How to Choose Face Serums & What to Look for

Our suggestion for a daily routine typically goes something like this: wash with a gentle cleanser, tone, apply a serum, and then a moisturizer on top.

We don’t recommend serums simply as a “luxury step” in your routine—we recommend them because of how they’re designed to work. Our serums are a bit different… Annmarie Skin Care serums are true hydrators, in the sense that they are made with hydrators and humectants (as opposed to oils) and are intended to hydrate the skin. More on that later. Serums also contain a higher concentration of active ingredients in smaller, fast-absorbing molecules. This means they’re able to penetrate the skin more effectively than a moisturizer. Choosing the right serum can truly change the way your skin looks and feels, no matter your skin type.

Why do I need a face serum?

Cleansers and moisturizers are essential for keeping your skin healthy, but they’re designed to do broad, foundational work — cleansing away buildup and sealing in moisture. Serums are different. They’re crafted with highly concentrated active ingredients in lightweight, fast-absorbing formulas that go beyond what a cleanser or moisturizer can do on their own.

Because of their smaller molecular structure, serums are able to penetrate more deeply into the skin’s surface layers. This allows potent botanicals, antioxidants, and nutrients to reach where they’re most effective, helping to support the skin’s natural renewal process at a level other products can’t.

Think of it this way: while a moisturizer quenches and protects, a serum is like delivering a direct infusion of targeted care. Whether your concern is dullness, uneven tone, fine lines, or loss of firmness, the right serum is built to address those needs with precision.

What is The Best Way to Apply Face Serum?

The best way to use a serum is after cleansing and toning, and right before your moisturizer.

This type of product is easily absorbed by the skin, so you want to apply it before your moisturizer so the serum can fully absorb into your skin. Then your moisturizer is applied on top of that to help your skin soak up all the nourishing components and lock in the moisture.

First and foremost, a serum is a hydrator. Since it has an aqueous base with little to no oils in it, a serum’s function is to add water. So let’s start with what that means.

What’s the Difference Between a Hydrator and a Moisturizer?

In the skin care industry, the terms ‘hydration’ and ‘moisture’ are often used interchangeably. While they are intricately related and each are vital for optimal health of the skin, they aren’t the same thing at all.

Oil vs. Water

The term hydration refers to the water content in the skin while moisture refers to oils in the skin. When you use a serum, you add water to the skin. This plumps up the skin so that the moisturizer you put on top of it can absorb better and deeper, making it really beneficial for those of you working with dry skin.

Not Just For Dry Skin

At the same time, plumping the skin also reduces the appearance of pore size, making a hydrating serum fantastic for those of you with oily skin, as it both minimizes the appearance of pores and helps the skin absorb the natural oils that it creates.

We like the reminder that our skin is a living barrier that defines what it is and what it isn’t. Since our bodies are made up of about 80% water and the skin is the last organ to receive nutrients internally, it’s important to provide it with an external hydration boost too.

What to Look for in a Face Serum

Knowing that your serum is the power punch that helps to balance your skin is amazing because it gives you a product to hone in on when you’re thinking about what your skincare goals are. Here are a few key factors to consider when selecting a face serum.

Clean Ingredients

We believe it’s essential to use Earth-based products for your entire routine. However, since your serum is designed to be the most absorbent product in your routine, it’s particularly important to review the ingredients.

A serum is aqueous, and our bodies are like sponges for water-based things, so we need to do our due diligence with the ingredients on this one. What you don’t want to find is synthetic preservatives or petroleum-based ingredients.

A Hydrator

This goes without saying, but if you’re using a hydrating product, you want to make sure that it contains ingredients that add water to the skin!

Aloe vera makes an incredible base for a serum because it’s like using a little packet of water that sticks long enough to absorb into the skin. It’s also a magical plant that’s high in amino acids, minerals, and enzymes, plus it can be used to infuse other amazing ingredients into the skin!

A Humectant

Always check your serum for the humectant. A humectant is an ingredient that attracts water and helps to secure moisture by plumping the skin so that it can absorb more nutrients to give you the appearance of fullness you’re looking for.

Hyaluronic acid is an ideal ingredient (as long as it’s plant-derived) to see in a serum because it is able to hold about 1000 times its weight in water, and since it’s found naturally in the body, it’s easily absorbed by the skin.

Antioxidants

Serums are a great product for addressing any type of anti-aging concern. It’s well known that antioxidants combat environmental stressors and since these stressors have been shown to increase the appearance of aging, you want your serum to be directly combating them.

You also want to look at the general focus of your serum and do research on the extra-infused ingredients or components of the blends.

If you’re working to lighten or brighten your skin, a serum high in vitamin C is key. Check out this article for a simple vitamin C serum recipe you can make at home!

If you’re looking for a serum geared toward fine lines and wrinkles/anti-aging, you want to search for activated ingredients like peptides, plant cells, ceramides or exosomes, or ingredients that are soothing. Also, be mindful that you’re not adding chemicals that can dehydrate your skin over time.

How to Choose the Right Face Serum?

One of the main questions that we get when it comes to helping people with their routine has to do with their choice of serum.

