Face Serum vs Oil & The Best Products
Wondering when to use a face oil versus a serum?
You should use BOTH as they do different things. We break down all the reasons while highlighting the benefits of the best oils and serums we’ve found.
But first, what’s the big difference between face serums and face oils? Serums address specific areas of concern with potent, active ingredients to target hydration depletion, sun spots, lines, dullness, and blemishes. Facial serums typically have a watery, gel-like consistency designed to penetrate the skin’s surface more readily and sit under your moisturizer.
On the other hand, facial oils are more emollient in consistency, containing vitamins and essential fatty acids to rest on top of your moisturizer (or replace it!) to seal in hydration. Face oils also work to strengthen your skin barrier as the oil sits on the uppermost layer of the skin. To summarize: Face serums sink into the skin while face oils sit on top of the skin.
When it comes to the order of applying serums and oils, always put your serum on first, followed by your moisturizer, then end with your face oil. If skipping moisturizer, you can also go straight to your face oil after your serum to seal in all the goodness.
Now that you know the “how” and “why”, let's share our favorite face serums and face oils to amplify your routine.
The Serums
Vintner's Active Botanical Serum
This beloved glow-boosting serum is infused with active botanical extracts to nourish, brighten, firm, and boost circulation. It may feel like a dry oil, but that’s because it's designed to quickly soak deep into your skin like a beautifying serum with the highest concentrations of actives in the industry—and a patented Phyto Radiance Infusion™ to power drive those yummy nutrients.
VENN Advanced Multi-Perfecting Red Oil Serum
Part serum, part oil; insanely popular. This multi-correcting facial oil serum uses 34 extracts, essential oils, and botanicals to nourish the skin with firming hydration and maximize elasticity and radiance. Active ingredients include extracts that have been fermented for 150 hours.
Get an instant glow by wearing this serum alone, under your moisturizer, or under makeup for an added pop of luminous hydration. Enhanced with shimmer particles, this serum visibly brightens and reduces pigmentation. Packed with Hyaluronic Acid and Ginseng Extract it also protects against environmental stress.
Beautycounter Counter+ All Bright C Serum
This game-changing serum is blended with Vitamin C to reduce dark spots and antioxidant-rich Turmeric and Camu Camu to prevent new ones from forming. Plus it’s clinically proven to even skin tone and instantly brighten your complexion.
The Face Oils
Feels ultra-luxurious because it’s infused with botanicals and nutrient-rich ingredients handcrafted in small batches. Use it after your serum or entire skincare routine to revitalize with added luminosity and help all your skincare sink in.
Furtuna Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
Get the benefits of both a moisturizer and a face oil with this luxurious Vitamin C enriched oil combining two bioactive formulas in one. It smells of delicate magnolia oil while plumping and repairing the skin’s protective barrier.
Mara Evening Primrose + Green Tea Algae Retinol Face Oil
This superhero treatment boosts hydration and barrier repair while tackling wrinkles, pronounced pores, and uneven texture. It saturates your complexion with all 20 known amino acids and free-radical fighting antioxidants, coupled with phytonutrient powerhouses to plump skin and lock in moisture.