Selecting the Best Serum

As skin care professionals, we all know what a dramatic difference using an amazing serum can make. It can take years off our client’s appearance, reduce fatigue, tighten the pores, minimize rosacea, soothe dryness, reduce hyperpigmentation and diminish wrinkles!

What is so special about serums? The wonderful thing is that they pack a powerful punch of concentrated active ingredients! A serum's molecule is usually very small, and delivers the ingredients to all skin layers without clogging the pores with any oil, glycerin, or other comedogenic fillers. A product like this is usually gel-like, and water-based, so it absorbs instantly, and doesn’t sit on the surface of the skin. The benefit of this gel-like oil-free consistency, is that (unlike some cremes) a serum can be used very closely around the eyes without causing the development of milia and irritation. While younger clients like the tight feeling of an oil-free product, such as a serum, older clients may feel like their skin is too dry, and choose to apply creme over the serum, to replenish. This is a great way to provide a barrier that keeps the serum from evaporating, as well as provide a double layer of active ingredients (such as peptides and hyaluronic acid).

In recent years, there has been a plethora of advances in product formulation, the best being the elimination of parabens and chemicals from many product lines. Natural preservatives such as citric acid, ethylhexylglycerin and phenoxyethanol efficiently provide a two year shelf life for most serums, and don’t have any toxic side effects that are associated with parabens and similar chemical preservatives. The best base for serums is water, and to get that silky smooth gel feeling, the best, and most potent moisturizing ingredient on the market is Hyaluronic Acid. Did you know that the loss of skin elasticity that comes with aging, is often the result of decreasing Hyaluronic Acid (HA) levels? HA is the best topical hydrating agent and a potent anti-inflammatory that stops itching and burning, is very soothing, and results in smoother skin. The best type of Hyaluronic Acid is a vegan low molecular weight HA. This is not harvested from a rooster comb, or chicken cartilage, but is plant-based, and manipulated in a lab for a perfect, hypoallergenic product! This ingredient is the same type of gel that is used in dermal fillers such as Restylane® and JUVÉDERM®, and is completely safe.

Now that we know the best base for a serum, let’s talk a little about the best active ingredients that we can add to the blend! Since we want to reduce wrinkles, and give the face a more youthful appearance, peptides are a great choice. Peptides are small fragments of proteins, and proteins are the key building blocks of most living tissues. Certain kinds of peptides have an avid affinity for copper, to which they bind very tightly. The resulting compound consisting of a peptide and a copper atom has become known as a copper peptide. A distinctive feature of GHK copper peptides is that they reduce scar tissue formation while stimulating normal skin remodeling. In other words, they help better restore the damaged area to its original look.

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline®) improves wrinkle depth, wrinkle volume and roughness. This peptide can significantly modulate muscle contraction, thereby destabilizing the cell so it cannot release the neurotransmitters that make the muscle contract thus preventing formation of lines and wrinkles. Argireline® reduces pre-existing wrinkle depth and relaxes facial tension. Matrixyl-3000® minimizes crow’s feet and laugh lines, and prevents from further damage and wrinkle formation. Trylogen® boosts synthesis of Collagen I, III, and IV, uniforms fibril diameter and spacing, and inhibits enzymatic breakdown, avoiding excessive collagen damage.

 

I also see many serums made with powerful brighteners and antioxidants, such as Vitamin C. Three of the most potent forms of Vitamin C available on the market today are Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate. This powerful antioxidant combination in a serum fights free radicals, stimulates collagen production, nourishes the skin, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and brightens skin tone while keeping stable.

Some wonderful brightening ingredients have emerged recently, as alternatives to the toxic Hydroquinone, which is steadily losing popularity on the market during the past 5 years. Three of the most potent non-toxic whitening agents available on the market today are Tyrostat™ (derived from Rumex Occidentalis Extract), Nonapeptide-1 (Melanostatine®5) , and α Arbutin, which address the affects of discoloration and hyperpigmentation on the skin. These amazing new natural ingredients prevent hyperproduction of melanin and further activation of tyrosinase, thus blocking melanin synthesis for better control over skin tone and brown spots. When used daily, a serum with α Arbutin promotes brightening on all skin types, minimizes the appearance of liver spots and age spots, can reduce the degree of skin tanning after UV exposure.

It’s always best to apply serums after cleansing the skin, and before the application of moisturizers. This is typically the last step in a facial, and I recommend to use your galvanic machine to increase the serum’s penetration, since most are ionizable. A treatment like this, with the right product, is guaranteed to wow your client, and provide her with a healthy lift and glow!