Face Serum FAQS: Which serum should I use? & more…

We’re all guilty of having skincare shelves so full that we’ve kinda lost track of what does what and when we should use it. At BeautyPro, we’re here to make your skincare routine as simple and easy as possible. No need for hundreds of bottles when you can streamline your routine with powerful and effective formulas. Enter: BeautyPro Plant Based Daily Serums.

Our latest range includes 6 serums that target your skin concerns with replenishing natural formulas that will transform your skin in just 3 pumps.

As we launch our new range, we thought it would be a good time to answer some of your serums questions to help you get to know the collection and get a better idea of how it would work for you!

How does a serum work?

A serum is a liquid that is formed of small molecules that are able to deeply penetrate the skin, travel into the cells and deliver a high concentration of active ingredients. By utilising such small molecules, it means that your serum can quickly reach many places where other products can’t, making them a really effective way of transforming your skin from the inside out.

Thicker formulas such as creams or lotions form a barrier upon the skin which is perfect for when you want to lock moisture in but can also prevent active ingredients from being able to make their way into the cells as effectively.

By using a serum to address your skin concerns, you can ensure that all of the right ingredients reach the right places to be able to do their job in replenishing and repairing your skin.

Which serum should I use?

To decide which serum to use, you need to understand which skin concerns you’d like to target, or if you don’t have any skin concerns, how you would like to enhance your skin.

Below, we have listed a number of skin concerns and enhancements alongside the serums that we would recommend to target them.

Which serum to target Ageing?

When looking to tackle the signs of ageing, you want to look for a product that hydrates, nourishes and stimulates collagen production.

All of our serum products have been created with anti-ageing formulas so you can take your pick as to which formulas take your fancy.

Serums we’d recommend are:

RETINOL 1% Overnight Serum is an evening treatment that reduces fine lines, wrinkles, large pores and uneven texture to create a smooth and youthful complexion.

FIRMING AHA+Enzyme Daily Serum renews your skin by breaking down dead cells and encouraging new growth. This tones and firms the skin which will help to minimise the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin.

Which serum to target Acne?

When choosing a serum to target acne, it’s important to look for formulas that are healing, reparative and rebalancing to help you reduce existing breakouts and manage your oil levels to prevent further issues.

Serums we’d recommend are:

FIRMING AHA+Enzyme Daily Serum: Uses antibacterial qualities to unclog pores, break down dead cells and allows moisture and nutrients to easily circulate. It also provides healing properties to reduce the appearance of breakouts, scars and blemishes.

HYDRATING Hyaluronic Acid 2% Daily Serum: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties soothe the skin, reducing redness and calming active breakouts. The formula tackles bacteria and cleanses the skin to prevent further blemishes.

RETINOL 1% Overnight Serum: Soothes the skin, reduces inflammation and relieves the pain caused by breakouts. Retinol also works to unclog the pores and encourage cell renewal to repair the skin and keep it clear.

REVITALISING Vitamin CAKE Daily Serum: Has antimicrobial properties that calm and soothe the skin, reducing inflammation and tackling the bacteria causing your breakouts. Omega 3 helps to protect and repair the skin.

Which serum to target Tiredness?

To reduce the signs of tiredness, you want to look for a treatment that brightens the skin and replenishes the cells to ensure they are functioning to their highest capacity.

Serums we’d recommend are:

BRIGHTENING Vitamin C 10% Daily Serum: This is the all in one tiredness solution, it deeply hydrates the skin while it lightens dark circles, reduces puffiness and gives your skin an energised glow.

HYDRATING Hyaluronic Acid 2% Daily Serum: Hydration is key for high functioning skin. This formula locks in moisture while brightening the under eye area, reducing inflammation and leaving the skin looking and feeling refreshed.

NOURISHING Squalane Daily Serum: This Squalane formula renews dull cells to create a brighter complexion as well as deeply nourishing to provide you with revitalised skin and a natural glow.

Which serum to target Redness?

Many things can cause your skin to appear red, including irritation, rosacea and over exposure. To target this redness, you want to look for a serum that contains anti-inflammatory ingredients and soothes the skin.

Serums we’d recommend are:

HYDRATING Hyaluronic Acid 2% Daily Serum: Offering anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, this hydrating serum cleanses and soothes the skin.

BRIGHTENING Vitamin C 10% Daily Serum: Using the power of Blueberry, this treatment reduces redness and evens the skin tone to result in glowing and calm skin.

Which serum to target Scarring?

To target scarring, you should opt for a healing, reparative formula that will stimulate collagen production.

Serums we’d recommend are:

FIRMING AHA+Enzyme Daily Serum: This is a highly reparative formula that uses Bergamot to tone and smooth the skin, minimising the appearance of scarring. It also encourages cell renewal to rejuvenate the skin and bring fresh, healthy cells to the surface.

