Do I need serum?

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Or is it a bit of a scam to get me to buy two products instead of one?

My skin is combination, I'm 40 and still prone to spots. I use a LRP moisturiser with SPF in the day and an Avene moisturiser at night, after hot-cloth cleansing with Superdrug Radiance stuff. My skin is generally ok despite the odd spot (hormonal usually). But clearly I have lined and crepey eyes - normal at my age I would have thought?

Just wondering if/what the real benefits of a serum might be in addition.

Scam, in my opinion. I just don't believe this 'so powerful it penetrates down to your cells but not so powerful you can manage without moisturiser' stuff.

Sorry op, I didn't mean to kill your thread!

It's just my opinion, folks

Caroline hirons recommends serums.

I have really dry and dehydrated skin and use the body shop moisture serum. Not sure whether the serum has made a difference as I've changed my whole skincare routine, but my skin does feel more moisturised.

I'm quite cynical, especially after being given the hard-sell by a few beauty therapists, but I really like Estée Lauder's Advance Night Repair and buy it when I feel I need a boost, usually this time of year.

I would say you probably need a good eye cream though, OP?

Well I use the No 7 serum and overall, I can see a difference. I got a lot of compliments in the first month or so, but I have to be honest and say that I think once your skin gets used to a beauty product, the wow factor that you might get in the beginning, usually wears off a bit....or a lot. I used to use Olay regenerist serum and moisturiser, but switched the serum. I still used the moisturiser cos it's SPF 30 and I think that's the key when it comes to slowing down the ageing process.

I also like Estee Lauder's ANR, but haven't used it for 6 months or so, simply cos I can't afford it atm. As soon as I can again, I'll be sprinting to Boots! Your skin really does look better and very quickly. You just look a bit healthier and like you've had a very good nights sleep, which is always a winner!

I'm the same age and use an avene day moisturiser and either the super drug balm or a balance me face wash.

I have just started using the balance me radiance facial oil at night and it's definitely made a difference to fine lines. Might be worth a try and then no need for a night time moisturiser?

I tried the advanced night repair and couldn't even a difference.

Forgot to say that I've got combination skin too.

I love serums.
Don't always bother with moisturiser though....

Ingredients shown to work are SPF, vitamin A and acids. After that there is some evidence for ceramides, niacinamide, anti-oxidants, peptides. But the first 3 are the best.

From your routine you have SPF only.

If you added an acid toner you would probably get rid of the spots as well as a bonus. As would the retinol/vitamin A.

Serum covers a wide range of random ingredients but usually anti-oxidants or peptides.

So you might need a good serum but I think you need acids and retinol more.

Thanks everyone

Kundry, that sounds like a lot that I need and I am clueless!

Please can you give me an example of an acid toner, and a source of retinol/Vit A.

I kind of hoped that if my skin was clean and moisturised and SPF'd in the daytime, I was doing all I could re anti-ageing!

I am in no way an expert but this is what I came up with and it covers most of it (and my skin looks way better!)

AM:
Cetaphil cleanser
Paula's Choice 2% BHA lotion - have also used Effaclar Duo here, or anything with salicylic acid in. Bravura London toner would go here which is v popular on here. Pixi Glow is a more expensive option. In an emergency Clearasil pads do the same job!
Serum - yet to be decided, will prob start with a Paula's Choice one as they are upfront about what the ingredients are and are full of antioxidants
Cerave SPF 30 - has ceramides, niacinamide and SPF in one

PM:
Cetaphil
Paula's Choice 2% BHA
Serum
LRP Redermic - for the retinol bit
Cerave Night - more ceramides and niacinamide

My fave products are the Cetaphil and Cerave which I think I'll stick with a long time. The others I'm not settled on yet and will prob swap about.

Personally I think you're being had by the industry if you need to put on all that stuff day and night.
Sounds time consuming and expensive.

I was sceptical but do believe that serums can penetrate the skin better than creams due to their molecular structure.
Have recently bought E Lauder Perfection serum after reading the info on Paula's Choice website. Too early to say but does make skin very soft. There is some evidence that it contains some things that may help preserve collagen.

I use Agera's Salycylic Face Wash (you can buy it on Amazon) - was recommended to me by a dermatologist. I lather up my face in the shower in the morning and leave it for a few minutes before washing off.

