Serums vs. Oils
With so many options out there in the realm of serums and oils, it's so hard to differentiate between what is what, and what is actually going to benefit your skin type. So let's get down to the bottom of it so you can better discover what is right for your skin.
Down to the basics, facial serums are water-based, containing vitamins and antioxidants. They are chemically formulated with smaller molecules that are able to penetrate further into the skin, thus making them extremely effective.
Facial oils on the other hand consist of a blend of several beneficial essential oils. Essential oils can contain over 200 different molecules and have perfect affinity with our skin’s cutaneous lipids and work to the core. The best part about oils are the fact that they are rapidly absorbed by the skin, so you reap their benefits pretty quick after application.
While synthetic and mineral oils are comedogenic; which can cause blackheads and clog pores, natural plant oils—when properly extracted and unfiltered—won’t clog pores and can transform your skin.
Many face oils are rich in essential fatty acids. They can help balance oily skin and provide hydration without leaving a greasy residue behind. In addition to their moisture-boosting properties, oils can also protect skin. Because oils are lipophilic (which means they combine or dissolve in lipids or fats), they can trap water. Oils also help to strengthen and repair our own natural skin barrier, and they help with skin plumpness.
While facial serums and oils can provide you with added moisture, the main reason you’d want to use a facial serum is to get added nutrients into the deeper layers of your skin that a regular moisturizer is unable to reach. For this reason, the serum or oil and a moisturizer pairing are designed to work in conjunction with each other, not alone. While the serum or oil is able to penetrate the skin on a deeper level and work on the inside, the moisturizer protects on the outside and also enhances the effect of the serum or oil.
The number one key lesson to learn is that less is more. Whether using a facial serum or oil, both should be applied in small quantities to a cleansed face morning and evening, followed by a moisturizer to lock them in.
