Creams, Lotions, Moisturizers, Toners, Cleaners, Serums, Gels - oy!

With so many different types of beauty products, it can be hard to know what to use on your skin and when.

Sano Naturals is all about dropping some knowledge, so every few weeks we're going to cover one product type every few days so that you can get your beauty routine on check. Today's spotlight is all about Serums! Serums are important for your skin because they act like liquid beauty specialists.  There's literally a serum for everything: anti aging, firming, hyper pigmentation, wrinkles -- you name it, and there's a serum to fix it (hint: Sano Naturals has a couple you can check out here!). What makes Serums so great is that they have smaller molecules than moisturizers.  This means that the crucial ingredients have a better chance of getting absorbed into the skin where they need to do their magic. The best serums are concentrated with anti-aging ingredients there just simply isn’t as much room for in a moisturizer. Serums differ from moisturizers in that they don’t “make room” for traditional emollients or thickeners—these are the ingredients that create a lotion or rich cream texture.  Likewise, serums won’t contain sunscreen actives like a daytime moisturizer would.  Instead, serums use that extra space to pack in other beneficial ingredients or even more antioxidants than any other product in your routine.

A serum won’t replace your daytime or nighttime moisturizer, but they will boost your anti-aging results and overall skin health when used morning and evening.

That's why they should be applied first, after cleansing and toning, during your skincare routine. You have to work quickly, though, because serums dry really fast, and you want them to penetrate deep to deliver all of their goodness into your skin.

Here are the specific ingredients to look for in your serums, depending on what results you're going for: 

1) Anti Aging - Retinol Serums and Vitamin C Serums are well known for their anti aging and anti wrinkle benefits. 

3) Hyperpigmentation - Vitamin C and Niacinamide

2) Anti Acne - Vitamin C and Niacinamide.

4) Dry Skin: Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe

Finding a good serum is akin to starting a long-term relationship—the real benefits come from sticking with your serum day in and day out.  While you will likely see some improvements right away (as their antioxidant-rich formula soothes redness and brightens skin), over the long term you’ll see signs of damage fade and skin will look and feel healthier and firmer, too!

Check back for our next post on the best ways to use your Serum.