Nascent » Skincare Product Types » Face Serums
Face Serums
Sometimes, it can feel like you need a beauty degree just to figure out what various skincare solutions actually do. Take serums, for instance. What makes them any different to moisturisers? And what are the benefits of adding this extra step to your skincare routine?
What are Serums?
It is easy to be left mystified by what a serum actually is and what it actually does, and you’re not alone because even the best of us are baffled on occasions by its contradictions. It’s moisturising but not a moisturiser, oily but it’s not a face oil, watery but it’s not an essence…
So, let’s make this easy. Serums are skincare products that are designed to deliver high concentrations of specific active ingredients to the skin. These active ingredient concentrated formulas can include antioxidants, AHA and/or BHA acids, Vitamins such as Retinol, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid, Plant Stem Cells, Botanicals and Peptides to name but a few.
What good serums don’t have, or leave out, is occlusives, or moisturising ingredients such as petrolatum or mineral oil that act only by forming a barrier on top of the skin to keep water from evaporating. They also contain fewer lubricating and thickening agents, like nut or seed oils. Most serums are water-based, eliminating oils altogether and contain the most potent dose of active ingredients. There are many different types of serums on the market that perform different jobs, ranging from acne to hydration to skin brightening and anti-aging.
A good serum should apply easily, feel lightweight and be quickly absorbed. It is a skincare product that you apply to your skin after cleansing but before moisturising with the intent to deliver a potent shot of ingredients directly into your skin. Serums typically have a distinguishing smooth delicate lotion, gel-lotion, or silky fluid texture and have a pleasant feel on the skin. A great serum will be compatible with your moisturiser, complementing its benefits rather than competing with them.
In skincare, face serums are used as potent enhancements to many regimens. These products are formulated with greater amounts of active ingredients, and because they are generally lighter than your traditional face creams, they can penetrate your skin deeper (serums have a lipid-soluble base which allows the active ingredients to penetrate into the epidermis as opposed to lotions and creams that simply lay on the surface of the skin creating a barrier to prevent moisture leaving the skin) to truly make a difference. With continued use, serums offer visible results that may not be realised with most creams and lotions alone. There truly are serums for every skin condition.
Benefits of Using a Serum?
If you think of your skincare routine as a three-course meal, a serum is like the main course. After kicking things off with an appetiser (cleansing your face), and before treating yourself to dessert (a nourishing moisturiser), you fill up on all the important nutrients to feed your hungry skin (serums). Good serums can help target, treat and manage skin conditions such as anti-aging, acne and problematic skin, oily congested skins, dry skins, sensitive and red skins, pigmentation and sun damage.
Serum Results
Everyone’s skin is different, but on average, we would expect it to take between four (4) to six (6) weeks to see how your skin responds after adding a new serum to your skincare regimen. Depending on the serum and the current state of your skin, you might even see initial results, like increased skin hydration, in just a few days. Because good serums possess the ability to penetrate deep into your skin, paired with the fact that they contain concentrated doses of effective ingredients, serums can often be pricey, but if it’s results you’re after, this isn’t a step you’re going to want to scrimp on.
The active ingredient(s) in serums, because of their concentrations, can occasionally cause irritation and dryness in those who have sensitive skin. It’s a good idea to layer a more substantial moisturiser with the serum if your skin tends to be on the sensitive or dry side. Our skincare expert can advise you on the best combinations of skincare products for your skin type and skin condition you are wishing to treat.
Generally, you should use a serum all over your face and neck twice daily, once in the morning and then again in the evening, before applying your moisturiser. For best results follow the instructions you receive with each serum or seek the advice of our skincare specialist.
Looking for results-driven professional skincare? We have it covered at NASCENT with brands such as Aspect, Aspect Dr, Aspect Minerals, Aspect Sun, Colorescience, Cosmedix, Cosmedix Elite, Dermaquest, PCA Skin and Societe. Look for Free Delivery, Gifts & Regular Specials.
Please Note: Aspect Dr products feature higher-level active ingredients to ensure maximum efficacy without a prescription. These products are only sold at select physician, skin clinics, and spa locations. If your purchase contains any Aspect Dr products – our Skin Specialist is required to speak with you regarding the use of these products before your purchase can be authorised and shipped.
