Korean Face Serums for Every Skin Need
Frequently asked questions
A serum is a lightweight skincare product with more active ingredients than a cream. It has a thin texture and absorbs quickly. Each serum targets a specific concern: lack of hydration, blemishes, dark spots or wrinkles. In your routine it goes between toner and moisturizer, as an add-on to your basic care.
Apply it to clean skin after toner. Spread two to three drops over your face and gently pat them in. Then apply your moisturizer. You can use hydrating serums and niacinamide morning and night, vitamin C in the morning under SPF, and retinol and acids only at night.
Serum first, then moisturizer. A serum is thinner and has smaller molecules, so it needs to go on before thicker products. The cream then seals it into your skin. If you reverse the order, the serum absorbs less well.
Yes, but no more than two. Otherwise you irritate your skin and can no longer tell what's working. In the morning, use one for hydration or vitamin C, and in the evening one for your main concern. Use retinol and acids on separate nights.
The one that solves your main concern. Niacinamide for oil and pores, vitamin C for dark spots, retinol for wrinkles and hyaluronic acid for dehydration. There's no one-size-fits-all serum, because acne-prone skin needs something different from skin with wrinkles. In Slovenia, the most searched-for serum is the ANUA azelaic serum, which calms redness and blemishes.
An essence is the thinnest. It hydrates your skin and preps it for the next steps, so you apply it right after toner. A serum has more active ingredients and targets a specific concern. An ampoule is an even more concentrated version of a serum for intensive care.
Gentle serums with hyaluronic acid or niacinamide are fine if you pat them in lightly with your ring finger and don't go right up to the eye. Don't apply serums with retinol, acids or strong vitamin C around the eyes. The skin there is thinner and tolerates them less well. There are dedicated eye serums with lower concentrations for this area.
Not necessarily. Results depend on the active ingredient, its concentration and a stable formula, not on the price. Many Korean serums offer proven ingredients at a moderate price. What matters more than price is using the serum consistently for several weeks.
The shelf life after opening is printed on the packaging next to the open jar symbol, usually 6 or 12 months. Keep your serum tightly closed and away from sunlight and heat. Vitamin C is the most sensitive. When a serum darkens or turns yellow, it has oxidized and works less well.
It depends on the ingredient. Hydrating serums work right away. Niacinamide shows results in two to four weeks, and vitamin C and azelaic acid fade dark spots in six to eight weeks. Retinol needs eight to twelve weeks for wrinkles. So use a serum for at least two months before you judge it.