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What Does Face Serum Do?

Face serums have proven to be an effective skincare product to advance your routine and to help improve the look and feel of your skin. But what is face serum? And what are its benefits for your skin? Read on to find out more, including: the definitions, benefits, types and how to use face serums effectively to improve your skin complexion.

What is serum? Its properties and use in skin care

Serums are oil- or water-based liquids that can easily absorb into your skin. Serums are wonderful additions to your skincare routine as their rate of absorption allows for deep penetration into the skin. Depending on the purpose, serums can provide deep cleansing or a rejuvenated-looking complexion.  

Despite their moisturizing properties, serums are considered lighter than lotions or moisturizing creams. Serums are most commonly used on the face, but specific serums can also be used for hair and body. 

woman holding a Nivea serum

What is face serum?

A face serum is a facial skincare product that contains concentrated nourishing ingredients (such as Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid or other vitamins and antioxidants) with less additives (thickeners, emulsifiers or oils). This allows for the quicker absorption of higher concentrations of ingredients that help nourish the skin. 

Face serums work by targeting specific skin concerns. For example, a face serum with Hyaluronic Acid would specialize in helping to replenish moisture in dry skin, keeping your skin plump and firm. 

What does serum do for your face?

Different face serums can target different skin concerns based on their unique formula of ingredients, from helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines, dark circles , or even large pores.  

Face serum benefits

Listed below are several benefits a face serum may provide, note that serums will be formulated for a specific benefit. 
Woman with healthy skin

1. Refining Pores 

Enlarged or clogged pores can be difficult to treat, but since face serums are lightweight and can absorb easily into the skin, pores can be more deeply cleansed. Lessening the build-up in pores minimizes their appearance and can help refine the skin’s look and feel. 

2. Supporting a radiant-looking and more even complexion 

Having dark spots on your skin or an uneven skin tone can make you feel self-conscious, but face serums like NIVEA Luminous630® Dark Spot Solution Advanced Serum can help visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots in as little as 2 weeks with regular use. The patented Luminous 630® ingredient acts on existing pigmentation to help reduce the appearance of dark spots, looking less intense after each application. 

3. Nourishing the surface of your skin 

Serums absorb deeply into the skin, but they also help provide nourishment to the surface. Keeping skin nourished and hydrated can help encourage a softer texture and the appearance of a rejuvenating glow. 

4. Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles 

As your skin matures, you may start seeing fine lines and wrinkles form. Face serums can help keep your skin looking firm. Serums like NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Night Repair Ultra Serum Night Recovery have a powerful formula with Q10 and Pro-Vitamin B5 that can help visibly reduce deep wrinkles for firmer-feeling skin overnight. 

NIVEA Q10 ANTI-WRINKLE SERUM
5. Helping the skin retain its moisture 

Although much lighter than lotions and cream, face serums help to lock moisture into the skin. Formulas with Hyaluronic Acid can help encourage moisture retention in your skin, helping to replenish the skin’s moisture barrier for a hydrated and healthy-looking complexion.

What serum should I use for my face?

Each facial serum is customized to address specific skin concerns, based on the high concentration of nourishing ingredients contained in each formula.  
 
What face serum is best for specific skin concerns can be categorized in 6 different types including: 
woman using Nivea Q10 anti-wrinkle serum

Anti-Aging Serums 
Anti-aging serums help reduce the appearance of common signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, encouraging skin to retain moisture and look firmer. 

Serums for Dull Skin 
Serums for dull skin can help nourish skin to encourage a more luminous, radiant-looking complexion. 
 
Hydrating Face Serums 
Hydrating Face Serums often use ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid in conjunction with other moisturizing ingredients to help hydrate the skin. 
 
Exfoliating Face Serums 
Exfoliating Face Serums can help buff away dead skin cells which can help to smooth skin’s texture and improve the efficiency of absorbing ingredients into the skin. 
 
Skin-Protecting Face Serums 
Skin-protecting face serums help to protect your skin from pollutants and other external irritants.  

When you’ve figured out what specific skin concerns you want to target, you can look at what serum would fit with the concern you have. If your skin concern is Acne or another medical condition, be sure to contact your trusted dermatologist to establish a proper skincare routine. 

When to apply face serum?

Most serums can be applied twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. However, each serum has different recommendations when it comes to how and when to apply. Suggestions can be found on the packaging of the skincare product you’re considering.  
 
For example, NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Night Repair Ultra Serum Night Recovery is best applied before bed, pampering your skin by helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and helping to encourage firmer-looking skin overnight.  

A step-by-step guide on how to use face serum in your skincare routine

To understand when to apply face serum, NIVEA has created a quick step-by-step guide on how to use face serums in your skincare routine to ensure your skin feels fully nourished.  

 

woman looking to the side
  1. Cleanse & Tone: Ensure that your skin is clean before applying face serum onto it. This will allow your face serum to be efficiently absorbed into the skin. To make sure your skin is fresh and ready, prep your skin with a NIVEA face cleansing product and follow up with a toner to help clear excess remaining dirt or pollutants on the skin.  
  2. Apply the serum: Once your skin has been cleansed properly, apply the serum onto your hands, rub your hands together then press your hands onto your skin. Apply the serum on your skin with a patting motion, on both your face and neck. Allow the serum to absorb into the skin for a couple of minutes before proceeding with additional steps in your skincare routine.  
  3. Moisturize: Once the serum has been absorbed into the skin, gently rub on one of NIVEA’s moisturizers over the face and neck to help protect the surface of your skin.

Do you put serum on before or after moisturizer and why?

It’s best to apply serum before moisturizer. This is because serums are lightweight formulas that can easily be absorbed into your skin, whilst moisturizers are thicker formulas that create a protective barrier on the surface of the skin.

NIVEA’s recommendations for face serums

NIVEA offers face serums with ingredients that can help you achieve the appearance of healthier, younger-looking skin. Each of NIVEA’s serums are formulated with ingredients proven to be beneficial for your complexion.  
 
NIVEA’s range of face serums includes: 

NIVEA Luminous630® Dark Spot Solution Advanced Serum

A decade of meticulous research and the screening of over 50,000 ingredients resulted in the development of NIVEA’s dark spot serum featuring patented ingredient Luminous630®. This face serum reduces the look of dark spots in just 2 weeks of regular use to reveal an even, brighter looking & glowing complexion, with dark spots looking less intense after each application. 
NIVEA Luminous630® Dark Spot Solution

Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Night Repair Ultra Serum Night Recovery

NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Night Repair serum with pure co-enzyme Q10 shows that the better you sleep, the better you look. This night recovery serum replenishes skin’s moisture barrier to help the skin’s own natural nightly repair process to reduce moisture loss, for visibly hydrated, rejuvenated-looking skin.  

Enriched with Pro-vitamin B5, this anti-wrinkle night repair serum leaves feeling hydrated and looking firmer with a youthful radiance after just 1 night. Deep wrinkles are visibly reduced after 14 nights of using this face serum, and further visible reduction of the appearance of wrinkles can be seen after 2 additional weeks with nightly use. 

 

Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Night Repair
Pair with other products from the Luminous630 and Q10 ranges. 
NIVEA Q10 Range
NIVEA luminous630 Dark Spot Solution

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The information provided herein is not intended to be medical advice. Nor is it intended to treat the underlying skin disease or condition. The information is provided solely to: 

1. Moisturize, soften and smooth dry skin 
2. Improve the appearance of the skin 
3. Achieve healthier-looking skin