Remember the old days when your mum’s biggest skincare dilemma was whether to buy Ponds or Oil of Ulan moisturiser? How times have changed, and the advances in science and technology around skincare can leave us so confused we’re wishing for the days of our mothers.

Our friends at Germaine de Capuccini have created this a simple guide to help you know the difference between a serum and a moisturiser, how to use them, and how to work out what’s going to give you the best results for your skin.

What’s the difference between moisturiser and serum?

A moisturiser is a lotion or cream which contains skin hydrating emollients and forms a physical barrier to help skin stay hydrated. Moisturisers have larger molecules than serums, so they are designed to nourish the top layers of the skin and their main benefit is to protect the skin, locking in moisture and nutrients.

As a general rule if they feel thick and heavy, they don’t contain active ingredients – they are just there to form a barrier and protect against the environment. On the flip side to that, if the cream is very watery, it will evaporate very fast and offer no protection or leave behind any ingredients to treat the skin. So the ideal moisturiser is something that sits in between the two. It’s the moisturiser that is vitally important for skin radiance and giving us that glowing skin that we all want.

Serums are lightweight, intensive skincare products formulated to penetrate deeply, allowing their active ingredients to combat free radical damage, skin pigmentation, ageing, acne and scarring by delivering nutrients and vitamins right into the skin cells. Serums providing antioxidants, peptides, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C can have dramatic and swift effects on the ageing signs like wrinkles and sun damage. They also encourage healthy exfoliation, which brings new and healthy skin to the surface giving that plump, dewy look.

Serums are designed to repair the skin at a cellular level and act on a wide range of skin health factors at the same time. If you have aged, damaged, scarred or sun damaged skin, a serum is your best choice to reduce the visible impacts on your skin. Serums act to improve skin firmness, smoothness and luminosity while reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

So, do you need serum or moisturiser… Or both products?

This is where layering comes into effect – while an antioxidant serum works to repair skin cells and combat free radicals, a moisturiser acts to prevent the evaporation of moisture and provides a physical barrier to protect the skin from environmental irritants and makeup particles.

Using a facial serum will increase the effectiveness of your skincare regime. If you are 30 or older, using a serum will make a big difference to the appearance of your skin.

How do you apply your serum and moisturiser?

Apply your serum twice a day, directly on your skin after cleansing and toning (damp skin is ten times more permeable than dry skin) and before moisturiser and sunscreen.

You only need to apply a small amount – your skin can only absorb so much. Using serum more frequently is better than simply applying more.

Best serums to target specific issues

• Germaine de Capuccini Hyaluronic Force Serum – contains three different weights of pure hyaluronic acid to work every layer of the skin, saturating it with moisture from top to bottom. The results are younger-looking skin with greater hydration, less redness, and breakouts. Ideal for all skin types. Perfect to use with other serums to increase penetration.
• Germaine de Capuccini Age Cure 30 Day Renewal Program – eliminate wrinkles in just 30 days with this next level renewal system.
• Germaine de Capuccini Absolute Nourishment Elixir – a nourishing elixir packed full of essential fatty acids designed to firm and reduce wrinkles while providing the skin with intense nourishment. Great as a nighttime booster.
• Germaine de Capuccini Lift Firming Vector Serum – our “facelift in a bottle”, using the latest European lifting technology that immediately smooths, lifts and redefines facial contours.
• Germaine de Capuccini SRNS Multivitamin Repair Serum –  our most technologically advanced booster serum for youthful, rejuvenated skin, treating all aspects of skin ageing -protects the skin by day and repairs by night. Suitable for all skin types.
• Germaine de Capuccini Balancing Perfecting Oil Free Serum – a light oil-free serum to help heal and prevent breakouts, regulate sebum production and reduce inflammation associated with acne.

If you are unsure which serum or moisturiser will give you the results you are looking for, get in touch with the team at Gaia Day Spa for personalised advice.

Written by Katie Watts for Germaine de Capuccini.