What Is Face Serum and How Should It Be Applied?

What Is Face Serum and How Should It Be Applied?

What Are the Benefits of Face Serum and How to Best Apply it to Your Face

Face serums amp up your skincare routine with concentrated ingredients that target specific skincare concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. This potent dose offers to protect, nourish, and deeply hydrate the skin, an extra, yet highly-beneficial step in your skincare routine. 


LINNÉ Botanicals is here to answer all of your questions about facial serum, what it is, how to use it, and how your skin reaps the benefits of this superpower product.

What Is Serum?

Serums contain concentrated amounts of active ingredients that greatly benefit the skin. They have a thin, lightweight viscosity, and usually possess a translucent tinted color. The higher count of these smaller molecules in serums penetrates the skin deeply, yielding results much sooner than a traditional cream or spot treatment. 


In most cases, a serum is applied to the skin after cleansing and before moisturizing. This application order allows the active ingredients to sweep in and do their job effectively, while a moisturizer applied on top provides a skin barrier that hydrates the skin.


LINNÉ RENEW face serum features hibiscus for antioxidant properties, hyaluronic acid for skin hydration and elasticity, and astaxanthin for UV protection. Our fragrance-free, hydrating serum helps your skin build collagen, repair sun damage, and strengthen capillaries for a healthy complexion.

What Are the Benefits of Using Face Serum?

A facial serum is highly beneficial for your skin if you choose a formula ideal for your skin type and skin texture. If your skin concern is dark spots, choose a serum that targets those spots. 


Are breakouts your skincare concern? Select a serum with active ingredients such as salicylic acid or willow bark that targets acne. Here’s a general list of some benefits of facial serum:

Serum Absorbs Quickly

Thanks to its thin viscosity and light texture, serum absorbs into clean skin in a snap, making it the perfect first step in your layering process. Serum is much thinner than facial cream or lotion, making it easy for you to layer products on top of it.

Serum Soothes Sensitive Skin

People with oily and acne-prone skin generally require a little extra care and oil control for their faces. Serums have a lighter texture that is ideal for these skin types because it doesn’t clog pores or cause a heavily weighted feel to the skin, but it still combats dryness.

Serum Improves Fine Lines & Wrinkles

Serum is our anti-aging hero, and for a good reason. 


The concentrated ingredients in LINNÉ RENEW serum help target skin types that need a boost in skin smoothing. RENEW includes components such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (vitamin B3), retinol precursors, and vitamin C that work overtime to smooth skin textures, prevent free radical damage, and encourage collagen and elastin formation. 


RENEW can also reduce the appearance of pores, soothe blemishes, and add a healthy glow to your overall complexion.

Serum Protects Your Skin From Damage

The reduction of premature aging and wrinkles results from serum ingredients such as vitamin C, green tea, hibiscus, carrot, mountain berry pepper, tomato, astaxanthin, and kakadu plum. 


Formulas with these ingredients, such as LINNÉ RENEW facial serum, help prevent oxidative cellular damage, regenerate skin cells, decongest pores, reduce wrinkles, combat dullness, and ease hyperpigmentation.

Serum Provides Noticeable Results 

Serums contain highly concentrated formulas, much higher than most creams and other skincare products. With a more delicate concentration of active ingredients, the visible results from serum reveal themselves faster than with other products.

Serum Feels Light & Fresh on Your Skin

Face serum doesn’t feel oily, greasy, or heavy on your skin because of its lighter texture. Some serums contain formulas ideal for sensitive skin, which feel even more delicate and fresh atop your clean face.

How Can I Layer Face Serum In My Skincare Routine?

It is essential to apply your face serum in the correct order during your skincare routine. Serums are step number four in your practice. Follow these steps:


  1. Cleanse your face thoroughly with LINNÉ PURIFY face cleanser or LINNÉ CLEANSE face and body wash. Rinse well with warm water.
  2. Spritz face with LINNÉ REFRESH mineral face mist to freshen, tone, and reduce the appearance of pores.
  3. Apply one to two pumps of LINNÉ RENEW hyaluronic acid serum to boost hydration, revive dull skin, reduce discoloration, and  boost skin elasticity.
  4. Apply the LINNÉ face oil of your choice. 

When it comes to the final step of applying oil, there are several options you can choose from. 

REPLENISH oil supports elasticity, regeneration, and radiance of the skin with perilla, passion fruit, amla, and buriti oils. This oil is ideal for aging skin. 

