How do I choose the best serum for my skin?

Playing cupid: How do I find the serum that’s right for me?

In the search for our best-ever-skin, it’s common to have a bathroom shelf line-up with every serum there is going. Whenever a new serum trends, is recommended to us, or promises us that this really is the one that will work, we snap it up.
But the bad news (or good news if you’re feeling ‘glass half full’) is that not all serums will work for everyone. But, once you find the one (or ones) that your skin responds well to, welcoming it with open arms, and giving you your all-day glow, then you’re in for a lifetime of happiness.

We’re here to play matchmaker.

Step one: Identify your skin concern

This one should be easy.

Serums are specific, targeted treatments meaning they tend to yield one main result. When you choose one, you want to be sure it’s going to do exactly what you’re looking for it to do. Serums – as a whole - can address a multitude of concerns, from dark spots to wrinkles to overall dullness.

Chances are if you’re here, reading this blog, you’re already aware of what your main skin concern is and if you’re not it’s as simple as asking yourself “if I had one wish from a skin genie, what would it be?” It might be that your skin feels like it's lost its bounce, maybe you keep seeing new lines every time you look in the mirror, or that you’re starting to look more and more like a great aunt than you would like. Don’t worry. There’s a serum for that.

What serum is right for me?

My skin is dull

We almost get excited when we hear this from the Trilogy community and that’s because we have the solution. Vitamin C is a powerhouse in skincare and dullness doesn’t stand a chance against our Vitamin C Booster Treatment. Vitamin C is notoriously unstable which means when it’s included as an ingredient in skincare, to prevent it doing what it wants to do – oxidise – there needs to be a load of added stabilisers.

But not ours. This activated-at-home booster has vitamin C powder stored in the lid so when you’re ready to use it, you pop it, it mixes with the uber-hydrating hyaluronic acid and stays potent for at least two weeks and can be used for up to four. It brightens skin, helps to smooth fine lines, and fights pigmentation.

My skin is ageing

To fight signs of ageing, the trick lies in boosting hydration, collagen, and firmness. Enter Nutrient Plus Firming Serum. Not only does it work as a silky base for make-up, but you can – and should - also use it in the evening before bed. It boasts amino acids to smooth fine lines, Glycablend, our potent seed complex which encourages collagen production, plant-derived hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate skin, and liquorice and mulberry to brighten and glow.

The answer to all your ageing skin concerns in one 30ml bottle.

My skin is dry

We all experience dryness from time to time especially in the cooler months. Some of us, though, will find our skin is dry year-round. Medication, our environment, our genes can all play a role in dehydrated skin so in addition to keeping up with our 8 glasses a day, we need to protect our skin barrier to both add moisture and prevent moisture loss.

The Hyaluronic Acid+ Booster Treatment is an intense hydration boost and this one is enriched with antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals which damage our skin and alter its appearance making it dull and lined. Hyaluronic acid attracts moisture to the skin and holds it there to intensely hydrate the top layer of our skin, making it plump and bouncy.

My skin’s not bad, but it’s not great

If you think your skin could use some love but you’re not sure exactly what it needs, giving your skin more protection and building its resilience means smoother, more vibrant, younger-looking skin. Our skin’s microbiome doesn’t get a lot of airtime but it’s so important to its health and appearance.

The Microbiome Complexion Renew Serum is created with postbiotic technology that balances our skin’s microbiome. What that means is that we want more ‘good’ bacteria than ‘bad’ to prevent acne, eczema, redness, and accelerated ageing. ProRenew Complex CLR™ supports microbial diversity, KALIBIOME AGE improves redness, hyaluronic acid plumps and hydrates, while white tea conditions along with powerful antioxidants from fermented goji extract.

My skin is sensitive (or sensitised)

First off, what’s the difference? Put simply, sensitive skin is caused by our genetics and is largely outside our control, but sensitised skin is something we can develop – generally from environmental factors.

For both, a serum that’s calming, dermatologically tested, fragrance-free, and of course natural is the way to go to give skin what it needs without causing irritation or a reaction. Our favourite serum that fits the bill? The Very Gentle calming Serum. It’s all in the name but it immediately hydrates and calms, is loaded with antioxidants like maqui berry and green tea which are both soothing. SyriCalm®, calendula and chamomile are included to reduce inflammation and strengthen the skin barrier. If your skin needs a little SOS, look no further.

My skin is both oily and dry

Combination skin is when we have both oily and dry skin. Usually, we get an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) and have dry skin everywhere else. When this happens, it’s a sign our skin needs equilibrium and we do this with resurfacing.

This is where acids play such an important role. Acids like AHA dissolve and remove the dead skin cells and oils that sit at the top layer of our skin. In removing this, it encourages cell turnover and reveals brighter, more even skin.

Our AHA Resurfacing Serum has LIME PEARL which gently exfoliates and Prickly Pear and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. It might seem like oily skin doesn’t need hydration but often our bodies produce more oil (sebum) because we’re not giving it enough moisturiser. In addition to removing flaky skin, exfoliating with acid makes our skin a clean slate and allows all the rest of our products work harder and more efficiently (including our moisturiser) by better penetrating the skin.