Adding a new serum to your skincare routine can sometimes have a transformational effect on your complexion. Although the lightweight and often watery consistency of a skin serum may not seem as though it’s going to do much for your skin, these products tend to be packed with high concentrations of active ingredients, and their featherlight texture makes it even easier for your skin to drink up all of those potent compounds.
With that said, while serums may be revered for their numerous complexion-boosting benefits, this only applies if you use the right serum for your skin type. Get this wrong and not only will you fail to see any improvements in your skin, but you could also end up causing new skin concerns to arise.
The big question is…how can you tell if you’re using the right serum for your skin type? Read on as Lavelier explains.
Why is Skin Type So Important When Choosing a Serum?
It’s surprisingly each to purchase the wrong skin serum. Many make big claims about what they can do, and these promises usually target skin concerns that are independent of skin type. For example, some serums may guarantee a smooth and wrinkle-free complexion while others may be focused on reducing the appearance of dark spots. Either way, if you’re dealing with any of those skin concerns and see a serum that could potentially help, it can seem like a no-brainer to make that purchase.
However, failing to consider your skin type before you do so means that you may not experience those promised results. Every skin type has its own unique needs, and if your chosen serum isn’t compatible with those requirements, your skin won’t be very receptive to that product.
Signs That You’re Using the Wrong Skin Serum for Your Skin Type
How can you tell if you’re using the wrong serum for your skin type? The first sign will be that the common issues associated with your skin type start to worsen. For instance, if you have oily skin, you may notice that your greasiness gets worse and acne breakouts become more prevalent. Meanwhile, if you use the wrong skin serum on dry skin, you’ll likely find that your dryness exacerbates and is joined by flaky and scaly patches.
Irritation can also be common when your skin is exposed to an unsuitable product. This can manifest in different ways, from redness and inflammation to itching and stinging. Either way, if your skin doesn’t feel happy and balanced after regular use of that serum, then there’s a good chance that you’ve made the wrong choice.
Determining Your Current Skin Type
The first step to ensuring that you pick products that are suitable for your skin type is to make sure that you actually know what your skin type is! This may seem obvious, but many people are surprised to learn that their skin type changes as they progress through life. Everything from hormonal fluctuations to environmental factors can affect your skin type. If you haven’t tried to identify your skin type in a while, it may be time for a refresher.
The easiest and safest way to determine your skin type is to wash your face with a gentle cleanser, such as the Lavelier Oceana Breezy Facial Cleanser. Then, leave your skin bare for 20-30 minutes. After this, take a close look in the mirror and decide which of the following skin types your skin most correlates with:
- Oily skin will look shiny, and pores will appear to be quite large. Oily skin is also very prone to breakouts.
- Dry skin tends to feel tight and uncomfortable when left bare after cleansing. You may also notice flaky patches.
- Combination skin shares elements from both dry and oily skin. You’ll usually notice that some parts of your face are dry while others are oily. The oiliest area tends to be the T-zone, but this can vary depending on the individual.
- Sensitive skin will likely feel irritated and sensitive. It may also sport some red and blotchy areas while feeling itchy at the same time.
- Normal skin will have very few of the above concerns. Instead, it will feel balanced and healthy, being neither too oily nor too dry.
Matching the Right Serum Ingredients to the Needs of Your Skin Type
So, once you’ve figured out your skin type, how do you go about choosing the right skin serum? The answer lies in the ingredients of the serums you’re considering. Understanding which ingredients your skin type needs, along with which should be avoided, will help you to find the perfect match:
Oily Skin
Lightweight serums are crucial when you have oily skin. The last thing that you want to do is congest your skin even further and cause blocked pores by using the wrong serum. And yes, while most serums are lightweight, some are much more so than others. Stay away from serums loaded with heavy, pore-clogging oils.
Instead, look for a skin serum that is designed to hydrate the skin. This is something that oily skin often lacks. While there may be plenty of oil coating the skin’s surface, water is what your skin cells really need. Ingredients that bind moisture to the skin, like sodium hyaluronate, can be a game-changer for oily skin.
