Mar 23, 2012

Spring '12 Beauty: Best Serums

These days you can't flip through a fashion magazine or peruse the beauty counters of your favorite department stores without being bombarded by beauty serums promising to even out your skin tone, boost hydration, improve elasticity, and even treat fine lines and wrinkles. Serums are the new beauty basic and there seems to be one for every skincare woe you can possibly imagine.

When it comes to the “order of operations” beauty serums are now the second step in your skincare routine. After washing your face you apply the serum to clean skin and then follow with your usual moisturizer for day or night cream at night.
The serum works to target specific skincare problems and treat them on the surface layer of the skin. Serums are finer in texture than traditional skincare creams so they’re easier for the skin to absorb. Here’s a look at some of the top serums on the market and how they can help your skin.


Kiehls Clearly Corrective serum is a brightening serum designed to target dark spots, discolorations, acne scarring and uneven skin tone. The formula’s key ingredient is Activated C, the latest-generation Vitamin C derivative available. (Kiehl’s was the first company to bring this ingredient to beauty market in the U.S.) The serum works to break apart discolorations and prevents the formation of new pigment clusters giving users clear, spot free skin. In Clinical trials 69% of women who used saw a reduction in dark spot intensity and 74% showed a significant reduction in acne scarring. This product really works. I used it on a few dark spots I had left over from old acne scars and within a few weeks of regular use they significantly faded and many disappeared completely. This product is specifically designed for anyone who has lingering dark spots from acne or sun damage.


The beauty experts at Calidora Skin Clinic recently launched their own line of beauty products including a newly formulated Regenerative Vitamin B Serum. The serum works to elevate hydration levels and stimulate cell turnover. Active ingredients include Phyto Hyaluronic Acid, ProVitamin B5, and Grape Skin Extract. I have combination skin so I prefer to use hydrating serums only at night and this product worked like a charm to keep my skin from drying out during the cold, winter months. This product would be great for women (or men) who want a major boost in hydration for their skin. This serum also layers perfectly under your makeup to smooth out skin before applying foundation.


Last year Clinique launched their “Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector” serum designed to reduces dark spots, age spots, and traces of acne with regular use. In their clinical trials most users saw a visible reduction in dark spots at the 12-week mark. This product won the Allure Beauty of Beauty Award in 2011 but interestingly enough it has very mixed reviews on Sephora.com.


The name of this product speaks for itself. “When Hope is not Enough” by Philosophy is an oil-free antioxidant serum that is designed to tone and firm skin while helping to minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. This serum helps protect skin from free radical and environmental damage to help prevent premature aging. Another bonus? The formula includes Chaparral extract which works to help minimize unwanted facial hair. This product is great for women looking to be proactive about the care of their skin or for women wanting to gently treat fine lines.


As a Sephora beauty insider I was originally introduced to this product via a sample I received while visiting the store one day and then got hooked after immediately noticing the new-found radiance in my skin. DDF’s Mesojection™ Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum 
works to rejuvenate skin by targeting problem areas with potent “micro-injections” of active ingredients including vitamins, antioxidants and amino acids. The price is a little steep ($80 for .9 oz.) but this serum really packs a punch!



One of my close girlfriends is a former Boots beauty advisor and even though she no longer works for the company she still swears by their skincare line. The Boot's Protect & Perfect serum is one of the products that I fell in love with too and whenever she would drop off samples I would hoard them in my beauty cabinet. This serum is designed for deep hydration and works to improve skin tone and lessen the appearance of wrinkles. This is great for night time use if you have oily or combination skin.

What beauty serums do you love? Leave us a comment and let us know what's working well for your skin or send us a Tweet @Sydlovesfashion using hashtag #bestbeautyserum.
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