4 BRIGHTENING FACE SERUMS TO ACHIEVE A SPRING GLOW

Why should spring cleaning be confined to your house? The lovely thing about spring is the bright and refreshed look that the world takes on. Flowers are blooming, skies are clear, water is clean and inviting. It’s what makes you want to brighten and refresh the things around you. And you can extend that to yourself – this is the perfect time to look into brightening serums that leave your face looking refreshed and glowing. It’s the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums. Take a look at what you need to know about brightening face serums so that you can choose the right one for you.

WHAT DO BRIGHTENING FACE SERUMS DO, EXACTLY?

There’s nothing about a bottle of brightening serum that looks extraordinary, so what does it actually do to make your face brighter and give you that fresh glow? Understanding how brightening serums work can give you the insight that you need when you’re ready to choose one.

In most cases, a brightening serum does at least three things:

• Exfoliates
• Inhibits melanin
• Protects against UV damage

Your skin begins to look dull when it’s uneven. When dead skin cells build up on your skin, it becomes uneven, so you regain a shine when you exfoliate the uneven parts away, leaving your skin smooth. When you think of exfoliants, it’s easy to think of gritty scrubs, but brightening serums contain alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic acid or lactic acid to achieve the same effects.

Melanin is a pigment that gives your skin a darker color. The more that you can inhibit the production of melanin, the brighter your skin will appear. There are several ingredients that a brightening serum might use to inhibit melanin production. It might use a form of Vitamin C, like ascorbic acid or ascorbyl palmitate to block free radicals and protect against antioxidants. It might use glutathione, which also has antioxidant effects and can sometimes be found in skin whitening supplements. Arbutin is also a popular ingredient, as it inhibits the hormone that can accelerate your body’s pigmentation process.

And finally, your face serum may contain SPF-containing ingredients to protect against UV damage. This makes sense, because of course sun damage can certainly contribute to the kind of pigmentation that can dull the skin. However, don’t think you’re entirely safe if you use a face brightening serum – most experts would recommend adding an SPF lotion on top of the serum to achieve the optimal protection effect.

HOW SHOULD YOU APPLY FACE BRIGHTENING SERUM?

Just putting a skincare product on your face doesn’t necessarily do the job. The way that you apply the product, and the order in which you apply your products, can have some effect on how well the product works. You don’t want the efficacy of the serum to be reduced by what you applied before or after, and you also want to make sure that you don’t miss any steps.

Start by washing your face with a cleanser, and make sure that you use warm water to open up your pores. The next step is an exfoliator, where you’ll use slightly cooler water. After exfoliator, use a toner to balance your skin’s pH and add some hydration to your skin. Then you’re ready for the serum.

Apply serum to your face using your fingertips. Pat it first, then smooth it out but don’t rub it in. It’s better for the skin for it to absorb the ingredients than for you to push it in with your hands, so just be patient and let it absorb. With most skincare products, you’ll use only a pea-sized amount, but you may need more with serum. The ingredients in a serum are powerful, and it’s important to achieve full coverage. So without going overboard, use the amount that you need to ensure that your whole face gets to absorb the serum.

After you’ve applied the serum, you can move on to eye cream, using the tips of two of your fingers to apply it under your eyes and across the top of your brow. Then you can gently massage your moisturizer into your face. Make certain that you take your time with each step and give each product some time to take effect before applying the next one.

WHICH FACE SERUMS ARE BEST THIS SPRING?

So which serums are right for you? It depends on your individual needs and preferences, of course. Are you looking to improve hyperpigmentation or maintain a complexion that you’re already happy with? Are you looking for a product that will soothe irritation? Or do you need a strong product to reduce serious discoloration? Different products will have different advantages for you. Check out some of the best.

1. SKIN MEDICA’S LYTERA 2.0 PIGMENT CORRECTING SERUM

This is a good choice for those who want to see dramatic results. It’s formulated to work on even the most stubborn skin pigmentation, and it helps to optimize the approach of other treatments, like microdermabrasion, laser therapy, and chemical peels.

2. IS CLINICAL’S HYDRA-COOL SERUM

This might be a good choice if your skin is easily irritated. The serum not only provides antioxidant protection, hydration, and revitalization, but it also soothes, calms, and cools your skin when it’s dry or irritated, so if those are frequent problems for you, it’s a good choice. Hydra-Cool serum can also be combined with other treatments.

3. IS CLINICAL’S ACTIVE SERUM

This is Iconic’s most popular product and with good reason. It reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles as well as diminishing uneven skin tones and smoothing and softening. It also works fast. You can usually see results in just a couple of days.

4. SKINBETTER’S EVEN TONE-CORRECTING SERUM

This uses a non-hydroquinone, non-retinol formula to dramatically reduce hyperpigmentation. It brightens the skin and reduces brown patches, yellowing, and sun damage. Essentially, it can handle whatever your skin discoloration happens to be, with a formula that you can feel good about.

CONCLUSION

Iconic Skin Clinic knows what your skin needs and provides the options you want in serums and other skin care products.