As an alternative to the acid toner.

I've also got combination skin and both dermatologist and a few beauty therapists have said to ditch the cream cleansers and go for an acid face wash or a hot cloth face wash (I use one of those in the evenings).

Hmmm. I wonder what the magic ingredients in the EL Perfection serum are? AFAIK serums contain ingredients that absorb water, thereby 'bringing' moisture to your skin, such as urea or hyaluronic. But hyaluronic is far too big a molecule to penetrate the skin. It may moisturise the outer layers but it won't penetrate below that and won't prevent ageing and wrinkling. EL are well know for their clever advertising; I'm slow to believe.

Retin A definitely works. It reverses the signs of ageing and is proven to do so.
There is evidence that acids, as in glycolic, salicylic etc can help promote collagen production to a degree. They will certainly help your skin look better, more even, brighter.

The same old boring advice is: eat well, drink well, don't smoke, SPF everyday of the year, watch sugar intake (including fruit sugars and alcohol). Sugar is ageing. Sob.
You can supplement with Vit D for lack if sunshine.

And after all my jabbering on, I never answered you OP.
my opinion is no, you don't need serum. Certainly not to prevent ageing anyway. Do, only if you want to and it makes your skin feel comfortable.

Isn't Retin A really difficult to use? Ie, your skin gets worse before it get's better? I heard it was really painful to use...Or am I thinking of something else?

Serums are just the beauty industry scam of the moment! The 'molecular structure' waffle is just that, waffle.

My skin is drier in the winter and I use Nuxe oil at night in addition to my usual blue pot Nivea. Daytime I haven't found a good all rounder moisturiser but currently using Nivea Soft which is ok, followed by a Soap and Glory BB cream that I love - SPF30 and has a priming effect before my foundation. I know people say cleansers aren't important but I swear by Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean - I don't know what magic it has in it, perusing the ingredients there's nothing that stands out - but my skin has never been so good since using it - combination skin.

TheBitch, you cynic! Do you not think though that it's more about what might not work for you, might work for another. I mean, you've said you swear by a Soap and Glory product. Whether you know for sure if, or how it's working, you believe it's making a difference and it works for you A lot of people swear by serums. All I know is, I wouldn't stop using mine Why are you so anti serums in particular? All beauty products use a bit of waffle, but if they do actually work, who cares?!

Haha sorry! Typo- *THISbitch. Ooops

Haha yes my love of my cleanser is totally unscientific!

I guess my point is that a serum for a serum's sake is pointless - if it has active ingredients that work for you then that's great - but it's nothing that couldn't be incorporated into a moisturiser. A poster up thread mentioned using a cleanser with acid in - usually it would be a moisturiser - as long as the gunk gets on your skin somehow it doesn't matter whether it's called a serum, a moisturiser, a deepseaoilemulsion or whatever else!

It's like toners used to be the must have thing - but toners could be anything from scented water to alcohol to hyaluronic acid.

Don't use a serum for its own sake, I guess is what I mean, and I think if you can find a good moisturiser it'll be cheaper to use one very good product than two mediocre ones, for example.

I know people say cleansers aren't important

Do they? Cleansing is the most important step in the quest for blemish free skin. No point applying all the expensive oils and serums if your skin hasn't been cleansed properly.

ThisBitch, ah ok. Yeah, I guess if they can put it in a serum, why can't they just add it to a moisturiser, but then you can get the 2 in 1's can't you.

I'm with you on the toner front. A few splashes of cold water is my toner

squoosh, I've actually only very recently ditched the facial wipes for double cleansing and massaging and I'm a definite convert. My skin's got a bit more of a glow in the morning. I'm not using anything expensive though. Just the superdrug radiance cleanser, which is very thick and rich, but I don't use the cloth, cos I find it a bit too abrasive. I just use cotton wool pads....followed by my very expensive toner

CleansING is important but according to some guru oft quoted on here (Hirons?) which cleanser you use doesn't matter that much as it spends so little time on your skin. But in my personal experience having a good cleanser makes the task easier to get clean skin quickly.

So with cleanser it's 'how' with everything else it's 'what'

Ah I see. I don't mind which cleanser I use as long as it's nice and oily and I massage it in for a couple of minutes. I used to love foaming face washes but they just strip the skin so badly.