Unlike today when a skincare routine needed three products (cleanser, toner, and moisturizer), we now have a plethora of products designed to cater to every imaginable skin issue and goal so naturally, it can be a bit confusing.
If you’re thinking to add a product or two but have no idea where to start, right here is the additional products – essence, serum, and ampoules – that you can look through and decide if your skin truly needs it. Without further ado let’s jump straight to it.
Essences
Think of it as the diluted version of serum (the very first add-on product in a skincare routine) that’s formulated for skin types that are unable to handle the high concentration formula that is common serums.
Plus, thanks to the Korean-based technology essence nowadays are much more sophisticated it comes in a multitude of formulations to suit various skin concerns and needs, the product is suitable for all skin types for daily use. If you haven’t added any products apart from the essential three, start with essence, and use it twice a day, layering it evenly after the second step.
Serums
Serums are the very first add-on product in a skincare routine when using moisturizer is not potent enough especially for mature skin types. Hence, serums are generally formulated to be rich, highly concentrated, viscous, and oily to ensure effective results when applied daily.
Particularly for serums, this product is formulated to target specific skin issues (peptide for anti-aging, or vitamin C for brightening and visible acne scars, for example) and can be used twice a day in the routine. Being a rich, highly concentrated product, you’ll need just a drop to cover both face and neck and let it absorb thoroughly before moving to the next skincare step.
Note: face oil works similar to serums and falls in the same category.
Ampoules
This one might be a rare item to hear in skincare products and it’s understandable. Consider ampoule as the more concentrated version of serum that is intended to target specific skin issues/goals in a short time (for example, gearing up to a big event such as a wedding).
Because of its highly concentrated formulation, ampoules are mostly packaged in single-use packaging, for a week of treatment to deliver the results within the timeframe.
And yes, the highly concentrated nature also means it’s much more expensive compared to serums, and best used after a recommendation from your dermatologist to know if the product is suitable for your skin.
To know for sure if your skin needs the products listed above: as a general rule, all skin types can benefit from using an essence, and personally, I’d recommend it because essence can boost the effectiveness of the whole routine, keeping your skin supple and healthy.
As for serums, precaution is needed as the formulation is a bit concentrated compared to an essence that you can use if your skin needs it (such as obvious wrinkles and pigmentation) but always keep in mind to do a patch test to see if your skin can handle the concentration. The same also applies to ampoules.
