The idea of religiously following a nightly, multi-step skincare regimen makes me tired.
And as obsessed with beauty products as I am, bottles of various lotions and potions usually sit in my medicine cabinet until I have a serious skin emergency (Hormonal breakout! Redness! Hyperpigmentation, damn you! Flakey skin! Ugh.) Then I end up slathering something over the offending issue—it says to use it as a spot treatment, but that’s probably just a recommendation, right?—and promising myself that I’ll be better about my skincare routine. Which I am for a few weeks … Until I fall asleep on the couch watching Fleabag in a full face of makeup.
Obviously, it’s a vicious cycle. And while I may never have the in-depth skincare routine my dermatologist wishes I could follow, I’ve finally fully committed myself to one extra step: The serum.
This is because serums do exactly what I want—they work their magic crazy-fast. Get the right one, and you’ll notice big changes in your skin. That’s because these formulations are more concentrated than most other skincare, and penetrate facial skin on a deeper level than other moisturizers or treatments because they’re made with smaller molecules. Basically, use a good serum and you’ll see results almost instantly.
The other reason serums are kind of the MVP of your vanity? They tackle more specific skin problems than most treatments. Dry skin? Dull complexion? Fine lines? No matter what your issue, there’s a serum that’ll fix it.
Obviously, there are a lot of options out there—so here’s a breakdown of some of the best serums the Amodrn team has tried.
For hydrated skin
They Call Her Alfie Firming Facial Serum
New to the serum market, this super-lightweight magical serum has already gained incredible recognition in the beauty world because of its transdermal delivery technology. If you aren’t aware, when a product is made with TDT, it helps the skin to absorb more of the key ingredients from the product. And something you probably didn’t know, unfortunately, the skin only retains on average 37% of your favorite skincare. That’s where Alfie excels, the brand says you’ll see a 300% increase in absorbancy of their key ingredients. And the best bit, when used with ‘other’ products, anything that you put over the top of their serum will only make everything else more efficient in delivery to the skin. A next-generation serum for sure, we can see why they have a loyal customer base.
Apply this wonder serum under your regular moisturizer in the morning and night to lock in moisture without feeling like you’re wearing an oily barrier over your whole face. Not only will it keep your cute little face hydrated, but it’ll also assist with reducing facial muscle tension and loss of firmness thanks to its key ingredients Hyaluronic Acid, CBD, and Orchistem. We’ve tried it and hello hydration! Think of the Alfie Firming Facial Serum as a great big glass of water for your skin! Big thumbs up from us!
For brightening and smoothing
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
I have one of those ridiculous mirrors where one side is normal, and the other side is super magnified. When I accidentally catch a glimpse of my face, I’m terrorized by the size of my pores and how insanely splotchy my face looks. That’s when I reach for this gel-like serum. It’s a mouthful, but Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum is made with 12% AHA/BHA blend. Pat it into your cheeks, decolletage, and shoulders at night and wake up to refined, resurfaced skin.
For problem skin
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum
Believe all the hype you’ve heard about this magical serum—it’s just as good as people say. After speaking with founder April Gargiulo (yes, she is a vintner’s daughter and actually runs wineries herself, so girlfriend knows how to get down with quality ingredients), and learning how dedicated she was to sourcing natural, organic, pure botanicals, I had to try it myself. You guys. All it takes is six drops a night to clear up acne, diminish fine lines, tighten pores, and give skin that airbrushed quality. I’m convinced that if I dumped an entire bottle on my face I’d wake up looking like Gigi Hadid. It’s that good.
For combination skin
The Ordinary Serums
Canadian beauty brand, DECIEM unveiled its line of low-cost, highly effective serums in September and sort of flipped the skincare world on its head. Currently, The Ordinary is a collection of vitamins, retinoids, hydrators, and direct aid serums that can be mixed and matched for whatever your skin requires. Because they’re so affordable—seriously, almost everything costs less than $15—you should honestly invest in a few different formulas. They’ve even developed a guide for how to layer serums on top of each other for best effects.
For daily use
Odacitè Serum Concentrates
Green beauty brand Odacitè’s serums are as addicting as PokemonGO—I wanna catch them all. Combining elements of aromatherapy and botanicals, Odacitè’s serums serve a specific function; one calms broken capillaries, one improves elasticity, and another boosts sagging skin. These are so fun to mix and match depending on what your skin feels like when you wake up, and light enough to use during the day (unlike some of the uber-powerful formulas). And they smell incredible—like perfume for your face.
Photo by Vintners Daughter Instagram
