You may think that the biggest investment for your skin is a serum packed with active ingredients. But learning how to apply serums correctly on the face will really tune up your complexion and target any concerns you want to work on, from dehydration and fine lines to reducing redness and dullness.
Ahead, our experts explain how to apply serums on the face properly for the best results – from the right serum for your skin to the best application technique – and why you should add one to your daily routine.
What do serums do?
Facial serums are a little like medicine for your skin in that they're filled with powerful doses of active ingredients that can really deliver results. This largely comes down to their thin, concentrated formulas. Unlike moisturisers, which are made up of big molecules that hydrate the skin's surface, serums have a very small molecular weight, which allows them to shuttle ingredients into the deeper layers of skin.
Even if dryness, dullness and pigmentation aren't an issue for you, generally speaking, everyone can benefit from using an antioxidant serum in the morning to protect against pollution and make their SPF waterproof.
“An antioxidant serum is helpful in the daytime for all skin types,” says aesthetic doctor, Dr Sophie Shotter. “Skin is exposed every day to oxidative stress from UV light, pollution and other environmental triggers, with our face, neck and hands being most exposed. Antioxidants help neutralise free radicals, which support collagen preservation, help reduce visible dullness and uneven tone, and complement daily sunscreen."
Save when you shop with these LookFantastic discount codes at checkout.
What serum should I choose?
These days, serums are more nuanced, so there’s a formula to suit every skin concern, from dryness to dullness and even blemishes. This is how to choose the right serum for your skin concerns:
Dry skin
Dr Priya Verma, an aesthetic doctor at London's ART Clinic, is a fan of pairing hyaluronic acid serums and ceramide-rich moisturisers together.
“Hyaluronic acid is excellent because it draws water into the skin and helps improve dehydration, while ceramide-supporting formulas help reduce moisture loss and strengthen the barrier,” she says. "Peptides can also be helpful, particularly if dryness is occurring alongside early signs of ageing, because they support resilience as well as hydration.”
Save when you shop with these Sephora discount codes at checkout.
Oily and acne-prone skin
As well as reaching for light-weight serums, those with oily and acne-prone skin should scan the ingredients list for oil regulators, as well as ingredients that reduce inflammation and purge pores of the plugs of dirt and sebum that can leave skin congested. “Niacinamide is an excellent option because it can help calm inflammation and support barrier function, while azelaic acid helps with breakouts as well as the pigmentation left behind after spots,” says Dr Verma.
Salicylic acid can also be beneficial, adds Dr Shotter, “because it is oil-soluble and works its way into pores”, while “lightweight hydrators such as hyaluronic acid or aloe help avoid the rebound irritation that can happen when acne-prone skin is over-dried by active ingredients.”
Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum
Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum
- Strength: 10%.
- Cruelty-free? Yes.
- Key ingredients: Powerful antioxidants trans-resveratrol and EGCG.
- Skin type: Suitable for all skin types.
Why we love it: Ideal for use over the face, neck and décolleté, Sunday Riley's niacinamide serum is suitable for all skin types and is formulated to encourage a more even, brighter complexion. The niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores and calm redness and blemishes, while the brightenyl, a biotechnologically created molecule, helps brighten the skin and soothe sensitivity. It also includes powerful antioxidants trans-resveratrol and EGCG, both of which protect the skin from the impacts of stress and pollution. Dark spots, be gone.
Enjoy savings when shopping for niacinamide serums using these Space NK discount codes.
Allies of Skin Azelaic and Kojic Advanced Clarifying Serum
Allies of Skin Azelaic and Kojic Advanced Clarifying Serum
- Key ingredients: Azelaic Acid, Kojic Acid, Licorice Extract, Bakuchiol
- Skin type: Uneven tone, breakout-prone, redness-prone
- Percentage: 10% Azelaic Acid with added brightening actives
Why we love it: This serum pulls together some serious skincare heavyweights (I mean, that’s something we expect to see given the price). Azelaic acid calms redness and smooths texture, kojic acid and licorice target pigmentation, and bakuchiol brings a gentle retinol-like effect for extra clarity and brightness.
While we’ve not tested it out ourselves, the reviews are pretty impressive - with one customer even describing it as “the closest thing to a miracle.” Despite it having a luxe texture, reviewers say it sinks in beautifully and works well under SPF and makeup. The only downside? It’s definitely an investment when compared to other azelaic acid options - but for those willing to splurge, the results definitely seem worth it.
