A decent serum is essential for addressing your skin care concerns, whether you want to completely embrace the glowy skin trend with strong hydration or require your routine to match your makeup by blurring pores. “I always encourage patients to think about their specific skin care needs first when choosing a serum,” says Corey L. Hartman, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama.
With a growing range of active chemicals to utilize in face serums, it can be tough to determine which one is best for your skin type, lifestyle, climate, genetics, and so on. For example, people trying to brighten their skin after a lot of summer sun exposure may want to try a vitamin C serum, while those looking to smooth fine wrinkles may benefit from a retinol. InStyle editors tested dozens of top-rated face serums on all skin types to determine which was best for each issue and preference.
Why We Love It: Out of all the facial serums we’ve tried, this is the best. This multipurpose product has skin-loving elements such as peptides, collagen, antioxidants, and exfoliants, which helped InStyle tester Joie’s aging combination skin feel and look plump, moisturized, and baby-soft. Because of the creamy, lightweight texture, one to two pumps sufficed to adequately treat her face and neck. It absorbs and begins to work immediately.
Who It’s For: Anyone seeking for a moderately priced serum that addresses skin issues right away will appreciate the luxurious sensation this one gives. Ferulic acid, collagen, and peptides are very beneficial to people experiencing dryness, lack of elasticity, and uneven texture.
It’s worth noting that if you cleanse your face twice a day and then use two pumps of this serum, the ordinary one-ounce bottle will only last approximately a month.
Joie, a tester with combination skin (not pictured): “I’ve never had a serum provide such immediate benefits and make my face feel so much better in minutes. I am completely swapping and can’t wait to see the long-term effects of utilizing it consistently.”
Why We Love It: For such a low-cost skin care product, this serum delivers a powerful punch, and the proof is in the results. Ciara, an InStyle tester, discovered that it gradually removed her dark spots and minimized any breakouts that appeared overnight. It even improved skin elasticity, tightening the texture and firming her overall appearance.
Who It’s For: If you have dull skin, fine wrinkles, and/or acne, this serum should help. However, it is not suitable for dry or highly sensitive skin.
Ciara remarked that as the liquid substance dries, it can cause minor stinging and dry down her skin. We recommend following up with an excellent moisturizer.
Key Ingredients: Tasmanian Pepperberry, Lactic Acid.Skin type: oily, combination, fine wrinkles, acne-prone | Size: 1 oz.
Ciara, a tester with combination skin, stated, “I was very impressed with this product and how quickly I saw the results from the serum.”
Why We Love It: Vitamin C is essential for your skin care routine. The perfect vitamin C serum helps brighten your complexion (especially under the eyes), diminish small wrinkles, and soothe redness—all of which InStyle tester Maggie discovered with this surprisingly affordable alternative. Her troublesome acne scars began to diminish, and it even reduced the recuperation period following a breakout. We also appreciate that it comes with a push-dispenser rather than a syringe, which makes it much easier to acquire the correct amount.
Who It’s For: Vitamin C is beneficial to everyone, but it’s especially useful for those trying to rebuild their skin barrier, brighten their complexion, and keep reoccurring acne at bay.
Worth noting: According to Ava Shamban, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, vitamin C serums should be applied to a fully dry face. Vitamin C is notoriously unstable and may disintegrate if exposed to water or another skin care product. “It should dry with a waiting period of two or three minutes before your layer of sunscreen or moisturizer,” she says.
Key ingredients include vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. Suitable for normal, dry, oily, combo, and acne-prone skin. Size: 1 oz.
Maggie, a tester with combination skin, says, “My skin texture feels lovely, and the lines are less noticeable. I believe this also works well at swiftly fading any pigmentation caused by healing pimples.
Why We Love It: Beauty of Joseon, a brand at the vanguard of America’s fascination with Korean beauty, is known for its delicate yet effective products that produce in radiant, (dare we say) glass skin. This liquid mixture spreads and absorbs readily, and the combination of green tea water, licorice root, and sodium hyaluronate gives a relaxing effect. After a month of use, InStyle tester Jaclyn’s dry, eczema-prone skin became dramatically brighter and smoother, with no breakouts. Even her fine wrinkles have improved. Jaclyn discovered that it blended nicely under makeup without pilling.
Who It’s For: This facial serum is ideal for someone who has a severely irritated skin barrier. Furthermore, it is safe for pregnant women and those with sensitive skin.
Jaclyn mentioned that she wanted to follow up with a moisturizer or moisturizing serum because her skin is normally really dry.
