In the same way there is a pill for every ache and pain, these days there is a serum for every skin concern.
With so many choices, it’s easy to stock up on products that might be great for someone else but are useless to you.
Knowing which skin concern you are trying to address will allow you to simplify and customise your routine accordingly. You just need to know what to look for.
Whatever your skin concern – acne, persistent rosacea, dehydration and irritation – there’s a serum jam-packed full of ingredients that will help.
To find out what we recommend for your skin concern, scroll on…
Resurfacing
For those who are always battling dull, uneven, and badly textured skin, it’s time to invest in a resurfacing serum. In general, resurfacing-specific products contain chemical exfoliants that dissolve dead skin cells by breaking the bonds that hold them together. During this process, the surface skin sheds, revealing the underneath layer of smooth, bright, and glowing skin.
Want to look flawless without makeup? Try BOOST LAB’s AHA Glow Resurfacing Serum ($29.95 at Adore Beauty) or the Alpha-H Liquid Gold Midnight Reboot Serum ($129 at Adore Beauty).
Dark spot correcting
A brightening, pigmentation-fading formula can help fade dark spots caused by acne scarring, ageing skin, or sun damage. Hyperpigmentation can be effectively lightened with ingredients such as niacinamide, ferulic acid, retinol, and vitamin C.
Want to fade scarring and even out your skin tone? Try La Roche-Posay’s Pigmentclar Serum ($59.95 at Adore Beauty) or the Kiehl’s Solutions Clearly Corrective Dark Spot ($84 at Adore Beauty).
Rosacea, redness or irritated skin
Those with rosacea, sun damage, irritation, or general redness typically require a carefully curated skin routine using products made to calm and soothe. Refresh and protect with cooling ingredients like aloe vera, eucalyptus and zinc.
Want nourished and refreshed looking skin? Try the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel ($100 at Adore Beauty) and the BIODERMA Sensibio AR ($35.99 at Chemist Warehouse)
Dehydrated Skin
Dehydrated skin is often confused with dry skin, but they are not the same thing. Dehydrated skin cries out for help in holding onto moisture, which is why it’s important to use ultra-hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid that not only boost the skin’s moisture levels, but helps to retain it. Just what our thirsty skin needs.
Want hydrated, plump skin? Try the Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster ($52 at Paula’s Choice) or the La Mav® Hyaluronic Acid Hydra-Max Serum ($75 at Nourished Life)
Oily/acne-prone skin
Getting the skin’s natural pH levels right when you have oily skin can be really difficult. Often, lathering our faces with heavy oils and serums feels counterproductive when the goal is to minimise oil production.
Using a serum developed specifically for oily and acne-prone skin types, on the other hand, will remove the guesswork and help to control breakouts without damaging already temperamental skin.
Want a balanced T-zone and a congestion-free complexion? Try the Skin Physics SALICYLIC ACID + Blemish Control Serum ($29.95 at Skin Physics) or the Clémence Organics Repair Face Serum ($84.98 at Clemence Organics)
Have you tried any of these serums? Do you use a serum?
Main image credit: @leaseelenmeyer
Oooh would like all of these
Same here!
Great information BH. I find it quite confusing choosing a serum or a facial oil.Will check out the Ella Bache serum marin as this sounds good for my skin.
I have a serious serum addiction! I like the sound of the Boost Lab resurfacing one
So many different skin concerns, so many different serums. La Mer for mature skin – maybe not at that price. I’ve just started using Jurlique so I’ll see how that goes.
Would be fab if a La Mer dupe existed.
Resurfacing and Dark Spot correcting would be my top two picks for serums closely followed by the oily skin ones.
I’ve been using the Boost Lab AHA serum & I haven’t had any issues with my sensitive skin.
That’s great Helen. I love Boost Lab too.
My Skin has some Hyperpigmentation and I do use Serums to help lighten the Hyperpigmentation, but the only draw back is that it takes such a long time and you need to use, Hyperpigmentation Creams or Serums regularly for sometime to see the difference.
Also using Hyperpigmentation Creams or Serums you need to stay out of the Sun, use Sunscreen 50+ on your Face and Body.
Invest in a UPF50 wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and UPF clothing. Uniqlo has a great range!
Yeah it does take a long time to have to use the pigmentation serums.
Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Serum is really excellent even with my sensitive skin.
I’ve never tried this brand. I’d be keen to give it a go when I need to repurchase.
Resurfacing peels are the best
I swap my serums around, but I’ve gotta have retinol.
I love retinoids too. I’ve never tried retinol.
Agreed
I wouldn’t mind trying the Skin Physics Salicylic Acid + Blemish Control Serum
I have’nt tried any of these but I always use serums, currently using up some I won in a competition but I’m not sure if it’s doing much, then I use hyaluronic acid in the morning. I want to try the Alpha-H serum next though.
Yes, have used AlphaH reboot serum (good stuff, best for those who are already used to actives especially stronger acids. This one has 15% aha and 1% retinoid).
I’m interested in the Alpha-H serum.
I’ve just finished my first bottle of Boost Lab AHA Glow Resurfacing Serum and have another one to replace it.
I have around four serums on the go at the moment.
Doing well there PC!
Excellent article.
I’m loving The Ordinary’s hyaluronic acid serum at the moment. Really helps control my oily skin.
I have used the boostlabs resurfacing serum and really liked it. Am
Currently using the Ella Bache retinol and am loving it.
Me too. It’s so nice.
I would like to try that ella Bache one!
Helpful article.
SkinCeuticals Phyto looks interesting.
Alpha H make some awesome anti ageing products
I find it mind blowing with the number of items for each product these days. I love the simple serum I’ve used for ages and it still works beautifully.
I’ve been using the Cerave hyaluronic acid face serum but it seems rather basic and underwhelming so it’s time to find a new one – for dry skin
I don’t usually skip using a serum but i am tonight because I’m using a night mask and I didn’t think I should be putting a serum on under that. I thought I’d let it do all the work by itself and in the morning I’ll see what happens. I’d love to wake up with skin all firmed up in the right places. That would be getting five stars I’m telling you.
Agree that oily skin needs serums to combat it
Great article. Don’t use serums but would like to try one
There’s so many different serums on the market but you can only put so much on your skin. When you have irritated, dehydrated skin with blemishes, you can end needing 3 serums + the usual moisturizer, and sunscreen on top. It does get confusing!
I dont often buy serum, but do get them free with other purchases on occasion. Like them but they are usually expensive.
Really good timing for me to see this article, I’ve been looking for creams or something for the dark spots on my face. I really want to give these two products mentioned a go. I wonder if using like all my skin care products for the same purpose will help me achieve my goal and the result I want.
I suffer from rosacea, redness and irritated skin from time to time. The Bioderma is the only one I could afford to try.
Bioderma is very gentle in my experience!
I love serums.
So do I. I’m obsessed.
I’m obsessed too and just getting back into a consistent regimen!
Give me all of them. I need some more serums in my stash to balance the amount of moisturisers I have.
Lol. That’s funny GeeJ! Look out for Skinfix at Sephora!
Serums are a must in my skincare routine. I love trying new ones.
The Skin Physics SALICYLIC ACID + Blemish Control Serum looks interesting
I wouldn’t mind trying it either!
So many choices looking at this again. I’m particularly interested in the resurfacing serums.
I have four serums on the go at present – three of them are dark spot correcting serums.
I haven’t tried any of these products.
I think I would need a mixture of these serums to help with my skin issues, unless an all in one serum exists.