Caudalie Vinopure Blemish Control Salicylic Serum
Caudalie Vinopure Blemish Control Salicylic Serum
- Strength: 3%.
- Cruelty-free? Yes.
- Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, rose water, niacinamide.
- Skin type: Suitable for all skin types.
Why we love it: Perfect for blemish-prone skin, this gorgeous gel-serum is packed with a potent blend of ingredients; pore unclogging salicylic acid, visibly brightening and refining niacinamide, and soothing rose water to hydrate and refresh the complexion — while also minimising excess sebum production. It's suitable for all skin types, and works really well at quickly clearing away spots and acne.
Save when you shop with these Space NK discount codes at checkout.
Stressed skin
Your main goal with sensitive skin or sensitised skin (your skin type vs skin that is irritated from product overload) is to dial down redness and take the sting out of compromised skin.
“I would prioritise ingredients that calm irritation and restore resilience," says Dr Shotter. “The most useful choices are niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. If the skin feels reactive, the goal is not to challenge it with too many actives but to reduce inflammation, improve hydration and rebuild barrier function so the skin can tolerate stronger ingredients further down the line.”
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
- Best for: Hydrating and soothing.
- Skin type suitable for: All.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, provitamin B5 and pineapple ceramides.
- Cruelty-free? Yes.
- Fragranced? No.
Why we love it: Looking for an antioxidant-rich serum that can help shield your skin from environmental aggressors while providing up to 24 hours of hydration? Say no more. Suitable for all skin types, this nourishing beauty product also contains provitamin B5, which helps soothe inflammation and promote natural collagen production.
Save when you shop with these Boots discount codes at checkout.
Dull skin with patches of pigmentation
“For dull skin with patches of pigmentation, look for vitamin C first,” says Dr Shotter. “It's an antioxidant, helps brighten the complexion and is a strong daytime choice for those concerned with uneven tone.”
L-ascorbic acid is your go-to here because it's the most stable form of vitamin C. “Tranexamic acid [a brightening ingredient that inhibits the production of excess pigment in the skin] is also particularly helpful for more stubborn uneven tone and melasma-prone skin,” adds Dr Vema.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
- Best for: Youth-boosting.
- Skin type: All skin types, particularly mature skin.
- Key ingredients: Squalane, glycolic acid and jojoba esters.
- Tested by: Sophie Cockett.
Why we love it: An absolute dream to apply, Sunday Riley's C.E.O Rapid Flash Brightening Serum is super-charged with vitamin C to target signs of ageing, dullness, dehydration, fine lines and hyperpigmentation. It's also formulated to reduce the size of pores over time, so if large pores around your T-zone is something you struggle with, this could be the vitamin C serum for you.
"It has a refreshing citrus-y scent, a thick; creamy consistency which feels hydrating on application. Over time, I've definitely noticed a change in the brightness of my complexion and plan on continuing using it for the foreseeable," – Sophie Cockett, Glamour's Senior European Commerce Editor.
Save when you shop for the best vitamin C serums with these Amazon discount codes.
- Courtesy of Fiona Embleton
C-Tetra® Advanced
- Best for: Accelerated and visible skin brightening.
- Skin type: All skin types.
- Key ingredients: 20% Stabilised Vitamin C, Phyto Exosomes, Acetyl Zingerone, Multi-Weight Hyaluronic Acid and N-Acetyl Glucosamine.
- Tested by: Fiona Embleton.
Why we love it: “As a beauty editor, I've probably road-tested upwards of 200 different vit-C serums in my career. They all beat a familiar drum – ‘great for skin-brightening!’, ‘the ultimate protection against environmental damage!’– but only a handful have turned into repeat purchases,” Fiona Embleton, Glamour's Beauty Director said. "Within seconds of applying the C-Tetra Advanced's milky-thin, gel-serum formula – a rarity among vitamin C serums – a switch was thrown. Now here was a product I could get behind…
It follows in the footsteps of C-Tetra (the OG) and C-Tetra Luxe (the brand's second vit-C release) – but has a creamy texture instead of an oily one, and contains a next-generation combination of 20% vitamin C and cutting edge phyto exosomes to brighten and protect the skin against external aggressors.
