How Many Serums is Too Many Serums? Keep Your Skin on the Safe Side

Now that you’re getting your skincare in check, it’s time to perfect the recipe to feed your skin all the good nutrients. To start: How many serums is too many in your skincare routine? 

Congrats bestie! We’re proud of you for doing the necessary research to get your skin in the best shape it’s ever been in. To achieve such results, you must know exactly which products you should be using on a daily basis - one of those products being a serum. Or two? We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details of how many serums to use below. 

What Even Is a Serum? 

Maybe you’re thinking “Great question, but what even is a serum?” And if that’s the case, you came to the right place. Serums are products that contain high concentrations of active ingredients like vitamins, peptides, and retinol. 

These products are characterized by their low molecular weight ingredients, meaning they can penetrate skin deeper and easier. Once your skin is cleansed and your pores are awake, serums are the next step in a skincare routine - right before moisturizer. It’s a common misconception that serums double as a moisturizer and in most cases, they do not. Instead, you should follow a serum with a moisturizer for the best results.

The General Rule of Thumb 

The general rule of thumb for how many serums you should be using is usually limited to two per routine. Why only two?

The more you add to your skin, the higher the chance of the next product not working to its full capabilities. We’d hate for you to think that a product isn’t giving you results when, in reality, it isn’t being given a fair chance. Plus, too many products sitting on your skin will start to give you that heavy face feeling… and trust us, the goal is to achieve the opposite.

A basic proper layering routine to follow involves a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. If you’re using two serums on a daily basis, apply the thinnest one first and allow it to completely sink in before layering the next. 

 

Skin That Needs a Little Extra 

If you’re an acne-prone skin type who is wondering how many serums will get you to the other side, we hear you and we see you. Acne-prone skin craves extra hydration and could use a little brightness, and people often assume layering on serums can help with both. Technically, you can have more than two serums in your skincare rotation, but we’d recommend spreading them out across your AM and PM routine to be safe. 

There are no one-size-fits-all rules for how many serums will work for your skin, but we encourage you to spend some time with your products to determine the best routine for your goals. Start small and jot down your results to get an idea of how your skin is changing over time. And don’t forget to snap progress pics. We love a before and after transformation!