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Facial oil and serum are powerful allies for glowing skin. There are thousands of options, so how do you know whether a facial oil or serum is going to deliver the results it promises?
rosacea serum
Yes, you can read beauty blogs or Amazon reviews. Maybe your best friend has discovered a secret artisanal brand that hasn’t yet made it into the limelight.
Maybe you emailed me and asked ‘which facial oil or serum is right for YOUR skin?’
Do you expect me to list the top 3 brands for your specific situation, in an instant. Like a scene from Hogwarts?
No it’s not that simple.
You hope that it’s a mater of matching your ‘skin type’ to a particular brand or combination of ingredients.
If only it was that easy. Traditional ‘skin types’ were invented by a makeup artist, Helena Rubenstein, to sell more cosmetics.
What your skin needs right now depend on what you eat, your DNA , where you live, what you do for a living, your current lifestyle and preferences.
Are you nearing or going through perimenopause? Then your skin will feel different. Drier, thinner and more reactive. Sensitive. (sadly, hair also thins!)
If you cross time zones for work, run marathons or have food intolerances, it gets even trickier.
And that’s why when you do it alone, it takes trial and error to find the magical unicorn – that perfect-for-you facial oil or serum.
If you’re a Virgo, chances are high that you’re scent sensitive. So that could rules out certain essential oils, particular fruitier scented vegetable oils like neem, rosehip maybe raw jojoba.
If you’re descended from the tropics (Here I’m referring to your very distant ancestors… not just your great-great-great grandparents). Your skin will need more of certain nutrients than your pale-skinned friend from Scandinavia or Scotland.
Serum and skin types
If you’re living in the Antarctica basecamp, certain ingredients will not cope with those weather extremes. You’ll need a formula geared for low temps, high winds and insane low humidity.
Same if you’re running an eco-luxe guest lodge in Kenya, the weather there will affect what your skin needs.
When you run marathons, practice ashtanga yoga or CrossFit several times a week you’ll need extra antioxidants in your diet as well as your facial oil or serum. Otherwise, all that exercise can/will age you!
Do you wear makeup? If yes, why? Are you covering up scars from acne? I design bespoke skincare solutions for that. You see what I mean the moment you apply it and look in the mirror.
Do you have rosacea? Then read this.
Why do I need a serum?
I know it’s another step in your beauty ritual… BUT if you choose a balanced system, you won’t need 12 or 15 layers.
It’s entirely possible to cram the goodness of 4 or 5 bottles into one, if you know what you are doing.
This was the approach I had designing my capsule collection: 12 – 15 steps crammed into 2-3..
An oil-based serum is a way to deliver an extra dose of oil-soluble vitamins to your skin. It depends on how it has been formulated , sometimes it’s a cheap filler with a few drops of the sexy stuff inside. Baaah.
Non oil serums are a way to provide water-soluble ingredients that might not have been included in your moisturiser. The formulator might convey those water soluble ingredients via a spray on tonic like Drench or a gel. MSM is a great ingredient to look for in facial tonics and sprays!
A good serum is concentrated so that you only need a few drops.
A serum needs to do 3 things:
- Protect against free radicals, wind, stress and pollution
- Nourish with antioxidants, essential fatty acids
- and seal in moisture (Hydration)
Rosehip Serum
Now certain plant extracts, like rosehip seed oil, do a lot of different things at once. This super-hero quality comes with a price – rosehip seed oil is fragile. It needs specific storage conditions or else it will turn rancid and make you skin older!
Rosehip also has a particular nutty scent that you may not like. It also is a rather strong colour and can stain white pillowcases if you apply it too soon to bedtime.
Other exclusive plant extracts are Amazonia Cacay Oil, now available in Empress Elixir .
Empress has been specifically designed with rosehip seed and other powerful extracts like helichrysum and neroli to reduce scar tissue, fine lines and wrinkles.
Empress Elixir is packed with skin-loving vitamins and omega three goodness and you’ll only need a few drops a day.
A vial will last you 3-12 months, depending on use.
And the cherry on top is that the powerful essential oil blend is both healing to the skin and mind. Order yours today.
Got acne scars or hormonal spots? Read this
Serum vs Moisturiuser
Some people refuse to use any moisturiser as traditional face creams and moisturisers are made with tap water. (Cost cutting, yup.). These women now rely on separate oil vs water based products which they layer on, one after the other. If that is you, and you enjoy doing it that way, continue.
If you tried that method and found it messy or less than pleasant, good news…
The most seductive texture is created through a technical process called emulsification. It’s one of the most difficult processes in formulation. After thousands of experiments I have made the texture a delight to use. Imagine being kissed by flower petals and gentle clouds. The soft muzzle of a pony or caress of a velvet bodice. I spent 3 years selecting the right emulsifier and perfecting hte exact method to make it magical to use. Yes, 3 years!
My moisturiser is the most concentrated water soluble ingredients combined with the most concentrated oil-soluble plus a bonus dose of other goodies.
It is 100% active.
Zero filler in the water soluble side. Zero filler or cheapness in the oil-soluble side of the recipe. Even the emulsifier system I use is the most expensive natural kind. Zero cheapo or nasty. No corner cutting.
This is why the Glow pricetag might make you gasp. It reflects the extraordinary formulae and ingredients. (If you are on a budget, my range is not for you. Come back when your finances are sorted.)
