Both serums and moisturizers are an essential part of a quality skincare routine. They can provide daily benefits such as the promotion of a radiant, nourished-looking complexion through hydration. However, when honing your perfect daily routine, you may ask why you’re using both a serum and a moisturizer, and whether it’s worth keeping both a hydrating serum in your routine if you’re just going to moisturize at the end anyway.
We’ll break down what makes the difference between serums and moisturizers so you know whether it’s important to have both in your skincare regimen.
What is a Facial Moisturizer?
A moisturizer is a product that hydrates your skin. Typically, moisturizers contain emollients like lipids and oils to help soften the skin. Moisturizers also contain humectants, like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, to attract and retain moisture on the skin. Ingredients that have mild to moderate occlusivity, like shea butter, are also necessary for a good moisturizer to keep moisture where it is needed and not susceptible to evaporation as easily. Moisturizers vary in viscosity and ingredients depending on which skin type they are formulated for.
Our moisturizers are fine-tuned with different degrees of hydration for those with varying skin types, like our Hydro Plus Moisturizer vs. our Nourish Daily moisturizer. They should be applied at the end of your skincare routine before sunscreen application.
What is a Facial Serum?
Face serums have a more lightweight formula than moisturizers, which is easily absorbed onto the surface of the skin for specific concerns, including moisturization. Our serums are packed with high-quality ingredients, offering numerous benefits (Instantlift Tightening Serum) and targeting specific areas of the face (Eye Alive Serum). The formulas vary quite a bit, allowing people to customize and elevate their daily routine to address specific concerns.
Differences Between Serums and Moisturizers
The key difference between a serum and a moisturizer is that serums are lightweight formulas (water-based, oil, or fluid consistency) made with specific skin concerns in mind – hyperpigmentation, lines and wrinkles, etc., while moisturizers are designed to support the natural skin barrier and help skin appear hydrated. Moisturizers generally have a much thicker consistency than serums.
Serums deliver a higher concentration of active ingredients that can help to achieve a more balanced-looking, youthful skin appearance. Moisturizers not only promote the appearance of hydrated skin, but some come formulated with UV protection as an added bonus.
How to Use Serums
Serums are designed to deliver concentrated ingredients to the skin, making them a powerful step in any skincare routine. Because of their lightweight consistency, serums should be applied directly after cleansing and toning, before any creams or moisturizers. Applying serums to freshly cleansed skin allows them to absorb effectively.
While serums are often more fluid than moisturizers, they work best when paired thoughtfully. For example, Epicuren’s Colostrum Luminous Glow Cream pairs well with the Pro Collagen + Serum Amplifier. The serum helps to achieve hydrated-looking skin and target the visible signs of aging, while the moisturizer adds an extra layer of glow. Another common pairing includes the Defy Age Corrective Facial Oil with Colostrum products for skin that is both dry and dehydrated.
How to Use Moisturizers
Once your serum has been applied, it is time to apply moisturizer. This step helps to seal in hydration. This is typically the final step to your routine, other than applying sunscreen afterward in the morning.
While it may be tempting to use just one or the other, serums and moisturizers serve different purposes. When chosen carefully, your moisturizer should complement your serum rather than replace it. If a moisturizer does not contain ingredients specific to your concern, pairing it with a results-driven serum can help to ensure you still address those needs. Overall, together, a serum and moisturizer can create a balanced skincare routine that helps keep your skin looking its best.
High Quality Serums and Moisturizers
If you’re looking for the best in proven ingredients and top-quality skincare products, Epicuren Discovery is the place to start. Browse our complete collection of professional products or find tailored solutions to your unique skin type and category of products by taking our Skin Quiz today.
