Hydration is key anytime of year but it’s especially important now. If you’re not already using a serum to help boost your skin’s hydration you should really start now. Serums are great because they give your moisturizer more “oomph” with added benefits. Here are 4 I’ve tested out.
I can be picky about my serums – the texture has to be just right for me and also it has to work well under my makeup as I like to apply my serum in the morning too.
There are many serums out there but these four have been stand outs for me lately.
The Vichy Idealia Life Serum ($59) is designed for skin that is over-stressed, UV-ray/pollution exposed and affected by an unbalanced diet. If you have all these issues would you like to raise your hand with me? This serum is more like a very light lotion and has pretty gold and red pearls giving it a shimmery pink hue. As I found out later it is a serum + primer in one which is why it was great for under makeup. When applied it instantly diffused the look of the pores I had on my cheeks and absorbed into my skin leaving a nice glow behind. The fragrance is a bit floral and though it’s supposed to be suitable for those with sensitive skin I would test first in case you are weary of fragrance. I think that those without any breakouts or scars will see a significant improve in their skin texture and may even be able to go out with little or no makeup.
When I first saw this L’Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector ($29.99) I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between in packaging between this and the Vichy one. The pink “ombre” of the bottles really appeal to me! Interestingly the L’Oreal serum is also tinged pink and more lotion like. I found the fragrance lighter and not as strong as the Vichy one. The texture was similar but felt more “velvety” when it dried. I preferred the Vichy one under my makeup however but this serum also blurred pores and left my skin feeling really nice and soft.
Elizabeth Grant has a wide array of products – this Vitamin C Hydra Moist Super Fruit Concentrate Serum ($38) is more like a traditional serum in terms of texture. This water based formula is readily absorbed into the skin and I caught a hint of Vitamin C (Orange) scent. The exciting thing about this formula is that it’s made with 5 super fruits – acai berry, blueberry, cranberry, goji berry and the exotic dragon fruit. Together they all work to give you healthier, smoother and brighter looking skin. While I can’t vouch for those claims this light serum was great to hydrate (I noticed some fine lines due to dehydration looked less noticeable) and it’s doesn’t cause my makeup to slide off.
I’m most excited about these new products by MIYU Beauty. The “Hydrate Mi” pairing ($42) contains the Hydrate Mi Beauty Tea + the Beauty Essence. This pairing is made for those who don’t drink enough water, consume caffeinated beverages and travel often. I definitely fit into the first two categories and earlier this fall I was traveling quite a bit! The beauty essence is EXTREMELY light – in fact it’s a facial mist but with the benefits of a serum which makes it great for even those that hate to layer on products. It smells of roses (one of the ingredients) and also contains goji berries, wild pansy and mangosteen. You can spray the beauty essence day and night before moisturizer and simply pat into your skin. To boost the potency of the beauty essence it should be paired with the beauty tea containing green rooibos and essential electrolytes to hydrate from within. I love the idea of hydrating your skin from both inside and out with products that work together.
There you have it! 4 serums that are sure to help keep your skin hydrated even in the cold weather.
So, will you be giving any of these products a try? What are your thoughts on serums – will you include them into your beauty regime?
***Disclosure: products were sent for review consideration***
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