Which serum to target Dark Spots?

Dark spots are a common problem that can be caused by acne and sun damage. To target this concern, you want to look for a treatment that brightens the skin to lighten the area.

Serums we’d recommend are:

BRIGHTENING Vitamin C 10% Daily Serum: This formula uses Blueberry to provide nutrients to the cells and brighten the complexion. This evens the skin’s tone and lightens dark areas to give you a natural glow.

Which serum to target Dry Skin?

Hydration is so important to make sure your skin is operating at full capacity. Dry skin can cause soreness, flaking, itching and peeling, which is not a look you’d ideally like on your face. Opt for a serum that is deeply hydrating as well as calming to replenish your skin as well as dealing with the existing symptoms.

All of our serums are hydrating and moisturizing so they can replenish your skin as well as treating any other skin concerns you may have. However, if you’re focus is deep hydration, we’d recommend:

HYDRATING Hyaluronic Acid 2% Daily Serum: This serum uses naturally sourced Hyaluronic Acid to intensely hydrate the skin. HA particles are able to hold up to 1000 times their own weight in water, making them an excellent way to hold moisture in the skin.

Which serum to target Oily Skin?

Oily skin can cause breakouts and uneven skin texture. While having oily skin is not something you can change, it is something that you can manage, especially when using a serum to hydrate, rebalance and renew the skin.

Serums we’d recommend are:

FIRMING AHA+Enzyme Daily Serum: The enzymes and AHAs found in this formula break down dead cells and unclogs pores which allows moisture to better circulate the skin. This allows nutrients and sebum to also navigate the cells more efficiently and helps to prevent a build up of oil.

REVITALISING Vitamin CAKE Daily Serum: Exfoliation and cell renewal are both encouraged by this formula, allowing your skin to flush out toxins and produce the right amount of sebum to keep your skin lubricated but not oily.

When should I use a serum?

Serums can be applied twice daily as part of your regular skincare routine. You should cleanse and tone as normal, before applying your serum and then moisturiser.

It’s important to do it in this order. The cleanser and toner clean the skin, removing any dirt or grime that may be blocking the pores. Once these are clear, your serum can quickly and easily enter the skin to get to work. If you don’t cleanse your skin before, your serum won’t be able to penetrate as deeply and therefore it will work less effectively.

It is also important to apply it before your moisturiser, as this is a thicker consistency designed to lock in moisture and therefore if you try to put your serum on top of it, it will struggle to work it’s way through the barrier, thus affecting its ability to replenish the skin.

Can serum be used as a moisturiser?

All of our daily serum range use deeply hydrating formulas that will provide the skin with moisture. This means they have a moisturising effect on the skin and therefore can be used as a moisturiser.

However, for maximum hydration apply a moisturiser after your serum to lock in the powerful ingredients and prevent water loss.

How many serums can you use at once?

As with most things, an excess isn’t always best! You can layer more than one serum however we want to ensure we’re not overloading our skin as this could have the opposite effect and actually cause us more skin problems.

As a rule of thumb, we’d recommend you limit yourself to 2 serums per skin routine. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the same serums that you’ve used in your previous routine. For example, you may use a Vitamin C serum and a hydrating serum in the morning, and a Retinol serum in the evening.

When applying multiple serums, wait a little in between each application to allow the product to effectively sink in. Start with the serum that is lightest in texture and build up to the heavier formulas to ensure you aren’t diminishing your serum’s ability to penetrate the skin,

How much serum to use?

Due to their high concentration of powerful ingredients, a little serum goes a long way. We recommend 3 pumps of serum are applied in the morning and 2 at night.

Which serum should I use at night?

Overnight skincare is all about repair as it is the time when your body can spend most of its energy working on itself. Using the right serum during this time can help you to transform your skin as the formula can get to work in peace without having to brave the pollution and environmental stressors of everyday life.

Our overnight formula RETINOL 1% Overnight Serum uses Ocean Retinol sourced from Seaweed Kelp Complex to kickstart your skin’s repair: stimulating collagen production, conditioning the skin and ensuring that your skin is protected from free radicals.

Retinol should be used at night as it brings fresh and youthful cells to the surface which are more sensitive to sunlight. By using it at night, we can allow the retinol to work its magic without being hindered by the sun or causing you any further damage. Ensure to apply an SPF the morning after retinol application for maximum protection. 

How often should I use a vitamin C serum?

We’d recommend using a Vitamin C serum every morning. This is because they offer many protective qualities to shield your skin from the things it encounters in everyday life such as sun, pollution and dirt.

Ensure that the formula has fully absorbed before heading outside to ensure it operates at its most effective.

Try out the BeautyPro BRIGHTENING Vitamin C Serum.

Don't forget to check out our new Plant Based Daily Serums range. 

If you have any more serums questions, comment them below and we'll update this blog with more information.