Aspect Age Management Kit
$272.00Four key products have been specifically selected to provide clients with a complete home care regimen starting with cleansing, moving on to serums, and finishing with hydration.
Aspect Age Management Kit
$272.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Basic Starter Kit
$145.00An antioxidant-enriched collection, ideal for people keen to experience the Aspect difference. Gently cleanse, hydrate, exfoliate and give your skin protection from environmental aggressors.
Aspect Basic Starter Kit
$145.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr ABC Essential Skin Kit
$249.00A great investment in a kit of anti-aging skincare products for those who want to improve the appearance of their skin and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, oil, acne, age spots and brighten dull lack-luster skin.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Dr ABC Essential Skin Kit
$249.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Active C Serum
$149.00A supercharged, highly stable Vitamin C formula, Aspect Dr Active C Serum is for brightening, firming, and anti-wrinkle action. Using fortifying peptides and powerful antioxidants provides a vitamin boost to any skincare regime.
Aspect Dr Active C Serum
$149.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Age Management Kit
$290.00Combat the signs of aging head-on. Containing four cosmeceutical grade products that work synergistically to target fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and general wear and tear, the Age Management Kit will have your skin back on track in no time.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Dr Age Management Kit
$290.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Complete Pigment Plus
$169.00Pigmentation sufferers get excited today! Aspect Dr Complete Pigment Plus contains an advanced formula that combines five key actives including Tranexamic Acid and Tyrostat-11™ unveiling a more even, radiant-looking complexion.
Aspect Dr Complete Pigment Plus
$169.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Eyelift
$149.00For the cosmetic management of dark circles, fine lines & puffiness. Don't be weighed down with eye baggage! Aspect Dr Eyelift is a powerful antioxidant eye serum that drastically improves dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles. With clinical strength, it literally lifts the eyes and effectively treats those under-eye concerns.
Aspect Dr Eyelift
$149.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Hyaluronic Serum
$149.00Does your skin look a little thirsty? Aspect Dr Hyaluronic serum is the skin's answer to dehydration. A hydration-boosting serum formulated with Hyaluronic Acid and antioxidants to replenish moisture and protect against external free radical damage.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Dr Hyaluronic Serum
$149.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Hydra A Plus
$79.00Aspect Dr’s Hydra A Plus is your ultimate A cream. Working to accelerate skin resurfacing, our unique blend of retinols including our gold standard Bakuchiol, exfoliate the complexion to improve texture and promote smooth, luminous glowing skin. Infused with nourishing ingredients, like INCA Omega Oil will also support the barrier function for the skin.
Aspect Dr Hydra A Plus
$79.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Lanazyme Micro Peel
$79.00Aspect Dr Lanazyme Micro Peel is an advanced peeling gel formula containing a complex of fruit enzymes, pumpkin ferment extract and Lanablue ™ that work synergistically to exfoliate lifeless skin cells and smooth skin texture, as well as a powerhouse vitamin complex to help illuminate appearance revealing a more radiant complexion
Aspect Dr Lanazyme Micro Peel
$79.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Multi B Plus Serum
$149.00An anti-aging must-have! A turbocharger for your other skincare products, Aspect Dr Multi B Plus Serum literally gives your current products a big boost. Infusing your skin with an energising cocktail of Multi B Vitamins and a patented blend of skin-fortifying sea plants. Helps to brighten, mattify, calm, and firm.
Aspect Dr Multi B Plus Serum
$149.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Optiboost Complex Serum
$159.00A potent antioxidant serum. Aspect Dr OptiBoost Complex uses liposome technology to deliver enzymes to damaged skin cells along with a combination of botanicals and hydrators to provide superior antioxidant protection and support skin cell recovery post UV exposure.
Aspect Dr Optiboost Complex Serum
$159.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Problem Skin Serum
$139.00An acne superstar! This face-saving serum contains a unique variety of stabilised Vitamin C, plus a trio of Amazonian herbal extracts that are clinically proven to dramatically improve the look and feel of excessively oily and impure skin without the trauma associated with mass-market oily skin formulas.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Dr Problem Skin Serum
$139.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Dr Redless Serum
$149.00Brilliant for alleviating dry, red and stressed skin, Aspect Dr Redless is essential to any skincare regime. Red, sensitive skin sufferers and mild irritation alike will see the difference within weeks as the signs of stressed skin slowly decrease.