REPAIR oil reduces fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and scars, and protects against environmental stressors. REPAIR oil contains cold-pressed fruit, nut, and seed oils and is ideal for damaged skin. 

BALANCE oil contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that balance oily and dry skin by regulating oil production, calming irritation, and encouraging cellular regeneration. The formula includes hazelnut oil, shiso seed oil, tamanu fruit oil, black cumin seed oil, and palmarosa oil. This oil is ideal for acne-prone skin types.

How Can I Perform a Relaxing Face Serum Massage?

Create a spa-like experience at home while helping your serum penetrate more deeply by using the HARMONIZE face roller


Ethically crafted and carbon neutral, the black obsidian and white jade roller is depuffing, adding a soothing touch to your facial routine. Apply your facial mist, serum, or oil, then gently roll and massage your face with the elegant stone tool. 


Follow these steps for the proper facial massage technique:

  1. Apply the LINNÉ mist, serum, or oil of your choice.
  2. Using gentle pressure, begin rolling at the jawline down the neck. Moving down the neck allows for lymphatic drainage, which releases water retention and stress and increases blood circulation. 
  3. Next, begin rolling slowly and gently from the chin upward toward the forehead. Move upward in gentle motions to encourage lifting, circulation, and the release of any water retention or puffiness.
  4. Continue moving up and outwards from the center of the face.

LINNÉ PRO TIP: Store your beautiful HARMONIZE jade roller in the refrigerator or freezer for an added cooling spa sensation. 

Hydrophilic vs. Lipophilic Moisturizers: What’s the Difference?

Dry skin responds well with either hydrophilic or lipophilic moisturizers. However, hydrophilic and lipophilic provide different results on the skin, so it's essential to know the difference and which is best for your skin type.

Hydrophilic Moisturizer (Serum)

Hydrophilic moisturizers are water-based, absorb quickly, and must deeply penetrate the skin's stratum corneum (SC) layer to be effective. 

These moisturizers retain water, whereas lipophilic types do not increase water levels in the SC of the skin. Hydrophilic moisturizers work well for acne-prone skin prone to having excess oil, normal, aging, and congested skin types.

Lipophilic Moisturizer (Oil)

Lipophilic oil-based moisturizers remain on the upper layer of the stratum corneum, penetrating less deeply and much slower than hydrophilic types. 

They contain water-in-oil emulsifying agents and work well for dry, chapped skin. Lipophilic moisturizer is not soluble in water, making the skin water-resistant, and protects against dehydration by locking moisture in.

Why Is Skin Hydration Important?

Regardless of your skin type, everyone needs well-hydrated skin, and hydrated skin doesn't mean oily skin, either. Many skincare products support dry, oily, and acne-prone skin types. Read the product labels to find the product that suits your skin type best.

Hydrated skin appears more youthful, radiant, and healthy. Fine lines and wrinkles are lessened and dry, and flaky skin becomes a thing of the past when your skin is adequately hydrated.

Face Serum vs. Face Oil: What’s the Difference?

Face serum and face oil may appear similar, but they are pretty different. Here’s what you need to know:

Face Serum

Face serum absorbs quickly and deeply into the skin due to its smaller molecular size and abundant molecule count. 

Serums target specific skin concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, skin laxity, dehydration, and acne. Its thin, watery, and gel-like consistency is lightweight and isn't meant to replace moisturizer. Instead, the serum works to compliment moisturizer as part of a healthy skincare routine.

Face serum makes a great addition to your skincare routine. After cleansing, apply a small amount of face serum to your face and neck by gently pressing it into the skin. You may also use the LINNÉ HARMONIZE jade roller for a deeper ingredient penetration.

Face Oil

Face oils contain larger molecules, but there are fewer of them. These molecules only penetrate the skin's surface and strengthen the skin barrier (outer layer consisting of ceramides, lipids, and cholesterol) to minimize water loss. 

This action keeps the skin hydrated and plump and improves fine lines and wrinkles. Face oils are usually a blend of natural oils containing antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids. They are intended for all skin types, even oily ones.

How Should I Layer Oil & Serum?

There are two methods for applying face oil. It depends on whether you decide to use a cream moisturizer with the oil. 

Facial oil follows serum in the product application order if you choose not to use a cream moisturizer. Drop a few drops of facial oil into your palm and gently massage it into your face for the finished result.

