By Adriana Ermter
Over the past 15 years, it has felt like we’ve added a new, tiny glass bottle of serum to our bathroom vanity, and rubbed it across our face, almost every month. Between the wrinkle-busting anti-aging solutions and active acne treatments to the vitamin-fuelled brighteners, skin texture changers, and the green, clean and sustainable options, we’ve tried them all. There have been many that we’ve loved and kept in rotation—like Filorga’s Hydra-Hyal, Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Moisturizing SPF 50 and Fresh’s Rose Deep Hydration Oil—and others that we’ve passed along to our friends when they didn’t mesh with our skin.
In early 2020, in an attempt to recapture the flush of our long-gone 20s, we even added our name to the 8,000-person waitlist of loyalists scrambling to get their hands on Charlotte Tilbury’s youth-inducing Magic Serum Crystal Elixir when it launched in April that year. While we were not lucky with the waitlist, we were graced with the product courtesy of the UK brand’s PR team. It did not disappoint. Now, anyone who wants Tilbury’s promise of perennially glowing skin can have it for $350.00CAD per 100-ml bottle via the British makeup artists’ eponymous website. Facial serums have, after all, become a universal skincare staple. But it wasn’t always this way.
A storied beginning
In the realm of skincare, serums are still relatively new. Many beauty experts credit Hungarian biochemist Dr. Erno Laszlo with masterminding the first-ever facial elixir in the early 20th century. Legend has it that in 1938, after curing a Hungarian princess’s acne with his potions, Dr. Laszlo moved to New York City and opened the New York Institute on Fifth Avenue—a members only skincare “club” that served the complexions of the elite. While his famous clientele was rumoured to have included starlets Greta Garbo and Audrey Hepburn and the stylish Jacqueline Onassis, it was Marilyn Monroe who inspired his first-ever serum. The Blonde Bombshell had a scar on her abdomen and Dr. Laszlo’s Phormula 3 minimized its appearance and revolutionized the beauty industry. The facial serum has since been rebranded as the Phormula 3-10 Serum Concentrate and is a customer favourite at beauty counters in Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom. Many believe it laid the foundation for the skincare category.
Serum’s progressive reality
Face serum’s began popping up in department and drug stores during the early 1980s with pioneers like Estée Lauder paving the way. The American brand’s 1982 hit, Advanced Night Repair serum, remains a cult favourite today. Other early adaptors included Clinique, L’Oréal Paris and Kiehl’s with each brand introducing their own version. These new incarnations’ ability to address specific skin concerns with precision—such as adding hydration, healing acne, providing lustre, plumping skin, diminishing dark spots or reducing the appearance of wrinkles—slowly caught on and serums began to gain traction. Soon, bigwig brands were launching products with lasting power, such as Clarins’ Double Serum, which debuted in 1985 and has never left, and Shiseido’s1990s Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate with ImuGenerationRED Technology serum which is currently sold in 89 countries and regions worldwide.
As skincare science has advanced and consumers have become more educated about the benefits of these targeted treatments, newb indie brands like Tower 28, Topicals and Brandefy Skin’s liquid iterations pop up on TikTok and Instagram channels like popcorn. Tried-and-true heavyweights, such as La Prairie, CeraVe and Clé de Peau too continue to pump out new and improved options. From hydrating hyaluronic acid to brightening vitamin C formulations, there’s literally a serum for every dermal conundrum, each one unique in its formulation and application. Some are designed to be applied on clean skin, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate deeply and deliver maximum benefits. Others are meant to be layered over top of face creams to seal in moisture and enhance product efficacy.
The elixir’s evolution
But the evolution doesn’t stop there. Body and haircare brands have recognized the benefits of serum’s highly concentrated active ingredients and quick and easy absorption into the skin, hair and scalp. Resultingly, likeminded head-to-toe products are being introduced by brands such as DealBodies, Graydon and Moroccanoil. Hair and scalp-oriented labels have also joined the ranks. Drugstore leader Dove is currently seeing mass success in the category and has recently launched both a Scalp+Hair Therapy Density Boost Fullness Restore Serum and a 10-in-1 Bond Strength Serum Mask. With its full-body appeal, more specialized serums are sure to follow.
This onslaught of interest, combined with limitless innovation continues to push skincare companies to discover and test new ingredients to create fresh compilations with enhanced benefits. Novel and ground-breaking formulations of vitamins, extracts, acids and more continuously break through the foray—each one with the promise of inducing longer lasting and more potent solutions for our skin, one drop at a time.
Here are 10 of our favourite facial serum offerings this season
Blume Milky Fade Spot and Scar Serum
($61 for 30ml, available at Blume and Sephora)
KEY BENEFITS: Reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation and scarring, while healing acne and balancing your skin’s oil production.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Vitamin C and niacininamide (a form of vitamin B3), strengthen the epidermis, brighten and even texture, minimize pores and balance oil production. Centella asiatica and glycerin soothe, hydrate and soften. Vitamin E and hyaluronic acid retain moisture and plump up your skin. Billberry calms and soothes.
WHO CAN USE IT: Anyone, especially sensitive and acne prone skin.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Best applied at night on clean skin before your moisturizer.
Dermalogica Pro-Collagen Banking Serum
($125 for 30ml, available at Sephora and online at www.dermalogica.ca)
KEY BENEFITS: Plumps up your skin to add elasticity and promote a firmer appearance, while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
HERO INGREDIENTS: A Pro-Collagen complex helps increase collagen production for plumper-looking skin. Jojoba oil and polyglutamic acid nourish and firm, while a combination of wild indigo extract and arginine add radiance to your face.
