Serums - an expensive waste of money?

16% !

Ignore the ads. Do what is best for you.

My DD just splashed out on a facial as it was the first day since birth of babe that she had some time to herself. Her skin is still recovering a week later as she reacted to the lotions that they used.

I agree, I have tried a few products which claim to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles and I notice no difference whatsoever. Some feel nicer than others n the skin, but don't always justify the sometimes huge price tag.

I started using a serum about 10 years ago, when I felt my face cream wasn't moisturising enough. I found they sink in quickly and I can feel the difference. Sometimes I just use the serum. I don't usually bother with any night cream

However I just use a (award winning) serum from Aldi, about £3, or Superdrug, still under £5. So far I have few wrinkles, possibly because I am overweight so have a fattish face!

I just find the price of serum prohibitive. I used a cheaper one i.e. Boots own and it did nothing. I have had a few samples of Clarins and it was very nice and soothing on my dry bits but cant justify the cost about £75 I think.

What are serums? I have seen them advertised but always suspected it was a way of trying to sell punters something ordinary with an enhanced price.

I have a dry skin and have always found that lots of moisteriser, any moisteriser, massaged in several minutes a day keeps my skin looking and feeling great.

I started using the Aldi one as I wouldn't spend a lot on them. I had left it rather late!!
However I don't think it "did much" for me and I am back on whichever Moisture cream is on offer when I need it. Currently Olay.

That's my routine Ann ...cleanse and use whichever reputable moisturiser is on offer....currently Nivea in my Boots.

I would post a photograph of my exquisite young looking skin but sadly my hair needs washing ?

I've mentioned this on here before:
Ialoset cream
My doctor prescribed it when I had a skin wound on my leg and it healed up fast. It's supposed to be the basis of all anti-aging ceams.
I haven't tried in on my face though.

First link failed:
www.avibon.com/Hyaluronic-Acid-Cream-Ialuset-100g-w-Free-Shipping-Tracking-3401076312351.htm

I was given Aldi's serum today for Mother's Day . My daughter has started using it and says it's great , but she's young and beautiful anyway .
I'm going to start using it tonight and will report back in a month !!

Have you ever tried to find out what substances are in the so called serums
In some serums the main ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid is snail slime.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snail_slime

www.natureworldnews.com/articles/2998/20130716/snail-facials-unlikely-much-effect-dermatologists.htm

Snail slime? Only by a few wacky companies maybe!

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is found all over our bodies. It's in our skin tissue, which is why it's now in skin care products, but the HA used is synthetic, definitely not snail slime. It's about the best thing you can get to boost the moisture content of your skin and it helps prevent your skin drying out too. It has lots of medical uses too, because of its repair abilities.

Anya I've been trying to find a serum recently too, for the same reasons too. I've tried a few cheaper ones like the ones Aldi does and one by Palmer's, the cocoa butter lotion people, but I can't see any difference in my skin.

I'm not too bothered about wrinkles, although I admit I don't have many, just crow's feet laughter lines around my eyes. I would like to improve the appearance of my skin and that's what started me on my search.

Trouble is, the ingredients in the ones I can afford won't deliver what they promise (I use Beautypedia a lot). I can't bring myself to fork out for the ones that are most likely to make a difference.

HA is in some foods and you can buy it as a supplement, but I'm not sure if you can get any benefit from eating it.

hi
i took part in one of the testings on a particular well known serum a couple of years ago. it involved serious photography, that is close up, makeup less, intense photographs of all my face. i was then invited to look at the photographs and make a series of statements about the state of my skin.
i was then sent home with two creams, one for each side of my face. i used these for three weeks or so and went back and had the same photos taken. i then had to make statements about each side of my face.

as soon as i looked at the photos, it was blindingly obvious that one side was less crumply than the other. the fine lines were less defines and the deeper lines were not so obvious
since that day, i have used that serum. sometimes with cream, often without. i suppose im one of the ones it works for but i wouldnt dream of missing out on that part of my daily ablutions.

Wima the serums I've tried have been mid-range ones, Boots, L'Oreal, etc. Perhaps if I'd been prepared to splash out £100 I'd have seen a difference.

joolz - perhaps indeed there is a difference discernable under 'close up....intense photography' but I'm thinking 'visible results' ought to mean visible to the naked eye.

But love the use of the word 'crumply'

Anya that's the problem isn't it? I don't want to pay that much, in fact, I'm pretty sure I don't care enough to pay that much. There's no guarantee with any of the products around and I can't afford to keep paying to try. Some dermatologists say using dirt cheap aqueous cream as a moisturiser and a high factor sun screen will do more than anything else you can buy.

joolz how interesting. Any chance you could share the name of the serum?

I'm confused about serums too. I thought the whole point of the was to provide a base for makeup, not necessarily to improve one's skin. I'm quite a fan of Protect and Perfect, but not sure if it actually works as such. I have greasy skin and the cheaper ones seem to add to the greasyness for me.

On the Hyaluronic Acid, I'm never sure how much of it is actually in products. Is there a way of telling? Back in the day, it was possible to buy it on the internet in concentrated form. Not sure any more; I can't see the wood for the trees now!

I, too, would LOVE to know what joolz's product is.

Another one here to whom it doesn't really matter. I use moisture cream because I don't like the feeling of dry skin and the twice a month I use foundation I think it goes on better with a base. We really should get over the idea that people are judging us on our looks. They are mostly concerned with how they themselves look.

joolz1954 what is it - don't leave us dangling like that.

I use the Boots one which is meant to make a difference. Still look like a pug.

I have inherited my Mums good complexion, she used Ponds cold cream every day till she died ay 92, still had lovely skin, I have always used oil of olay, used to be the lotion, when I turned 60 switched to anti wrinkle formula, its only £10 for 2 and works great, I have very few wrinkles but that may be down to being a bit chubby!

The Aldi stuff is really good - and cheap.

Amazon sell Ialuset cream for £13.10