When using a cream moisturizer in addition to oil, apply serum first. Then, apply the cream moisturizer, followed by the face oil. Face oil seals everything in, providing the skin with a protective barrier.

Face Serum vs. Traditional Facial Moisturizer: What’s the Difference?

Facial serum and traditional face moisturizer creams have hydrating qualities, but they perform differently on the skin. Here’s how:

Face Serum

Face serums are much lighter than creams and penetrate the skin more deeply and much faster than moisturizing creams. The cost of serums is much higher than creams due to their potent ingredients that target specific skin concerns. 

Similar to moisturizing creams, serums may be applied at night or during the day, depending on their specific ingredients and the skin conditions it targets. If you have oily skin, you may not need a moisturizer after applying a serum.

Traditional Facial Moisturizer

Moisturizers are much thicker than serums and do not penetrate the skin; instead, they fortify the skin's surface, help bind skin cells together, and increase surface hydration. 

Moisturizers have larger molecules than their counterparts, so they don’t absorb as quickly. So, if you need strong skin results, choose a serum, but if continuous hydration is your aim, use a moisturizer. 

How Should I Layer Serum & Moisturizer?

Layering face serum and moisturizers depend upon the ingredients and your skin type. Serum and moisturizer layered together are highly beneficial for those with dry skin, but acne-prone skin types should be wary of layering oil-based serums. 

Layering your products in the correct order is important, and generally, the thinnest products should be applied first, then the thicker products. When you choose to layer serum with moisturizer, follow these tips:

  1. Press a few drops of face serum into your face and neck and allow it to soak into your skin for one minute. Ensure that the serum is completely absorbed into your skin before applying moisturizer.
  2. Next, dab a dime-sized amount of moisturizer onto your skin in circular motions.

Serums and moisturizers contain ingredients that may be best used in the morning or night. Read the ingredient labels to determine when your products need to be applied. Contact your esthetician or dermatologist with any skincare concerns or questions. 

How Are Antioxidants Beneficial in Skincare?

Antioxidants are highly beneficial to skincare. Not only do they help fight free radical damage, but they also provide many other skin benefits such as:

Antioxidants Help Prevent Sun Damage

Antioxidants speed up the skin renewal process, so they help your skin heal more quickly after a sunburn. They also reduce inflammation, allowing the skin to correct UV damage from the sun. Vitamin C, which is included in many antioxidant formulas, assists the skin in stimulating collagen, which is essential for youthful skin.

Antioxidants Brighten Your Skin

Frequent sun exposure and other environmental pollutants such as smoke and stress trigger free radical damage, resulting in skin melanin production (skin color) changes. Antioxidants reduce photodamage, preventing abnormal skin pigmentation, and some, like vitamin C, inhibit the enzyme that stimulates melanin production.

Antioxidants Help Correct the Signs of Aging

Oxidative stress causes the hindrance of the skin’s natural repair process and collagen breakdown, and this effect causes fine lines, wrinkles, acne, loose skin, and skin pigmentation issues. 

Antioxidants help prevent and correct these signs of aging and give your skin a more healthy, youthful glow.

Which Antioxidants Are Beneficial for Your Skin?

Beneficial ingredients to look for when purchasing antioxidant skincare:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • Niacinamide
  • Retinol (Vitamin A)
  • Polyphenols

Why Choose LINNÉ Botanicals Skincare?

LINNÉ’s ethically crafted skincare contains formulations with extraordinarily sourced plants and minerals that provide effective skincare for all skin types. Our skincare addresses skin concerns including acne, dehydrated skin, inflammation, sensitivity, and premature aging, just to name a few. 

We primarily use unrefined plant and cold-pressed nut, seed, and fruit oils. They are safe, biocompatible, and non-toxic ingredients that absorb readily into the body.

To Sum It Up 

Face serum is a potent skincare product that yields impressive results for your skin. Any skin type may use face serum due to its ability to service most skin conditions. Ensure you select a serum that targets your specific skincare concern to achieve maximum results. 

LINNÉ offers only the highest quality cruelty-free botanical skincare, from serum to face oil, and you’re sure to find a product that suits you.

Sources:

(PDF) Hydrophilic and lipophilic moisturizers have similar penetration profiles but different effects on SC water distribution in vivo | Research Gate

Lipophilic and hydrophilic moisturizers show different actions on human skin as revealed by cryo scanning electron microscopy | PubMed

What is a dermatologist? | American Academy of Dermatology

Written by gr0 for LINNÉ Botanicals


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