Serum suitable for sensitive skin?

[BookFairy]

I've been pondering serums (I'm 28). I have really sensitive skin, so I'm loathe to spend money and have a flare up of dermatitis!

Any recommendations? Are they actually worth it?

TIA :)

[Floisme]

If you have sensitive skin I would stay away from serum altogether. I had a terrible reaction to one a couple of years ago and my skin still hasn't fully recovered. When my face feels extra dry I find the best thing is to slap on some oil - pretty much any kind does the job.

(I also think serums are a compete con but that's for another thread!)

[goodasitgets]

REN omega 3 serum oil is lovely and hasn't made mine flare up at all

[GinAndSonic]

I use the serum bar that lush do.

[Floisme]

To be fair and more precise: the serum on its own may not have wrecked my skin. It was overloading it with products that did the damage and serum was the final straw. Of course you may be luckier than I was and clearly some people with sensitive skin do get away with it. But the claims made for serum have so little science behind them (no-one has ever convinced me that it does anything useful) that I personally don't think it's worth the risk.

[MrsFlorrick]

I have super sensitive skin and suffer from
Rosacea.

Best thing is using oils. I get pomegranate oil and raspberry seed oil from Akamuti (£4 for a small bottle which lasts a couple of months or £11 for a bigger one which lasts close to a year).

If I want it to be less heavy and more serum like, I mix it with pure liquid collagen by Dermier (£20 for Amazon) here www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B005401H4Y?pc_redir=1404829699&robot_redir=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

It has done amazing things for my skin. Keeps wrinkles at bay (I'm in the over 40s category) and leaves skin glowing soft and smooth.
It also helps keep my rosacea redness at bay which is another issue.

I also OCM. I use hazelnut oil or rice bran oil. Not only is it economical but it has done wonders for my skin.

I wish I had known about this at 20. My skin would have been so much better and I probably wouldn't have developed rosacea. Not to mentioned the many thousands if pounds I could have saved

Anyway worth go if you're sensitive.

[BookFairy]

Thanks all :)

Floisme that's v interesting. My skin is doing really well at the moment so I'm not sure I want to risk it! Clearly I have been taken in by advertising claims

[BookFairy]

MrsFlorrick (fellow Good Wife fan!) I will definitely look at raspberry seed oil. Fascinating stuff thank you. I use organic skin care but I'm conscious that I only have one face and want to take care of it best I can. :)

[atticusclaw]

My skin can be sensitive and I use VitalC (image skin care) Its about £35 but it lasts for six months. Its gorgeous and smells of oranges.

[jamaisjedors]

I have bad eczema and very sensitive skin and have started (from a thread on here) mixing in a few drops of rosehip seed oil (mine is from Pai) in with my moisturiser at night.

I have noticed it has faded one of my scars and has also really helped the wrinkles on my neck/cleavage. Unfortunately I think my face is too far gone for it to do that much but my skin is less dry and more resistant I think.

[andmyunpopularopionis]

I have extremely sensitive skin and use coconut oil. I have a bottle of the SOS Rose oil which I use occasionally is also very nice.

[BookFairy]

Thank you attic jam and andmy. Sounds like oil is a lot more beneficial than serum for those of us cursed with sensitive skin/eczema. Mumsnet always knows the answer :)

[Kundry]

It depends what you want your serum to do? There are hydrating serums, vitamin serums, brightening serums etc etc. Some with be fine for your skin, some will be fantastic, some will be irritant and some just a pointless waste of money.

To answer your question properly we'd need to know what the rest of your skincare regime is and what you are looking for in a serum.

[BookFairy]

I'm becoming aware of the "first signs of ageing" and have been pondering if I should be doing more. I use Neal's Yard, Alba Botanica, and Lavera. I recently bought the new No7 eye serum as I had a money off voucher/points to use, and wondered if serums are the new magical saviour to slow down the process of skin ageing!

[Kundry]

OK - I started looking for similar reasons but I think my skin's v different to yours as I'm combination to oily.

In anti-ageing the things proven to work are SPF, Vitamin A (retinol), AHAs, Vitamin C and E, peptides and niacinamide. So you would be looking to incorporate some or all of that - bearing in mind that SPF is far and away the most important so if you aren't using a SPF 30 you might as well not bother with everything else.

The brands you are using tend to the more 'natural and herbs' end of the spectrum but they do still have products advertised as having some of these - mainly Vitamin C in serums. Rosehip oil is full of it which is prob why everyone raves about it.

In terms of serums there are great serums with proper ingredients but loads of serums that are just using the 'serum' word to make you think they are fab while containing nothing anti-ageing at all. Boots No 7 famously has peptides in and is supposed to be v good.

[BookFairy]

"In terms of serums there are great serums with proper ingredients but loads of serums that are just using the 'serum' word to make you think they are fab while containing nothing anti-ageing at all."

Yes! That was what I suspected!

I religiously use SPF 30 or 45 depending on the weather

I think I will start off with Rosehip Seed Oil and see how I get on.

This thread has been so interesting!

Kundry you are very knowledgable, many thanks for sharing your wisdom :)

[atticusclaw]

My MIL was in the product trials for the Boots No 7 protect and perfect serum and it definitely helped (and she's in her seventies!). You can see the difference on the before and after photos.

[prettymel]

I am using serum with Vitamin C, it really works on my skin. I applied some Vitamin C serum on my face during night and leave it on my face overnight. I notice that my skin is much healthier than before. Vitamin C serum helps my skin to become brighter. You can also use a natural facial mask once a week to keep your skin hydrated and moisturize.