Aspect Dr Redless Serum
$149.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Exfol L
$92.00Aspect Exfol L is an exfoliating night serum packed with Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) to deliver the necessary nutrients to renew the skin cells. Aspect Exfol L will refine pores and imperfections, providing a smoother, brighter and clearer complexion.
Aspect Exfol L
$92.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Extreme B 17
$139.00Aspect Extreme B17 has the ability to improve the signs of aging while soothing and calming the skin, making it suitable for use on sensitive and reactive skin types. This is a serum we recommend to all our clients and is suitable for all skin conditions. It will help fortify your current regime and accelerate the results to help you achieve your best skin fast!
Aspect Extreme B 17
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Extreme C 20
$139.00Aspect Extreme C 20 is ideal for all skin conditions, particularly sensitive and skin prone to redness. It tackles many of the signs of skin aging, from every conceivable angle. With a unique breakthrough combination of amino peptides, stable Vitamin C, cellular antioxidants, corrective botanicals, and skin-energising extracts – all expertly blended into a light as air, paraben and fragrance-free serum.
Aspect Extreme C 20
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Eyelift 3
$139.00Whether your eye concern is dark circles after a late night, fine lines on an aging complexion, or puffy eyes, Aspect can help. Aspect Eyelift 3 transforms your eye contour for a brighter, smoother, and more hydrated look and feel. Enriched with a nourishing cocktail of over 28 natural botanicals, this ultra-hydrating eye cream softens skin texture and lifts the eye contour for a wide-awake look.
Aspect Eyelift 3
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Hydrating Serum
$139.00Moisture Restorer | Aspect Hydrating Serum uses a blend of Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, calm and replenish moisture. Packed with antioxidants, this serum will calm, soothe and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. For dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin types.
Aspect Hydrating Serum
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Jungle Brew
$130.00Spotty, excessively oily or impure skin? Purify problematic skin and target concerns including excess oil and imperfections. The lightweight texture of Jungle Brew allows for rapid absorption to help minimise shine.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Jungle Brew
$130.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Pigment Punch +
$155.00A brightening and refining serum to prevent and treat age spots, sun damage and all forms of hyperpigmentation on the skin. Formulated with potent antioxidants and botanical calming actives, Pigment Punch+ effectively corrects uneven skin tone whilst preventing the formation of new skin discolourations.
Aspect Pigment Punch +
$155.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Red-Less 21
$139.00Suffer from chronic redness, sensitive skin, rosacea, or dry and stressed-out skin? Say hello to your skin care solution - Aspect Red-Less 21. Relaxation therapy for easily irritated skin. Formulated with antioxidants to nurture and protect skin from sensitising environmental effects.
Aspect Red-Less 21
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Retinol Brulee
$139.00Aspect Retinol Brulee - Vitamin A Serum - A refining night serum containing Retinol, that helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, revealing more youthful-looking skin.
OUT OF STOCKAspect Retinol Brulee
$139.00OUT OF STOCKSuccessfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Retinol LGS+
$79.00A high-performance Vitamin A perfect for those ready to take their A-Game to the next level. Retinol LGS+ contains a complex concentration of Vitamin A, plus the added benefits of triple acids, making it an Age-Defying treatment that deeply exfoliates dull, aging, uneven, problematic skin for a softer, smoother appearance. Supports skin microbiome.
Aspect Retinol LGS+
$79.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Stop Spot
$18.00Keep breakouts at bay with this exfoliating spot treatment. The ideal spot treatment is designed to quickly and effectively target spots as they appear. Stop Spot is designed to be dabbed onto the affected area as often as is required.
Aspect Stop Spot
$18.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Aspect Super PD Complex
$139.00Delay the visible signs of aging with this essential serum that supercharges any skincare regime. Boost luminosity and even out skin tone for a more youthful-looking complexion.
Aspect Super PD Complex
$139.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Cosmedix Bakuchiol Complete
$84.50Help reduce the look of fine lines while hydrating the skin with this unique Plant-Based Retinol Alternative Serum. Bakuchiol Complete is a light and conditioning serum that is powered by Bakuchiol, a vegan botanical alternative to traditional retinol that helps brighten the look of skin and visibly improves the appearance of an uneven skin tone. Combined with moisturising ingredients like Squalane, Jojoba Seed and Moringa Oil, this multi-tasking serum helps promote a smoother, more vibrant-looking complexion as it locks in moisture.
