We may have mastered the art of cleansing and moisturising – but the next step is the much talked about serum.  

Now, we know what you’re thinking – what does it do? If I’m already moisturising do I still need a serum? What actually is the difference between them?   

It’s important to keep in mind, moisturisers and serums are not competing against one another – they are not designed to fulfill the same purpose, and will not therefore result in the same outcome. Each is skin changing in its own way – but they aren’t targeting the same areas of concern.  
With this in mind – lets get stuck into the science-y side of it all to answer that all important question:  

What is the difference between a moisturiser and serum?  

Serums are made up of very small molecules, meaning a serum can penetrate your skin a lot deeper than your moisturiser. This is particularly handy because serums are usually a lightweight but highly concentrated liquid product, designed to target and protect against specific skin issues which require working a few layers deep into our epidermis, as opposed to just sitting on top of our skin – such as fine lines, wrinkles or pigmentation. 

In fact the most common skin concerns which serums are designed specifically for (which moisturisers can’t target to the same extent) include:  

     – fading dark spots/pigmentation  

     – reducing redness and calming sensitive skin  

     – boosting skin hydration levels on a deeper level  

     – preventing/treating acne  

     – reducing wrinkles/signs of aging  

     – repairing issues caused by sun damage  

In comparison, your moisturiser, made up of larger molecules, tends to work on the top/outer layers of your skin by delivering moisture and nutrients to improve your overall skin condition, as opposed to specific skin issues. The thickness of the moisturiser, usually a cream, lotion or butter, works to create a protective barrier on your skin, sealing moisture and nutrients into the skin, and preventing moisture loss throughout the day/night. By preventing water loss in the skin, the moisturiser can keep your skin appearing soft, smooth and supple. And so when combined, the layering of a serum followed by a moisturiser gives the skin a boost of hydration as well as antioxidant dense ingredients ready to address an array of skin concerns.  

Of course, it’s important to pay attention to the ingredients and what skin conditions these ingredients will target. It’s easy to feel like one serum just isn’t enough to target all the skincare concerns you have – but it’s crucial for your overall skin health not to overload your skin with a bucketload of highly active ingredients.   

Instead, finding serums that provide your skin with what it needs, when it needs it, could show promising results without overwhelming your skin. Like using a serum which fights against environmental stress and pollution in your morning routine, whilst applying a hydrating serum in the evening to work against the water loss that our skin often experiences throughout the night. 

A great example of this is the new Vemel Advanced Protective Serum, which is truly a glass of water on a hot Summers day – in other words, thirst quenching. The luxurious serum has been designed to not only protect skin against photoaging and blue light damage, as well as environmental stress and pollution, but to also give skin that radiant glow it’s looking for – and oh does it glow. 

The duality of the serum means it wastes no time getting to work to deliver the nutrients your skin requires to boost radiance, increase collagen production and prevent moisture loss. It’s no coincidence that the results are as such, when the impressive ingredients list is made up of potent and healing actives like Cherry Seed Oil, Blueberry Seed Oil and Aloe Vera Oil. 

As always, the focus of Vemel as a brand has always been to provide well formulated products, free from synthetic perfumes and essential oils – meaning even those of us with the most sensitive skin can achieve the exceptional skin results we’re looking for. 

Excitingly, the Advanced Protective Serum has been designed to not only deliver performance wise, but to also provide the scent lovers among us with the aromatic experience we enjoy – without compromising the quality of the product.  

Agi, our Vemel founder, described this when stating “for scent lovers, our amazing new addition Advanced Protective Serum is gently scented with a light and vibrant Plum Kernel Oil & delicate aroma of Amaranth”. The gentle scent of plum with a sweet resemblance of almonds makes the Advanced Protective Serum just that little more luxurious and fulfilling.  

This scent has been achieved by using organic CO2 Extracts – the process of CO2 extraction involves using highly specialised equipment which converts carbon dioxide into a liquid-like state. The importance of this is that the carbon dioxide is now a safe and effective solvent which allows all of the goodness from the Amaranth to be collected, without the risk of exposure or heat degradation. Then, once the product has been extracted, the carbon dioxide is returned back into it’s natural gas state, meaning the pure extract is left behind. The process of CO2 extraction means the product is closer in make up to the fresh plant itself than other methods of producing the same extract, as there is little change/impact to the natural aromatic molecules themselves. And whilst the process of CO2 extraction can be difficult to source and priced at premium – the benefits combined with Vemels desire to always provide high quality skincare makes it a must.  

Ultimately, the benefits of a serum can be amazing – so whilst it might be all too tempting to head straight for our moisturiser after we’ve cleansed, adding in that extra step of a serum could be providing your skin with a powerhouse of nutrients deep into your skin in a way your moisturiser just can’t (and isn’t trying to!) match, and when we pick the right serum, our skin will reward us for it.