The 8 Serums You Need If You're in Your 30s

Photo credit: Photo by Jimmy Chang on Unsplash
Photo credit: Photo by Jimmy Chang on Unsplash

From Women's Health

If you've hit your thirties, you may be thinking about dialling your skincare up a notch from the hydrating, anti-pollution, brightening efforts of your second decade.

Yep, it could be time to develop a mutually loving and meaningful relationship with the best anti-ageing face serums.

'At this age, your skin is no longer creating as much collagen as it once was. This is why it can look less plump and full, and why you may see fine lines appearing,' Jennifer Rock, creator of The Skin Nerd online skin consultancy and the author of The Skin Nerd: Your straight-talking guide to feeding, protecting and respecting your skin (£17.99, Headline) tells WH.

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Best anti-ageing face serums: why they're worth trying out

There's also a the issue of hydration. 'It's something that people in their thirties need to work on,' Rock says. 'Using products with hyaluronic acid can help to draw moisture deeper into the epidermis,' Rock explains.

This ingredient - plus others - can bolster your skin's protective barrier and to help to lock moisture in.

Serums – usually fizzing with active ingredients and collagen-promoting properties – are a strong step to layer into your skincare regime. 'You want something that has potent antioxidants,' Rock elaborates.

'These protect your skin from free radical damage caused by pollution, the sun and other lifestyle factors.'

As to why this matters? 'This damage greatly contributes to how quickly our skin ages, leading to a faster breakdown of collagen and elastin, the two proteins in our skin that keep it tight and plump.'

When it comes to choosing a serum, Rock notes that any decent formula will do more than one thing. 'For example, protection (antioxidants), hydration (hyaluronic acid, squalane, glycerin) and brightening (liquorice root extract, vitamin C).'

As to any must-haves, for skin at this point? 'Vitamin A serum [retinol], is particularly pertinent for those in their thirties. It repairs cellular damage to the skin and increases the rate of skin cell turnover, the skin's own exfoliation process.'

If this is sounding like skincare jargon, we've got you. Read up on how to use Retinol.

Whatever your specific skin need, WH has edited our pick of the best anti-ageing serums for skin in its thirties, here.


Best anti-ageing face serums for 30s skin

1/ Best anti-ageing face serum for a fresh complexion | Pestle & Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum

Hyaluronic acid is your skin BFF. The skin produces it itself, but we make less of it after 30, so replenishing it topically is a good shout. This serum is a cult favourite for the freshness it lends.

2/ Best anti-ageing face serum for general radiance | IMAGE Skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Serum

A blend of vitamin C and botanicals, this serum reduces any redness and inflammation, for a brighter, more glow-y complexion. Think Miranda Kerr glossy glow.

3/ Best anti-ageing face serum for decreasing the visibility of acne scars | REN Radiance Perfecting Serum

Like all of the REN range, this comes with zero parabens, sulphates or silicones. This formula is all about resurfacing and dealing with any uneven skin pigmentation by stimulating cell turnover in your skin, making it ideal for if you have acne scarring or any other marks you'd like to decrease the appearance of.

With both hyaluronic acid and vitamin C in there, it's a super energetic number that's a don in the best anti-ageing serums world.

4/ Best anti-ageing face serum for dealing with pigmentation | skinSense Revitalising Facial Serum

The primary active ingredient in here is hexylresorcinol (fun fact: this is also found in Strepsils), which is ideal for brightening your skin.

Super light and non-greasy, this is a very pleasant to apply formula that also works to revive dull and tired complexions.

5/ Best anti-ageing face serum for bringing hydration to a dry face | Filorga Hydra-Hyal

Ready for some science? This baby delivers hyaluronic acid to your dermis via molecules delivered in three distinct weights.

The smaller weights sink right into your skin, for intense hydration on a deeper level, that will take time to be visible to your naked eye, whilst larger ones sit on the surface and provide an instant plumping and smoothing effect.

The purpose of this blend is to create a turbo-powered hydration station.

6/ Best anti-ageing face serum for promoting a dewy glow | Ole Henriksen Truth Serum

This Danish brand recently relaunched in the UK via Boots to a whole lot of fanfare, thanks to its rep as doing a strong line in products to give you a balmy glow.

When it comes to serums, their version is boosted with anti-ageing big dog collagen and also smells all orange-y and bright, thanks to the inclusion of citrus extracts.

7/ Best anti-ageing face serum for natural skincare devotees | Daytox Vitamin C Serum

A blend of three natural ingredients (aloe Vera, Broccoli and Citrus) and a dose of Vit C, this will still work a charm if you want to focus on the stuff that nature gave us.

Don't expect the results of an active ingredient-drenched formula, but this will still create support your collagen production and lend your skin an awake vibe.

8/ Best anti-ageing face serum for CBD lovers | MGC Derma CBD Stem Cells & Hyaluronic Serum

This is much more than a trend buy – a blend of highly potent ingredients (hyaluronic acid, elasticity-boosting apple stem cells and Vit C) blend with the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant for a hydrating, brightening and fine line-reducing mega blend.

Now that you know what the best anti-ageing face serums are, read up on why you need to try bakuchiol, the plant-based retinol alternative.

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