Want glowing skin? Check out these 8 serums

How do you take care of your skin? As we age, our skin changes. Its elasticity decreases naturally. The National Institute on Aging also adds that the skin becomes “ thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did."

What can you read in this article?

• What is a skin serum?
• How to choose a skin serum for glowing skin
• Top 7 best serum for glowing skin

Many women have their own anti-aging skin regimen. Of course, eating a well-balanced diet, sleeping adequately, and exercising all contribute to your skin health. For other ladies, they turn to skincare products to complement their anti-aging practices. Enter the skin serum.

What is a skin serum?

Have you ever come across those tiny bottles with droppers in beauty and skincare stores? Those are face serums. They typically come in that packaging. But what is the real deal on serums? What are they anyway?

Harvard Health defines serums as “light, easily absorbed oil- or water-based liquids that you spread on your skin." They add that these are highly concentrated formulations and that they are formulated to quickly absorbed by your skin so that it can get an intensive dose of ingredients that tackle various skin concerns.

Serums usually contain active ingredients like vitamins, peptides, antioxidants, and more. They are applied after cleansing and right before moisturizing.

How to choose a skin serum for glowing skin

There are a lot of different serums that you can buy nowadays. Here’s a quick guide when choosing one:

• Active ingredients
  • What are its active ingredients?
• Purpose
  • There are different kinds of serums. Know what you need? The Skin Care Edit says these are the most common types of serums:
    • hydrating
    • antioxidant
    • brightening
    • clarifying
    • pore-minimizing
    • anti-aging
    • calming
  • Any of these types of serum can contribute to your glowing skin. But you need to find out first what exactly your skin needs.
• Price
  • A serum can cost you from a few hundred to thousands of pesos depending on the brand and kind. Know what you're comfortable spending first before you buy.

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Top 8 best serum for glowing skin

1. Mama's Choice Advanced Brightening Serum

Mama's Choice Advanced Brightening Serum is a unique find for skincare aficionados because it is specially formulated for the sensitive skin of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. It is clinically tested to help reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation, with its combination of ingredients that bring together the best of nature and innovation.

Like all of the brand's products, this serum is free of harsh ingredients. It's hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, and alcohol-free.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • peony extract, vitamin C, Hyaluronan 11 multi-complex, ceramide NP, niacinamide
• purposes
  • brightening and moisturization
• benefits
  • reduces dark spots
  • evens out skin tone
  • moisturizes the skin
• price
  • P899

2. Cerave Renewing Vitamin C Serum

If there's one thing you need to know about Cerave products, it's this: They contain three essential ceramides that restore the skin's protective barrier. That's the basis of all its offerings. The brand believes that by replenishing the skin's natural ceramides, its products reduce moisture loss and increase hydration. The same is true for this serum which provides skin-brightening and antioxidant protection.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • ascorbic acid, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5
• purposes
  • brightening and antioxidant
• benefits
  • protects against environmental damage
  • improves the appearances of fine lines and wrinkles
  • addresses uneven skin tone
  • improves the skin's texture
• price
  • P1,274

3. The Ordinary Buffet Multi-Technology Peptide Serum

This serum from cult favorite The Ordinary puts together an impressive array of ingredients that tackle signs of aging. It's called buffet for a reason. What's also great about it is it's alcohol-free and maintains a ph of 4.5 to 5.5, which ensures that it's well-balanced.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • Matrixyl 3000 peptide complex, Matrixyl synthe'6 peptide complex, SYN-AKE peptide complex  ARGIRELOX peptide complex, skin-friendly amino acids, and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes
• purpose
  • anti-aging
• benefits
  • helps you achieve a youthful glow
  • firms up and lifts up the skin
  • lessens the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging
• price
  • P358

4. LANBENA Vitamin C Brightening Skin Serum

This is one of the more affordable serum brands out there. For only P110, you get a 15ml Vitamin C serum. With its high concentration of active VC essence, it helps brighten the skin while keeping it youthful-looking. Aside from vitamin C, it also has hyaluronic acid and natural glycerin.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and natural glycerin
• purposes
  • brightening
  • anti-aging
  • antioxidant
• benefits
  • inhibits melanin production
  • slows down skin aging
  • makes the skin brighter
• price
  • P89

5. Garnier Bright Complete Vitamin C Booster Serum

Garnier is a brand that's committed to nature-based solutions. This means that its products are made of skin-loving natural ingredients. Its vitamin C serum is no exception. Don't forget to use it every day and night before you put on your moisturizer.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • vitamin C, niacinamide, glycerin
• purpose
  • antioxidant
  • brightening
• benefits
  • fades dark spots and acne marks
  • helps the skin look visibly brighter
• price
  • P350

6. Pond's Bright Triple Glow Serum

Pond's, your favorite supermarket beauty find, joins the serum movement with its very own Bright Triple Glow Serum. It is packed with Gluta-Boost-C, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Simply apply 2-3 drops of the serum and massage it on your face and neck twice a day to achieve glowing skin.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • Gluta-boost-C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
• purposes
  • brightening, antioxidant, pore-minimizing, and hydration
• benefits
  • effectively fades dark spots
  • refines the skin texture
  • minimizes the appearance of pores
  • draws in moisture and hydrates the skin
• price
  • P343.50

7. Glossier Super Glow

Beauty mavens swear by Glossier. Aside from its eye-catching display, Glossier has an array of effective products that has a loyal following. It has several types of serums, but for this article, we're going with the Super Glow, which is essentially Vitamin C and magnesium. It's a bit pricier compared with the others on this list, but if you have the extra budget, it's worth giving it a try.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • vitamin C and magnesium
• purposes
  • pore-minimizing, hydration
• benefits
  • helps even the skin tone
  • improves the appearance of dark spots
  • replenishes moisture for fresh and dewy skin
• price
  • P2,000

7. Kiehl's Holiday Midnight Recovery Concentrate Serum

This is by far the most expensive serum on this list. But Kiehl's makes a case for itself with this serum. How so? Well, it uses some ingredients that are not available in the other serums in the market. This includes lavender essential oil, Squalane (a highly-refined botanical lipid from olives), and evening primrose oil. If you want glowing and radiant skin, Kiehl's says you should try this.

What we love about it

• active ingredients
  • lavender essential oil, Squalane, and evening primrose oil
• purposes
  • brightening
  • hydration
  • pore-minimizing
• benefits
  • visibly reduces fine lines
  • boosts the skin's radiance
  • helps restore the appearance of tired-looking skin
  • leaves the skin hydrated
  • smoothens and firms the skin
• price
  • P3,950