WHO CAN USE IT: Normal, dry, combination and oily skin types experiencing a loss of firmness and elasticity due to aging.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Apply all over your clean skin morning and night, before you apply your day cream and SPF, and your night cream.
Elizabeth Arden, Retinol+HPR Ceramide Capsules Rapid Skin Renewing Serum
($125, for 28 ml, available at Elizabeth Arden and Shoppers Drug Mart)
KEY BENEFITS: Revitalizes your skin, adding radiance while reducing the appearance of your pores, fine lines and wrinkles.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Retinol+HPR (hydroxypinacolone retinoate) complex targets and minimizes signs of aging. Peptides and ceramides firm and strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier. Bisabolol and oat soothe and comfort your face.
WHO CAN USE IT: Aging skin or skin showing the early signs of aging.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Twist the capsule open and squeeze out the serum. Smooth it over clean skin morning and night, before you apply your moisturizers, and SPF during the daytime.
EVIO Skin Revitalizing Barrier Repair Oil Serum
($38 for 30ml, available online at www.eviobeauty.com)
KEY BENEFITS: Promotes collagen production for a youthful look, while strengthening the outer layer of your skin to keep water in and irritants out.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Clean, vegan and cruelty-free jojoba, avocado and hemp seed oils deeply nourish and hydrate your skin, while fortifying your epidermis—and all without a sticky residue. Lavender and rosemary extracts sooth inflammation, redness and stressed-out skin.
WHO CAN USE IT: Dry, sensitive and aging skin.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: At nighttime and after you have applied your moisturizer. Rub two to three drops between the palms of your hands and press the formula into your skin.
Goldie Lux 24K Colloidal GOLD Face Serum
($259 for 30ml, available online at www.goldieluxskin.ca)
KEY BENEFITS: This youth inducer hydrates, tightens, smooths and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
HERO INGREDIENTS: A blend of 96 per cent natural origin ingredients. 24K colloidal gold (a natural antioxidant), boosts collagen production and diminishes inflammation. Peptides increase moisture, radiance and firmness. Botanical, grain and vegetable extracts reduce redness and inflammation, slow down aging, soothe and refresh. Stem cells from daisies and hyaluronic acid enhance skin transparency and water absorption.
WHO CAN USE IT: Anyone concerned with aging skin.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Smooth onto clean skin morning and night, before your moisturizer.
iT COSMETICS, Bye Bye Redness Serum
($47.50 for 30ml, available at iT COSMETICS and Sephora)
KEY BENEFITS: Neutralizes redness, while soothing and nourishing irritated, sensitive skin.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Chromium oxide greens neutralize the appearance of redness. Colloidal oatmeal 1% and peptides soothe and condition. Niacininamide (a form of vitamin B3), strengthens the epidermis and balances oil production, while improving the texture of your skin by making your pores look smaller.
WHO CAN USE IT: All skin tones and types, particularly sensitive skin that needs extra TLC to soothe and calm it.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Rub onto clean skin morning and night before your moisturizer.
Lotus Aroma Daily Hydrating Serum with Ectoin & Hyaluronic Acid
($54 for 30ml, available online at www.lotusaroma.com)
KEY BENEFITS: Anti-aging through hydration and protection against free radicals (the teeny tiny chemical particles leftover from cellular damage).
HERO INGREDIENTS: A 99.8 per cent natural formula with 71.7 per cent active ingredients that is 40 per cent organic. Ectoin penetrates the dermis to soothes and hydrate. Hyaluronic acid and orange blossom floral water quench dryness, brighten and protect from free radicals.
WHO CAN USE IT: Dry, aging and sensitive skin.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Apply on clean skin, morning and night, before your moisturizer.
Nivea, Luminous Dark Spot Solution Advanced Serum
($59.99 for 30ml, available at Nivea and Shoppers Drug Mart)
KEY BENEFITS: Brightens and adds radiance to your skin, while visibly reducing dark spots and discolouration on your face.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Nivea’s patented LUMINOUS360 brightens skin and evens out texture. Hyaluronic acid hydrates and nourishes.
WHO CAN USE IT: All skin types, especially those with dark discolouration, sun and age spots and/or an uneven looking complexion.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Apply onto clean skin, morning and night, before you apply your day cream and SPF, and night cream.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
($12 for 30ml, available online at www.theordinary.com)
KEY BENEFITS: A high-powered reformulation of the brand’s best hydrating serum. Water-based, it enhances H2O retention, while plumping and smoothing texture, fine lines and wrinkles.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Hyaluronic acid to heal and stretch your epidermis for optimum health and minimal lines. Deeply hydrating vitamin B5 reduces inflammation and ensures your face is soft and smooth. Ceramides lock and keep moisture in.
WHO CAN USE IT: All skin types.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Smooth a few drops onto clean skin, morning and night, and follow with a moisturizer.
Wildcraft Revive Bio-Retinol Face Serum
($42 for 30ml, available online at www.wildcraft.ca)
KEY BENEFITS: A 100 per cent natural, vegan, cruelty-free serum that contains a gentle plant-based retinol alternative.
HERO INGREDIENTS: Rambutan, a tropical fruit that not only promotes collagen but is also a natural alternative to synthetic retinol. Evening primrose to nourish and support your skin’s health. Seabuckthorn hydrates and improves texture and tone.
WHO CAN USE IT: All skin types sensitive to synthetic retinol.
WHEN AND HOW TO USE IT: Apply to clean and dry skin at nighttime only, followed by your moisturizer. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF 30 during the day.
