less of everything else and more of the active ingredient. The active ingredient concentration per ml of the product is much higher than in creams and lotions, to maximize the outcomes per unit volume of the product absorbed. The high concentration is also meant to create a high concentration gradient of the ingredient, between the inside and the outside of your skin. This increases that rate of absorption of the ingredient.
Elimination of additives
Skin care serums are formulated to keep non-active ingredients on the minimum. This approach eliminates many occlusive, coloring, lubricating and thickening agents common with other product types such as creams and lotions. This means, what you get with a serum is almost all active and free from compounds that would leave make skin greasy and pores clogged. In some product types, such as creams, these ‘added ingredients’ are known to slow and even block the absorption of the active ingredient. Serums are formulated free of this interference.
Effectiveness
Given the high concentration of active ingredients, skin care serums produce more visible results in less time than lotions and creams. The fact that the active ingredient is delivered into the deeper layers of skin also contributes to this phenomenon. The active ingredient continues to work from within, even after you’ve taken a shower which gives the serum a 24-7 advantage in giving you your desired outcome.
High return on investment
Spending on skin care (just like anything else) should make some economic sense. On that front, serums usually seem expensive in terms of cents per ml, as opposed to the products you’ll find in the creams and lotions sections. This may deter many from taking a second look at the ‘damn’ bottle, but here’s the thing – the true value of a serum is in the ‘power’ packed in every ounce of the product. With serums, every drop counts, literally. The high concentration of the ingredients and the elimination of non-active (read ‘non-contributing’) agents, give serums the best return on investment for your skin care.
So…
In a nutshell, some skin care needs can’t be met on the surface. You sometimes need to go a bit deeper to deal with them stubborn scars, blemishes, wrinkles and acne spots. An investment in a good serum may be exactly what you need to find your dream complexion and skin texture. Happy shopping.