Cosmedix Bakuchiol Complete
$84.50Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Cosmedix Refine
$110.00Cosmedix Refine – A potent 4% Vitamin A-based refinishing preparation. Contains the unique AGP complex designed to trick the skin into behaving like young skin again but without the normal irritation typically associated with traditional Vitamin A preparations.
Cosmedix Refine
$110.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Cosmedix Refine Plus
$120.00A powerful concentration of Vitamin A takes Cosmedix Refine Plus Refinishing Treatment 8% to the next level above Cosmedix Refine for enhanced results.
Cosmedix Refine Plus
$120.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Cosmedix Serum 16
$145.00Features hydrators coupled with retinol to target signs of aging while protecting the skin's moisture barrier function. Helps reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone, smooth wrinkles and boost moisture without causing redness, dryness or irritation. Offers the greatest potency, delivery and stability of LG-Retinex available today.
Cosmedix Serum 16
$145.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...Societe Blemish Clarifying Complex
$99.00A unique blend of ingredients designed specifically for problematic acne skin, targets bacteria, oil production & cellular build-up on the skin’s surface. Societe Blemish Clarifying Complex not only destroys skin blemishes but also targets the key factors that contribute to a variety of challenging skin conditions.
Societe Blemish Clarifying Complex
$99.00Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart...
A Guide to Selecting the Best Skincare Products
Your skin is the bodies largest organ. Its major functions are protection, regulation and sensation. If our skin is not functioning to its full ability, these functions may become compromised.
It’s easy to get lost in the sea of skincare options these days. Not only are there doctors, dermatologists, skin professionals and aestheticians telling you this or that, you also have YouTubers, bloggers and beauty enthusiasts flooding you with thoughts and ideas too. It’s no wonder there are so many skin issues and concerns these days. When you don’t know where to start or what information is reliable, how is your skin really going to respond? More importantly, the use of incorrect skincare products can actually exasperate your condition or cause additional skin problems.
The use of professional active ingredient skincare is recommended. The “Professional” skincare products we recommend on this site can only be purchased through certified stockists and practitioners who are required to provide their professional advice on the application of these products, (as opposed to those you can purchase over the counter (OTC) in the department stores and supermarkets). These recommended professional products contain;-
- higher levels of active ingredients to boost your skin’s health and correct skin problems
(OTC product lines have less active ingredients to minimise the chance of irritation to protect the buyer) - are backed by clinical studies
(not exaggerated unsubstantiated claims) - are made in small batches and distributed to trained or licensed skin therapists, spas and salons to be supplied with professional advice on their use
(OTC products are made for the masses and sold in department stores and supermarkets) - contain small molecule technology for dermal and epidermal penetration
(OTC products that lack active ingredients, have large molecules which are not able to penetrate the skin. When a product can’t properly penetrate the skin, it will only “superficially” treat and temporarily provide relief to skin concerns. This gives the illusion that the products are working without actually treating the skin. Professional lines use molecular technology that penetrates the skin producing clinical results) - are packaged in airless pump packs to eliminate spoilage of ingredients when exposed to the air
- have pH balanced and adjusted ingredients – skin functions at its prime when the natural pH is between 4.5 and 5.5.
(Often OTC products don’t take pH into consideration and will leave the skin in an alkaline state. When the skin is alkaline, bacteria and free radicals (such as pollution) can invade the skin) - do not contain unnecessary fillers and preservatives
Professional skincare often has a reputation of being “too expensive” but that is more often than not actually far from the truth. A good professional line will price their products according to the concentration of active ingredients versus fillers and are actually overall more budget-friendly. It is a common mistake to overuse products which leads to the perception that professional skincare is more expensive. Our Skin Specialist will advise you on the appropriate amount and when to use the products according to your skin condition and type.
When used properly, professional skincare products will last longer and work better giving you the ultimate bang for your buck. OTC products will have a lower upfront cost but over time can be similar in price or more expensive than professional skincare and won’t actually repair the skin condition being treated.