Our skin is built from nutrients, like fatty acids, collagen, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. When applied directly to the skin, these same nutrients help repair, restore, and soothe skin concerns. That’s why a nutrient-dense serum is crucial to a bright and beautiful complexion.

Face serums are the most transformative part of your skincare routine. Not only are they extremely customized to your skin concerns, they’re also packed with the most bioavailable nutrients (much more than you’ll find in a toner or moisturizer). But since face serums are so diverse, it’s important to know what kind of face serum is best for your skin type and goals.

 

What Is a Face Serum?

A face serum is a water-based or oil-based skincare product that’s designed to replenish your skin with active ingredients. It should be the most nutrient-dense and targeted part of your daily routine, applied between your cleanser and moisturizer.

 

What Are the Benefits of a Face Serum?

A good face serum is highly customized to your skin type and needs. In general, it works to brighten, hydrate, and restore your skin with powerful antioxidants and nutrient-dense ingredients. Here are just a few face serum benefits…

 

Even tone

Ingredients like helichrysum oil and bakuchiol target hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.

 

Hydrated skin

Apply your face serum before a moisturizer to really lock in hydration. An oil-based serum is best for hydrated and supple skin.

 

Fewer wrinkles

The ingredients in a face serum are designed to target wrinkles and signs of aging. Our favorite ingredient is bakuchiol (nature’s retinol), but floral and herbal ingredients like rose and jasmine can help, too.

 

Bright skin

With powerful antioxidants and vitamins, the right serum can brighten your complexion, helping you feel confident with or without makeup.

 

Less breakouts

By rebalancing the oils in your complexion, the right face serum can encourage fewer breakouts, especially if it’s an oil-based serum.

 

Skin barrier repair

Skin barrier disruption looks like flaky, dry, and disrupted skin that’s prone to breakouts and sensitivity. But the right face serum can help restore balance by providing the right nutrients for skin cell repair.

 

Better nutrient absorption

The right serum can prepare your skin to receive nutrients. That’s why it’s best to use it before your moisturizer (especially vitamin-rich tallow skincare).

 

Types of Face Serums and What They Do for Your Skin

With thousands of skin serum formulations on the market, it’s hard to know exactly which one is right for you. Start with your skin type and skin concerns, and look for a serum that intentionally targets acne, hydration, or mature skin.

 

Hydrating serum

The right hydrating serum shouldn’t just add moisture to your skin. It should train your skin to retain moisture and balance its natural sebum. Meaning, if you accidentally skip a skincare day, your skin should bounce back easily.

 

Mature skin serum

A serum for mature skin uses a retinol (or retinol alternative) to encourage cell turnover and collagen production, since both of these decrease with age. The goal is to cultivate a vibrant complexion and soften wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots.

 

Firming serum

The goal of a firming serum is to target loose skin and subtle signs of aging. It’s similar to a mature skin serum but more targeted. Your firming serum should boost collagen production (around the jaw, neck, and eyes) and provide deep hydration and nourishment.

 

Brightening serum

This serum is for you if you struggle with dull or dry skin. Maybe you don’t know exactly what skin concerns you have, but you want to see your complexion improve. For a clean brightening serum, we recommend botanicals and nutrient-dense oils that restore tone vibrance.

 

Common Ingredients Found in Clean Face Serums and What They Do

• Bakuchiol. This is our favorite plant-based retinol alternative. While it doesn’t contain vitamin A, it has shown in studies to have similar cell turnover and collagen building effects to retinol. Plus, it’s side-effect-free (no retinol burn) and safe for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

• AHA fruit acids. These fruit compounds offer gentle exfoliation that can reduce hyperpigmentation and fine lines. In a serum, they should only be used once or twice a week, since too much exfoliation can disrupt the skin barrier.

• Vitamin C. A powerful antioxidant, vitamin C can brighten and repair skin that’s dry, dull, or damaged. It’s packed full of benefits, including collagen.

• Grass-fed tallow. We personally include grass-fed tallow in face balms, but it works amazingly in serum, too. Tallow skincare includes vitamin A, D, E, and K while nourishing the skin barrier with fatty acids.

• Botanicals. Herbs and flowers are often overlooked in skincare, but they add so much diversity and nutrient-density to your serum. The right botanicals can soothe redness, brighten your complexion, and boost collagen production.

 

The Correct Way to Apply a Face Serum

You’ll want to apply your face serum after cleanser and toner but before moisturizer. Keep in mind, serums are extremely nutrient-dense, and applying them too often can mess with your skin barrier. We recommend a clean formula (100% chemical-free) and intentional application once daily.

 

Morning Skincare Routine with Face Serum

In the morning, you’ll want to cleanse and tone your skin before applying a serum. Then, use about 3–5 drops of serum and pat it into your face and neck. From here, you’ll use a light moisturizer or face primer before your makeup.

 

Evening Skincare Routine with Face Serum

The best time to apply a face serum is before bed. This is because your skin cells naturally repair during sleep, and topical nutrients can help the process. Again, you’ll want to cleanse and tone first before using a face serum. Then, seal it in with a thick moisturizer, like a tallow face balm.

 

Reparative Serum vs. Glow Serum: Which Toups and Co Face Serum Should You Use?

Glow serum

The Glow Serum is our multi-use serum, designed to glide seamlessly under makeup. It works to hydrate, brighten, and restore with vitamin-rich botanicals, like helichrysum and calendula. It’s a nutrient-dense solution for mild age spots, wrinkles, fine lines, acne, scarring, and sunburns. While the Glow Serum is used by women of all ages, it’s particularly loved by middle-aged women who want just a small boost of skin love.

Reparative serum

The Reparative Serum is best for nighttime use, and it’s designed specifically for aging skin and wrinkle prevention. It uses bakuchiol, a natural retinol alternative, to boost cell turnover and target fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and loose skin. Unlike retinol, the Reparative Serum can be used daily and shouldn’t cause irritation, peeling, or retinol burn. This serum contains other nutrient-dense ingredients, like vitamin C and vitamin E, for lasting results. Thanks to natural ingredients, it’s safe for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

Nature-Inspired Serums with Uncompromising Ingredients

You want to experience the transformative benefits of a face serum, but you’re worried about two things: toxins and synthetic ingredients. That’s what we worried about, too, when we first explored face serum formulas. Nothing takes away from a nutrient-dense serum quite like fillers, preservatives, and microplastics. That’s why we set out to create the most effective and nontoxic serums on the market.

Shop Our Potent and Nature-Inspired Face Serums

Face Serum for Mature Skin (The Reparative Serum!)

Hydrating Face Serum (The Glow Serum!)