You might think a facial cream and a facial serum are the same thing. In fact, they’re not—and here’s why.
Facial Cream
A facial cream is a cosmetic and is usually produced by mixing water and oil. Also called a moisturizer, it has bigger molecules that can’t really penetrate skin. Thus, the focus of such creams is the top, surface layer of the skin. Their purpose is to clean or soften skin and may sometimes contain active ingredients. Examples of facial cream include:
• Vanishing cream
• Emollient
• Ointment
• Cold cream
• Moisturizer
Facial creams have been the most prevalent method of skin care for many decades. Your grandmother probably even had her favorite moisturizer as part of her skin care routine. They come in relatively large packages, and you can apply them in fairly liberal doses.
Facial Serum
A facial serum is a treatment rather than a cosmetic. A little bit goes a long way, and skincare serum packaging is typically very small. A skincare serum is water based, and ingredients include light oils. The various components have smaller molecules that work together to penetrate the skin to a degree that facial creams can’t.
Skincare serums have many devoted adherents and current technology to thank for their existence.
Skincare serums use their penetration ability to carry nutrients and are more finely textured than skincare creams.
Skincare serums are:
• Extremely powerful, with high concentrations of ingredients.
• Have from 10 to 15 times more active ingredients than facial creams.
• Can treat beauty issues on a deeper level rather than the superficial treatment cosmetics provide.
Which should you use?
Dermatologists work with hair, nails and skin. They treat medical and surgical needs as well as some cosmetic issues. In general, they recommend the use of a serum over a cream. A facial cream’s molecular structure makes it difficult for skin to breathe. Skincare serums, on the other hand, allow for more hydration and easier movement among various types of cold and warm environments.
However, dermatologists also acknowledge that for a young person, such as a woman in her twenties, facial creams should suffice as long as skin is in good shape.
Using both creams and serums is sometimes wise. If your skin is dry, it’s prone to peeling. A cream helps restore balance. If your skin is oily and frequently breaks out in acne, using cream is probably hindering your skin care. Cream can block your pores while a skincare serum that is oil-free sidesteps this clogging issue and keeps your skin moist.
If you’re using both, apply toner first. If your skin is dry, apply serum next while your face is wet so you can contain as much moisture as possible. Give the serum a few moments to penetrate and then put on your moisturizer.
In any case
Regardless of if you’re using a skincare serum or cream or both, you’re better off looking for natural products. Skin does better with natural products in much the same way that your body prefers sunshine rather than Vitamin D in a pill.
• Avoid silicone-based products because with continued use. They might result in blocked, dry and inflamed skin.
• Stay away from products that have denatured alcohol and/or SD alcohol 40. They’ll dehydrate your skin.
