What is a serum and how does it fit into my skin routine?

If your skin care consists of cleansing, moisturizing and protecting, a serum can be an extra step to keep your skin in condition.

What is a serum?

A serum is a gel-like liquid that feels thinner and lighter than a cream or ointment. Often this fluid base consists of hyaluronic acid, sometimes oil. This base is combined with concentrated active ingredients such as vitamin C, vitamin B3, Bakuchiol or peptides.

Serum with a base of high and low hyaluronic acid sugars

Hyaluronic acid, the base we use for our serum, is a sugar compound with a high water-attracting capacity. This means that hyaluronic acid attracts water and thus hydrates the skin.

Iconic-Elements investigated the different molecular properties of hyaluronic acid. It turns out that hyaluronic acid is even better distributed and gets deeper into the skin if you break it up into different pieces.

We therefore developed a serum with a combination of high and low hyaluronic acid sugars as a base.

Why do you apply a serum to your skin?

A serum can provide a boost: A serum is a skin care product with a high concentration of active ingredients. These ingredients are specially chosen to address certain skin problems. When we say that a serum can give a “boost,” we mean that it can effectively help the skin with specific problems, such as reducing signs of aging, reducing pigmentation, or soothing irritated skin.

Reduce pigmentation: Some serums contain ingredients that regulate melanin production in the skin. Melanin is the pigment responsible for the color of our skin. When melanin production is irregular, pigment spots, such as pigment spots or melasma, may appear. A serum can help reduce these pigmentation spots by regulating melanin production.

Soothing your skin: Serums may also contain ingredients known for their soothing properties, such as aloe vera or chamomile extract. These ingredients can help reduce redness, irritation or inflammation on the skin, making it feel calmer.

Higher concentration: Serums generally have a higher concentration of active ingredients than regular creams or lotions. This means you often only need a small amount of it to be effective. So a few drops of serum can be enough to treat your entire face.

Penetrate deeper into the skin: The composition of serums is often lighter and thinner than that of creams or ointments. This allows serums to penetrate the skin more easily and deeply. This is important because it allows the active ingredients to work directly into the skin layers where they are needed most, rather than just on the surface of the skin.

In short, serums are powerful skin care products that offer effective solutions to various skin problems, thanks to their high concentration of active ingredients and their ability to penetrate deep into the skin.

Serum: an intermediate step in your skin routine?

You often apply a serum to your skin after skin cleansing. The structure of a serum is light and due to the gel-like composition it absorbs well into the skin, without leaving a layer.

You need very little of it and the properties of the liquid base make it very easy to spread. Because a serum does not stick, and penetrates the skin, you can combine it well with other skin care products, sun protection or make-up.

You could say that it is an intermediate product: you apply it after skin cleansing and before your standard skin care. The serum can be applied in the morning and evening.

Iconic Elements serums

Iconic Elements’ Targeted Pigment Serum and Firming Booster Serum:

Targeted Pigment Serum: This serum contains high-quality ingredients, including:

• Arbutin: A natural extract that reduces the production of melanin, which can help fade pigment spots.
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): This powerful ingredient not only helps reduce pigmentation, but also regulates sebum production and improves overall skin texture.
• Malic Acid: With mild exfoliating properties, it helps remove dead skin cells, making dark spots less visible.

Firming Booster Serum: For beautiful radiance, this serum contains:

• Bakuchiol: An alternative to retinol that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
• Cyclopeptide-5: This ingredient focuses on firming and repairing the skin.
• White Tea Extract: An antioxidant that protects the skin from harmful free radicals.

Why this explanation about the use of serums?

In my dermatology practice, people often ask me about skin-enhancing products. I see what they struggle with and unfortunately too often notice that certain care products help someone out of the rain.
Because I want you as a user to be able to trust the product you are applying, I combine scientific insights and my knowledge about the skin to develop a skin care line that stands out because it works (evidence-based)! – Francis Wu

While you are here

Lotions, cream and ointment what are the differences? It is possible that because of the many products you no longer see the trees for the forest. Even worse if you apply the wrong product to your skin you can make the problem like dry skin worse. Learn more about the basics of lotions, creams and ointments