You can read our full Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced review here, but here's the TLDR. 20% stabilised vitamin C is included for brightening, hyaluronic acid has been added for hydration – and then two superstar ingredients make an experience. Plant exosomes from green tea which encapsulate the vitamin C, carrying it deeper into the skin, while also having a soothing effect and protecting the skin barrier – and acetyl zingerone, which boosts the power of vitamin C. If you've got the money to spend, you need to try this serum."
Save when you shop for the best vitamin C serums with these Sephora discount codes at checkout.
Ageing skin
There's no single magic bullet to improve the look of fine lines and slack skin. But dermatologists and aesthetic doctors wax lyrical about a holy trinity of ingredients that help skin to build elastin and collagen – the springs and stuffing of your skin.
Retinoids – a family of vitamin A derivatives that includes retinol – are widely regarded as the most transformative of these because they bring fresh cells to the skin's surface faster to soften the look of wrinkles and impart a baby-faced glow.
“Retinoids remain one of the most evidence-based topical options for improving fine lines and supporting collagen production," says Dr Shotter. “Peptides can support collagen and elastin signalling, while vitamin C helps with oxidative stress, as well as being crucial for collagen production.” All of which is important, given skin starts to lose 1% of collagen each year after the age of 25.
.jpg)
La Roche Posay
La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum
La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum
- Retinoid concentration: 0.3%.
- Form of retinol: Pure retinol.
- Suitable for sensitive skin? Yes.
- Product size: 30ml.
Why we love it: This night-time serum is suitable for all skin types, especially for those prone to sensitive skin. In addition to its gentle 0.3% retinol content, the serum complex also includes other ingredients, such as vitamin B3 and glycerin, to keep your skin nourished and hydrated.
Tester: Elle Turner, Glamour's Senior Beauty Editor.
Should you apply serum before or after moisturiser?
A good rule of thumb is to always apply products in order of consistency, from thin to thick, as it makes it easier for the skin to absorb. Always apply a serum after cleansing and toning, but before moisturiser and SPF.
“Serums are usually formulated with smaller, more concentrated active molecules designed to penetrate the skin, so they should go on first," says Dr Verma. “Moisturiser then sits over the top to reduce water loss, support the barrier and help seal those actives in. If you apply moisturiser first, you may reduce how effectively the serum reaches the skin.”
How to apply serums on the face
Step 1: Cleanse and tone
“After cleansing, apply toner if you use one, then go in with your serum while the skin is still slightly damp rather than waiting for it to become fully dry," says Dr Verma. Ideally, wait 30 seconds between each product layer to prevent pilling.
Step 2: Pump your chosen serum into the palm of your hand
“Apply around 2 to 4 drops of serum for the full face, or enough for a thin, even layer,” recommends Dr Shotter.
Step 3: Press it on
“Gently smooth or press it over the skin rather than aggressively rubbing,” says Dr Shotter. “Start centrally and work outwards” – in other words, start down your nose and jaw and up to your cheeks and forehead. Don’t forget your neck and décolleté.
Step 4: Apply pressure
“If you want to boost circulation, use very light upward sweeping motions or a brief lymphatic-style massage with your fingertips, but keep it gentle, as over-manipulation can worsen redness in sensitive skin,” says Dr Shotter.
Step 5: Follow with moisturiser and, in the morning, finish with sunscreen
Helpful tips
- Some serums should be applied in the morning and others at night. “In the morning, the best serums are usually antioxidant and protective ones, especially vitamin C, alongside hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid or niacinamide, depending on skin type,” says Dr Shotter. “In the evening, that is when I would use more corrective ingredients such as retinoids because they can make you more sensitive to sunlight and be irritating if overused.”
- Be mindful of the ingredients you mix together. “When choosing a serum, the combinations I most commonly tell patients to be careful with are retinoids plus strong exfoliating acids in the same routine,” says Dr Shotter. “The issue is usually not that ingredients are universally “forbidden,” but that over-layering raises the risk of irritation, barrier disruption, redness, and poor adherence.”
- Store your serum in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. “Many active ingredients, particularly antioxidants such as vitamin C, can be destabilised by heat, light and humidity," says Dr Verma. "Storing serums in a cool, dry place helps preserve their potency, texture and shelf life.”