Focus In On Your Skin Care Goals

We spend a lot of time directing people to products that help them work toward their skin care goals, and making the serum choice always seems to be where people get a bit stuck.

That’s okay, that’s what we’re here for! We always start with the general question, “what is your main skin care goal?” because a facial serum is the product for targeting goals.

One At a Time!

Our face serums do have different functions, and though they’re all aloe-based and very hydrating for the skin, we find that many people opt for more than one of them.

While our serums are gentle, they pack a pretty heavy punch in terms of the botanicals and activated ingredients we infuse. We recommend that if you are using more than one of them, interchange products between morning and evening rather than mixing them together in an application.

Anti-Aging Serum

The Anti-Aging Serum is a lightweight, botanical powerhouse created to soothe, restore, and visibly support mature or stressed skin. With moisture-binding hyaluronic acid at its core, it helps plump and hydrate to soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Aloe vera provides a calming base, while antioxidants like buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush) and edelweiss offer protective benefits against environmental stressors and free radical damage.

To further nurture the skin, the formula includes a blend of life-everlasting flower, rose distillate, and other carefully selected herbs that add calming, revitalizing support. The result is a serum that absorbs quickly, leaving skin refreshed, supple, and balanced—making it an ideal daily choice for all skin types, especially those that are sensitive.

Citrus Stem Cell Serum

The Citrus Stem Cell Serum is designed to rejuvenate and brighten skin while delivering a potent dose of antioxidants. At its heart is a citrus-derived stem cell complex that helps promote firmness, elasticity, and renewed radiance. Combined with botanical actives like uva ursi, licorice root, and amla berry, it supports skin clarity and works to diminish the look of dark spots.

But this isn’t just about brightness. This formula also helps revive dull skin, especially for those exposed to sun, pollution, or daily stressors. Infused with soothing ingredients like aloe and a blend of herbs, it balances while it transforms, making it ideal for use day or night on all skin types seeking more luminous, even tone.

Wild Fruit Serum

The Wild Fruit Serum is the flagship of the Wild Alchemy Collection—our luxury skincare line crafted to deliver multi-tasking performance and activated ingredients in their purest form. This serum brightens, hydrates, and supports firmer, more youthful-looking skin—all in one elegant step.

Each bottle is infused with around 1.5 million active plant cells, rich in phytoalexins, peptides, proteins, lipids, fatty acids, sterols, sugars, vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids. These living essences help restore the skin’s integrity, glow, and resilience. Alongside them, saccharide isomerates act as powerful moisture magnets, deeply binding to the skin for lasting hydration and barrier support.

Blended with kakadu plum and Japanese knotweed for their antioxidant strength, Wild Fruit Serum delivers visible results while remaining gentle for sensitive skin. The result is a rejuvenating serum that tones, refreshes, and elevates your radiance.

Probiotic Serum with Tremella – Bio Facial Elixir

The Probiotic Serum with Tremella is crafted to support your skin’s natural defenses through a concentrated blend of skin-reviving probiotics. The formula features tremella mushroom—an ultra-hydrating ingredient that delivers moisture deep into the skin, helping to plump and nourish from within.

Complementing the probiotics are botanicals rich in minerals, antioxidants, and calming properties, which work together to soothe sensitivities and restore balance. Because of its gentle yet effective composition, this serum is suitable for all skin types, whether you’re seeking hydration, resilience, or comfort.

Activated Night Serum – Retinol Alternative

Meet your retinol alternative: Activated Night Serum is Annmarie Skin Care’s advanced evening treatment that hydrates, brightens, and revitalizes skin—without the harsh side effects associated with retinol.

At its core is a nourishing blend of hyaluronic acid, tremella extract, and squalane, which work to plump and deeply moisturize even dry or compromised skin. An algae-derived Bioactive A-Complex helps tone and energize the skin, while plankton extract supports moisture retention. Meanwhile, antioxidant powerhouses like mangosteen oil, astaxanthin, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) protect and restore skin overnight. Calming botanicals such as lavender and blue chamomile add a soothing sensory layer to your nighttime ritual.

Because this formula is meant for nightly renewal rather than daily resurfacing, it’s designed for PM use only. Users praise it for smoothing texture, enhancing luminosity, and delivering visible refinement without the dryness or irritation that a traditional retinoid might cause.

Activated Hemp Serum

The Activated Hemp Serum is a potent, nutrient-rich blend designed to brighten, nourish, and balance your complexion. Infused with a slow lipid-processed hemp flower base (not just seed oil), this formula preserves the full spectrum of plant compounds—CBG, terpenes, polyphenols, and chlorophyll—for deeper, more holistic skin support.

Antioxidant guardians like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and astaxanthin help protect against environmental stress, while botanicals including mangosteen, copaiba, and black cumin seed oils deliver deep nourishment and support skin resilience. To round out the formula, ingredients like hyaluronic acid, tremella, and an aloe-herb infusion provide hydration, calmness, and a plump, glowing finish.

Designed for AM and PM use, it layers beautifully under your moisturizer to deliver both daily protection and ongoing support for clarity, tone, and radiance—making it a foundation piece, not just a luxury add-on.