Antioxidants are important ingredients too. Some, like vitamin C, will help your skin to feel less oily and better balanced while also combating some of the visible skin concerns that oily skin is prone to, like hyperpigmentation from acne marks.
With all of this in mind, the HydroTherm Sauna Serum from the Lavelier HydroTherm Sauna Collection would be a great choice for oily skin. This skin serum hydrates the skin with sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, coral seaweed extract, and lactic acid, the latter of which will also prevent your pores from feeling clogged. Meanwhile, vitamin C and other antioxidants will keep your skin looking bright and radiant.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is pretty much the opposite of oily skin in that it doesn’t produce enough oil to keep the skin’s surface conditioned and moisturized. While oily skin needs a lightweight skin serum, dry skin often benefits from a richer consistency. Hydrating ingredients are important, but so are oils that will lock that moisture into the skin, since dry skin tends to experience higher rates of transepidermal water loss.
Vitamins and antioxidants are a must for dry skin types too. They play a key role in keeping the skin barrier feeling strong and supported, which will help to counter the feeling of dryness in the long run.
The good news is that there are plenty of serums out there that can work wonders on dry skin, with Lavelier’s Blue Algae Beauty Skincare Duo being one. This two-step system features the likes of niacinamide, resveratrol, shea butter, coral seaweed extract, jojoba oil, and many other ingredients that dry skin will love.
Combination Skin
Finding a skin serum for combination skin can be tricky. With some parts of the face being dry and others being oily, you need a serum that can work well for both of those skin types.
This essentially means looking for a hydrating blend with plenty of antioxidants. It can’t be too thick, lest it clog the pores on the oily areas of your face, but it also needs to be rich enough to cater to the drier parts of your face.
While this may seem like a difficult balance to strike, the Lavelier Nano Gold Serum manages to do so perfectly. It hydrates with aloe vera, coral seaweed, and glycerin, while green tea extract is chock-full of antioxidants. Meanwhile, calendula and chamomile extracts soothe the feeling of inflammation, and acetyl hexapeptide-8 leaves the skin feeling stronger.
Sensitive Skin
It sometimes doesn’t take much to trigger sensitive skin, leading to flare-ups of redness, inflammation, and any other skin conditions you may be suffering from, such as eczema or rosacea. With everyone having their own sensitivities, it’s important to take some time to figure out which ingredients your skin isn’t able to tolerate.
Since sensitive skin has a compromised skin barrier, giving your skin plenty of hydration is vital. Your skin will be losing moisture at a much faster rate than normal. Consistently replacing this will leave your skin feeling much healthier and less sensitive overall.
Of course, it’s also important to turn to ingredients that will soothe and calm your complexion. This will help to reduce the appearance of sensitivities that occur due to environmental factors.
All of these properties make the String Lift Sculpting System a great product to try if you have sensitive skin. This fragrance-free duo is packed with hydrating ingredients, including six different forms of hyaluronic acid. These humectants, along with collagen, oat extract, and coral seaweed extract, will leave your sensitive skin feeling much more resilient.
Normal Skin
Normal skin is the skin type that everyone wishes they had! It makes shopping for skincare much easier, as your skin will be tolerant of a much wider range of ingredients.
With that said, this doesn’t mean that you can safely use any skin serum. Use one that’s designed for skin issues that you aren’t dealing with, such as excessive oiliness or dryness, and you could end up swinging your balanced skin type over to one of the other ends of the scale.
If you’re looking for a serum that will do it all for your normal skin without causing any issues, the Lavelier Oceana VitaGlow C Serum would be an excellent choice. It brings two forms of vitamin C together with vitamins A and E. It’s also infused with grape stem cells, which is brimming with antioxidants, and a blend of hydrating, antioxidant-rich plant oils.
Summary
Ideally, all of the products in your skincare routine, including your serums, should be compatible with your skin type. While getting this right can sometimes require some trial and error, it will be worth the effort in the end, as you’ll see much better results from all of your skincare efforts.
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