If cleansers, toners and moisturizers are the basics of skin care, serums, oils and concentrates are the high-level superstars. Building on the simple skin care routine, serums, oils and concentrates add the powerful extras your complexion needs to optimize its health. With the wide variety of products available, you want to pinpoint the best serum, oil or concentrate to target your concerns. Here’s a handy guide to help you choose the best one for your unique complexion.
What is the difference between serums, oils and concentrates?
Serums
Serums are lightweight treatments brimming with a high concentration of active ingredients that target specific skin conditions and concerns. Serums have a light fluid or gel-like consistency and should be applied after cleansing and toning.
Oils
Oils are chock-full of essential fatty acids and lipids that restore the skin’s moisture barrier. They are often comprised of plant oils which are rich in antioxidants and replenishing emollients. Facial oils can be beneficial for all skin types (even oily) and should be applied as the final step before moisturizer.
Concentrates
Concentrates are similar to serums in that they contain – you guessed it – a concentrated amount of actives. Concentrates are lightweight lotions with both absorbent and protective qualities. They can be layered with serums and moisturizers, or simply used on their own.
By Skin Type
Your skin type comes down to genetics. Your genes determine the amount of oil secreted by your sebaceous glands, the size of your pores and the texture of your skin. Your skin type cannot be changed, but it can be managed with active ingredients that are beneficial for your complexion.
DRY SKIN
Dry skin produces less sebum than normal skin and lacks the lipids needed to retain moisture which is what gives skin its soft and supple feel. Those with dry skin often have nearly invisible pores and display more prominent visible signs of aging.
Oils are the perfect addition to a dry skin routine. These treatments are comprised of essential fatty acids and other beneficial ingredients that boost skin’s hydration and moisture. We recommend Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil which includes rosehip, jojoba and seabuckthorn oil to improve moisture, soothe dry skin and fight the visible signs of aging.
Oily Skin
The opposite of dry skin, oily skin has overactive sebaceous glands. These produce an excess of oil which enlarges pores as well as coats the skin’s surface. For this reason, oily skin is often shiny and can be prone to breakouts.
For oily skin, we recommend a lightweight option like the Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum. This fast-absorbing advanced serum immediately sinks into the skin to deliver potent antioxidant- and vitamin-rich ingredients.
Combination Skin
Combination skin is neither oily nor dry; it’s both. This skin type is characterized by non-uniform oil production: more active oil glands in the T-zone and less active oil glands elsewhere. As a result, it tends towards oiliness on the forehead, jaw and nose, and dryness on the cheeks, jawline and hairline.
Believe it or not, combination skin can benefit from the addition of balancing oils like jojoba and clary sage. Try our Facial Recovery Oil, infused with clary sage oil and ylang ylang to keep skin even and perfectly balanced.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin is typically described the skin that endures the regular occurrence of unpleasant sensations such as heat, stinging, burning and tingling caused by forms of stimulation that wouldn’t normally create this type of reaction in a ‘normal’ skin type.
If your skin is the sensitive type, opt for a gentle treatment like Eminence Cornflower Recovery Serum. This serum is enriched with results-driven, Biodynamic® ingredients like cornflower and chamomile to calm and soothe dryness.
By Skin Concern Or Condition
You may struggle with a skin concern or condition on top of your general skin type. Skin conditions are influenced by various internal and external factors such as hormonal changes, lifestyle choices and environmental stressors. Unlike skin types, they can be changed and treated, and it is not uncommon to tackle more than one at a time (for example, breakouts as well as an uneven skin tone).
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
As we age, intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to a depletion of hyaluronic acid, elastin and collagen in the skin. These materials are essential for a plump and firm complexion and, as they diminish, skin begins to sag and fine lines and wrinkles start to set in.
You can counteract the visible signs of aging with skin care reinforced with botanical peptides and natural retinol alternatives. Eminence Marine Flower Peptide Serum delivers concentrated plant peptides to plump skin and smooth wrinkles. The Bamboo Firming Fluid is infused with a Natural Retinol Alternative Complex derived from chicory root and tara tree to improve firmness and elasticity.
Uneven Skin Tone
Do you struggle with dark spots? Whether from sun damage, hormonal changes or bouts of acne, hyperpigmentation can be tricky to tackle. When your skin is exposed to stressors, it protects itself by going into overdrive and releasing melanin – a type of pigment in the skin. The result: spots and uneven skin tone.
Before you reach for hydroquinone to solve your hyperpigmentation woes, try a natural alternative. Our Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster-Serum contains bearberry and licorice root extracts, tara tree, African potato and Gigawhite™ to work against hyperpigmentation and erase dark spots.
Large Pores
Large pores are a common skin concern. While everyone has visible pores, some naturally produce more oil, causing them to stretch and enlarge. Pore size can also increase with age as skin loses its elasticity and ability to “bounce back.”
You can’t “get rid of” pores, but you can shrink them down to size. Eminence Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate includes a lactic acid (an AHA), ribose and red clover flower extract to remove pore-clogging buildup and minimize pore size.
Dehydration
Dryness and dehydration are two separate skin care issues. While dryness pertains to a dry skin type and is characterized by a lack of moisture (sebum), dehydration is a skin condition that is caused by insufficient hydration (water). Dehydrated skin often suffers from itchy patches, increased sensitivity, inadequate turnover and accelerated signs of aging.
Hyaluronic acid is a miracle worker for dehydrated skin. Our product pick is the Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum, which is infused with botanical hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate skin and replenish the look of moisture.
To enhance your skin care routine:
