Serums that suit your skin type

When you choose your next serumIt's important to match them with your skin type to maximise the benefits. Every skin type has unique needs, and the right ingredients can help improve skin health and appearance. By understanding your skin's specific needs, you can choose a serum that targets issues such as dryness, oily skin, redness or signs of ageing.

We have compiled an overview of the most common skin types and skin problems.

Dry skin

When choosing a serum for dry skin, it's important to focus on moisturising and protective ingredients that both restore the skin's moisture balance and strengthen its natural barrier. Here are some of the most effective ingredients you should look for in a serum for dry skin:

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a key ingredient for dry skin. It is a humectant ingredient naturally found in the body and can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. When applied to the skin, it helps to attract and retain moisture, leaving skin soft and hydrated. Hyaluronic acid serum works both deeply and superficially, making it an indispensable ingredient to combat dryness.

Glycerine

Glycerin is another powerful moisturiser that works by drawing moisture from the air into the skin. It also acts as a barrier protector, preventing water loss from the skin. Glycerin helps improve the skin's elasticity and makes it more resistant to dryness. The combination of glycerin and hyaluronic acid in a serum can provide a deep, long-lasting moisturising effect.

Oily and acne-prone skin

When it comes to oily and acne-prone skin, it's important to choose ingredients that can balance the skin's sebum production without disrupting moisture levels or irritating the skin. One of the most effective and popular ingredients for this skin type is niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3). 

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has a remarkable ability to reduce sebum production, which is crucial for controlling oily skin. By regulating the skin's oil production, you can avoid the shiny and greasy feeling that many oily skin sufferers experience throughout the day. This also helps prevent sebum from building up in the pores and leading to clogged pores and acne breakouts.

In addition, niacinamide has a positive effect on the visibility of pores. When sebum production is reduced, pores are less likely to dilate and appear less visible. This gives the skin a smoother and more uniform appearance, which is a great benefit for those looking to improve skin texture and reduce unevenness.

In addition to regulating sebum production, niacinamide also has strong anti-inflammatory properties that help calm the skin. For people with acne-prone skin, where redness and irritation are common, niacinamide is a mild but effective ingredient for reducing inflammation.

Ceramides

Ceramides are natural lipids (fats) found in the outermost layer of the skin and play a crucial role in maintaining the skin's protective barrier. This barrier protects the skin from moisture loss and harmful external influences such as pollution and bacteria. Although oily skin is typically associated with an excess of oil, it can actually be a skin type that suffers from a weakened barrier, making it more prone to irritation and breakouts.

For oily skin, ceramides can help restore and strengthen the skin's natural barrier, helping to regulate moisture while protecting against irritation and inflammation. When the skin barrier is weakened, skin is often more susceptible to inflammation and infection, which can worsen acne breakouts. 

Mature or ageing skin

Mature skin produces less collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for skin firmness and suppleness. At the same time, the production of natural oils decreases, which can lead to dryness and a rougher skin texture. Mature skin therefore requires special care with products rich in nourishing, restorative and protective ingredients. 

Retinol (vitamin A)

Retinol is one of the most well-documented and effective ingredients for fighting the signs of ageing. Retinol works by accelerating skin cell renewal and stimulating the production of collagen, a protein that keeps skin firm and elastic. 

As we age, the body's natural production of collagen decreases, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Using a serum with retinol can help restore a firmer and smoother skin texture over time. Retinol can also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with regular use and improves the skin's surface by reducing pore size and making the skin more even and smooth.

Another benefit of retinol is its ability to reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation, which often occur with age due to sun damage and hormonal changes. Retinol helps to brighten the skin and give it a more even tone.

Peptides

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as building blocks for proteins like collagen and elastin in the skin. These proteins are essential for maintaining skin structure and firmness. With age, collagen and elastin levels decrease, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Using a serum with peptides can stimulate the skin's own production of collagen, which can help to improve skin firmness and reduce the visibility of signs of ageing.

Peptides also act as signalling molecules that communicate with skin cells and tell them to repair and regenerate themselves. This makes peptides particularly useful for mature skin, as they help maintain skin structure and counteract the breakdown of collagen that naturally occurs with age. Peptides are also known to be gentle and suitable for daily use, even for sensitive skin, making them an ideal choice in an anti-aging skincare routine.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from damaging free radicals that contribute to skin ageing. Free radicals originate from factors such as UV radiation, pollution and other environmental influences and can cause damage to skin cells, leading to premature ageing. By including vitamin C in your skincare routine, you can help protect your skin from this damage while promoting a clearer, more even skin tone.

Vitamin C is also known for its ability to brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation that often occur as a result of ageing and sun damage. It also promotes collagen production, which helps to improve skin firmness and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. With regular use of vitamin C, skin will appear more radiant and youthful, with a more even skin tone and improved texture.

Combination skin

Combination skin is a skin type that has both oily and dry areas. Typically, the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) will be oily, while the cheeks and outer areas of the face can be dry or normal. This imbalance is because different parts of the face produce different amounts of sebum (the skin's natural oil), which can create challenges in the skincare routine.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage caused by UV radiation and pollution. This is particularly useful for combination skin, as environmental influences can exacerbate both dryness and sebum overproduction. By protecting skin cells, vitamin E helps prevent signs of premature ageing, such as wrinkles and fine lines, making skin healthier and more resilient.

One of vitamin E's most valuable properties for combination skin is its moisturising effect without clogging pores. For dry areas of the face, vitamin E can provide the necessary moisture, helping to restore the skin's natural barrier and prevent moisture loss. Unlike heavy oils and moisturisers, vitamin E is non-comedogenic, which means it won't clog pores or exacerbate oil production in oily areas of the face.

Vitamin E also helps promote the skin's natural repair processes, which can be useful for those who experience roughness or mild irritation in the drier areas of the face. It also calms the skin and reduces redness, which can be useful if you experience combination skin prone to irritation or small breakouts.

Rosacea

Cold-pressed rosehip seed oil

Cold-pressed rosehip seed oil is ideal for the treatment of rosacea due to its nourishing, soothing and repairing properties. This oil is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants, making it suitable for improving skin elasticity and reducing inflammation. 

Rosehip seed oil contains natural anti-inflammatory components such as linoleic acid and other essential fatty acids that help reduce redness and irritation, which are common symptoms of rosacea.

Rosehip seed oil is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin A (retinoids), which help protect the skin from free radical damage while promoting skin regeneration. This can help reduce rosacea-related skin damage and improve the overall appearance of the skin.

Squalane

Squalane is another serum ingredient known for its moisturising and soothing properties and can be particularly beneficial for rosacea sufferers. Rosacea-affected skin often needs an ingredient that can moisturise without irritating the skin or clogging pores, and squalane is ideal for this purpose. Squalane is a light oil that resembles the skin's natural oils, making it particularly suitable for sensitive skin.