When shopping for serums online, most users look by the serum ingredient or target area. However, without trying a product first, it’s possible that the formula may not be suitable for your in type. Understanding how to choose the best serum for you, regardless of the price tag ensures you don’t spend money on serums you’ll neglect. In this article, we touch on the best serums for any budget and the ones to look for if you prefer a weightless consistency or rich oil texture.
Budget serums can stand up to the biggest names if you know what to look for and what to avoid. Find lightweight serums that absorb quickly into the skin, leaving a silky finish and explore oil serums to nourish tired skin and boost radiance.
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The Best Budget Serums - Affordable yet Effective
Some of the more expensive skincare brands are worth the money. Meanwhile, making the right decision when it comes to premium skincare is crucial if you want to avoid disappointment. Buying into new skincare trends is an expensive endeavour and it doesn’t always pay off. We’ve selected our favourite brands and products to help you find the most effective serums for your skin type and needs. Explore our favourite budget serums that are definitely worth trying.
Affordable Hydrating Serum
Want to dip into the crowded world of hydrating serums? Here is our bestselling formula that is as good as the more expensive offerings but costs a fraction of the price.
Vichy Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
This serum uses hyaluronic acid, glycerin and 89% Vichy Thermal Spring Water to draw moisture into the skin, balance sensitive complexions and add a protective seal from environmental stressors. What’s more, it costs just €15.96 for 30ml. 50ml and 75ml options are available for even better value-for-money.
Affordable Anti-Ageing Serum
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Looking for a gentle, yet effective retinol serum? CeraVe Resurfacing retinol contains encapsulated retinol for age-fighting effects. Liquorice root extract fights pigmentation. Niacinamide reduces acne and pores while brightening the complexion. Ceramides help repair the moisture barrier support. This hero serum costs €24.00 for 30ml
Budget Vitamin C Serum
The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C & EGF Serum 30ml
You might have heard of the bestselling Inkey List Vitamin C serum but this one with Epidermal Growth Factor tops it for us. This formula is lightweight, non-sticky and contains a high concentration of stabilised vitamin C (ascorbyl glucoside). This serum contends with the high-end products and it’s a fraction of the price at €17.99 per 30ml.
The Best-Value Serum According to Us
Saving money on skincare doesn’t always mean buying the cheapest products. For us, it means buying a serum that does it all, and one you don’t have to replace often. Not only does this save you money in the long-run but it declutters your beauty collection.
Skingredients Skin Protein Anti-Ageing Retinoid Serum
This does-it-all serum includes deeply hydrating low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, pro-collagen peptides, vitamin C, E, A and retinyl palmitate (a gentle retinol form). Plant extracts such as beta-glucan and aloe vera soothe and repair tired skin. Skingredients offer refillable 45ml bottles so your bottle lasts 1.5x as long as a regular serum. Your first bottle costs €55.00 and each refill pack costs €49.00. Subscribe for even more savings.
Read the full guide on the best budget serums and learn how to select an effective product
Lightweight Serums for a ‘Barely-There’ Finish
Shopping online for skincare products can be challenging - your skin might not get on with the formulation despite favourable ingredients. If you have oily, acne-prone or temperamental skin, you may want a lightweight consistency that leaves no residue, stickiness or greasiness.
Lightweight Hydrating Serums
Hydrating serums are the easiest to shop for if you want a weightless formula. You’ll want to look for low molecular weight hyaluronic acid.
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Serum 30ml
The popular product contains low and medium-weight hyaluronic acid which delivers deep hydration, plumps fine lines and helps to reduce water loss throughout the day. Moreover, vitamin B5 helps to nourish the skin barrier and boost radiance.
Skingredients Skin Veg Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Another hero serum from Skingredients contains low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, pro-collagen peptides, vitamins and plant-extracts for all-day skin quenching. The formula absorbs quickly leaves no residue.
Weightless Anti-Ageing Serum
Clarins Double Serum Light Texture 50ml
If you love the Clarins Double Serum but find the texture too heavy, you should try the lighter-textured version. It has the same miraculous benefits and active ingredients including turmeric extract, oat kernel extract, squalane and vitamin C. This one fights free radicals, photodamage, dark spots and softens fine lines.
Lightweight Serum for Sensitive Skin
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum
Sensitive skin can be choosy when it comes to formulation. This one from La Roche Posay contains Toleriane, hyaluronic acid, soothing agents and glycerin to hydrate and soothe irritated or allergy-prone skin.
Read the full guide on the best lightweight serums and learn how to identify light-textured serums online.
The best face oils for all skin types
Contrarily, some users need something on the other end of the spectrum. An oil serum locks in the moisture from your skincare routine and provides deep penetration of skincare ingredients. You can use an oil serum as part of a gua sha or massage routine or supply fat-soluble ingredients where they’re needed. Here are our favourite products for all skin types.
Face Oil for Oily Skin
Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil 30ml
If you think the last thing your oily skin needs is more oil, this serum might be the one for you. It has an ultra-lightweight texture which absorbs quickly. It contains non-comedogenic plant oils and extracts which nourish, soothe and protect the skin from oxidative damage. Oil serums also help prevent water loss.
Face oil for mature skin
IMAGE Vital C Hydrating Facial Oil
Mature skin needs more lipids and antioxidants than younger skin. Our favourite oil serum for mature complexions contains fat-soluble vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) which penetrates the skin more deeply and degrades less readily. This one also contains retinol, sea buckthorn, vitamin E, squalane and other potent plant oils for anti-ageing benefits.
Face Oil for Sensitive Skin
Trilogy Very Gentle Microbiome Oil 30ml
Sensitive skin doesn’t always respond well to oil serums so this one from Trilogy is superb for stressed skin in need of soothing protection. It contains 100% natural-origin ingredients including rosehip, macadamia, rosemary oil, pre-biotic oat kernel extract and vitamin E and it’s non-comedogenic.
Face oil for acne-prone skin
Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Oil 30ml
Oil serums can trigger blemish-prone skin but certain fat-soluble ingredients that are excellent for fighting and preventing breakouts. Dermalogica uses retinol and salicylic acid to resurface new skin cells, fight breakouts, fade scars and reveal smoother, clearer skin overnight.
Want to learn how to incorporate an oil serum into your routine? Read the full guide on the best face oils.
