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Your Guide to Face Serums: All Questions Answered!

Your Guide to Face Serums: All Questions Answered!

Having multiple steps in your skincare routine can be stressful. The basic routine: CTM - Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizer is a must! But if we tell you, your skin can benefit greatly if you add just one more step to the routine: Face serums!

Now, you must have a lot of questions and a lot of options in the beauty world when it comes to face serums. Let us help you with a face serum guide so you can shop seamlessly. 

What is a face serum?

A serum is a part of a skincare routine that is usually applied right after cleansing the skin and before applying the moisturizer.

Face serums are formulated with a high concentration of active ingredients, but they are lightweight so that they can be layered under other skincare steps like creams or lotions. 

Why should I include face serum in my routine?

While cleansers or moisturizers contain only 5-10% of key ingredients in their formulas, serums contain up to 70%. This is why they are applied directly after cleansing, to deliver potent shots of active ingredients directly to your skin. Think of them as a vitamin to your skin.

What ingredients to look for in face serums?

What ingredients to look for in face serums

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid traps in the skin's natural water levels and ensures that the skin doesn't lose its moisture. 

Vitamin C: Vitamin C has anti-aging properties, it also builds collagen and boosts skin immunity.

Retinol (Vitamin A): Retinol helps treat acne, boosts collagen production, and prevents premature aging and cell damage. 

Plant stem cells: Plant stem cells help in repairing and rejuvenating the skin. They have great anti-aging benefits. 

Antioxidants: Antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E are essentials to protect the skin from stress and environmental damage. 

Maxitryl: Matrixyl is a synthetic peptide that stimulates the production of collagen. It restores and maintains the skin's youthful appearance and also reduces wrinkles to delay aging.

AHAs: Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) exfoliates, brightens, plumps up, and smoothens the skin's texture. It also has anti-aging benefits.

Niacinamide: Niacinamide eliminates dryness and intensifies the skin's elasticity. It also combats acne and has anti-aging benefits. 

Salicylic acid: Salicylic acid is an exfoliating agent that helps in removing the dead skin cells from the upper layer of the skin. This, in turn, prevents acne, redness, and swelling. 

How to choose the right serum?

You should choose the right serum for your skin, based on two categories: Skin type and skin concern. Before you start using any skincare product, it is always advised to know your skin type beforehand. Once you know your skin type, you should try and buy products accordingly.

Now according to skin concerns-

For Dry Skin

Hydration is the key to treating dry skin. If you have a dry skin type, then your skin will need an extra boost of hydration to keep it moisturized and supple. You can look for those face serums with hyaluronic acid or caviar.

Our recommendation: Slova HYDRATE and Slova RENOVATE

HYDRATE is an intense hydrating hyaluronic acid capsule-based serum. It helps achieve plumper, firmer and hydrated skin and also shields it from environmental stressors.

RENOVATE is a plant collagen-boosting repair serum that visibly improves skin texture and reinforces your skin's defense barriers.

Slova HYDRATE and Slova RENOVATE

For Dark Spots

If you are suffering from dark spots, sun spots, pigmentation, and uneven skin tone then face serum loaded with retinol in them should be your go-to serum. 

Our recommendation: Slova FILL

FILL is an advanced skin smoothing retinol serum that is powered with a highly concentrated formula of Hyaluronic Acid and Matrixyl 3000 that reduces the appearance of dark spots, along with fine lines and wrinkles.

Slova FILL

For Signs of Aging

Smile lines, frown lines, wrinkles, saggy skin, crow's feet: you can extend the clock on all the signs of aging, with the right blend of peptides, antioxidants, and hydration. 

Our recommendation: Slova LIFT

LIFT serum capsules are based on single-dose skincare that stimulates the production of collagen and elastin to erase the signs of aging. These serum-filled capsules are crafted with a potent blend of antioxidants and intensive hydrators. 

Slova LIFT

Can we mix skincare ingredients?

You must be careful when mixing certain active ingredients together, as they can cause damage to your skin. 

Here's your guide to mixing active ingredients together: 

Retinoids/Retinol with Vitamin C? A BIG NO!


Retinol works in alkaline pH while Vitamin C works in acidic pH, so it is advised not to use them at the same time. However, you can use Vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine and Retinol in your night skincare routine.  

However, you can mix Retinol with Hyaluronic Acid.

Retinol/Retinoids and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): A BIG NO!

Retinol, AHAs, and BHAs are exfoliating agents. Using them together can irritate your skin and make it red. Never combine them, especially when you have an oily skin type. 

However, you can mix Hyaluronic Acid with AHAs/BHAs and Retinol with SPF

Vitamin C with ordinary soap? A BIG NO!

Soaps have a high pH level that decreases the skin's ability to absorb Vitamin C. When you have to apply Vitamin C, you can either use glycolic acid or salicylic acid-based cleansers. 

You can use Vitamin C and Vitamin E together, and Vitamin C and Ferulic Acid together. 

Summing up

Face serums are one of the most beneficial steps in your skincare routine given that you use them as per instructions and store them properly. There is a serum for all types of skin, but the wrong combination of the active ingredients can aggravate your skin concerns and can cause adverse effects. If you have sensitive skin, it is highly advised to consult a skin care specialist before using any face serum.