Whether you have been an avid follower of beauty trends for ages or a casual skin care user who occasionally browses beauty magazines in the salon, you have possibly encountered these terms: “essences,” “serums,” “tonics,” and “moisturizers.“
You may have seen bottles of those of all shapes and colors on beauty counters and wondered, “What the heck! It used to be just cleanse, tone, and moisturize!” Well, today’s much updated skin care regimens have many more steps than the good old basic three-step skin care routine (thank you, Korea). It’s not just the Koreans though. Western cultures have also adapted the multiple step regimen. Realistically speaking, not everyone has the time (and patience) to put layers upon layers of products every single day and night. It all boils down to one’s individual skin concerns and what your skin needs. If you’re dealing with say, acne or extremely oily skin, you may need an extra product to specifically combat it. For more clarity on what each of these products are and whether or not they are worth adding to your arsenal, let’s go down the rabbit hole and delve further into each:
Tonics are a type of toner that works to remove leftover cleanser and makeup residue, restores the skin’s pH balance, minimizes pores, and “refreshes” skin—giving it that awake and just out-of-the-shower look. It is applied with a cotton ball or pad all over the face and neck. There is some debate in the beauty community regarding the necessity of tonics. Some argue that it is a useless step, especially if your cleanser effectively removes all traces of makeup already. Some also say that it dries out the skin. In all fairness, using a tonic really just depends on the user and your skin type. People with oilier skin would benefit greatly from this skincare step, as it also removes excess sebum and keeps oil at bay. Tonics also prep skin to better absorb other layers of products you’ll be applying in the next steps of your skincare routine, which you will find more as you read on!
Suggested products: Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic (P390.00 – P1,690.00)
Essences are essentially a more lightweight and less concentrated version of serums. It is best applied after a toner and before a serum or moisturizer. If you want to combat specific skin concerns like dark spots, fine lines, or dullness, adding this extra step to your skin care routine will be extremely
beneficial. There are essences that are made to target specific skin woes such as those mentioned above. Think of it as an added booster to address your skin concerns. If you’re fortunate enough to not have an overwhelming skin issue, and are just concerned about maintenance, you can choose to skip this step. But of course, no harm done if you continue using essences, if only to prevent having skin issues.
Suggested products: CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, (P882)
Serums are the current superstars of the skin care scene, because a lot of evidence highly suggest that they work. They are substances that are thinner than a moisturizer and have highly concentrated active ingredients that target skin care problems—from aging to dullness, which is why they tend to be on the pricier side. They have smaller molecules than moisturizers that penetrate the skin easier, which ensure that these powerful ingredients are effectively delivered within your skin. A little goes a long way with serums, as a few drops are enough to address your skin woes. If there is one essential step you shouldn’t skip, a lot of beauty aficionados would agree that serum is that step.
Suggested products: Glossier Super Bounce 15ML, (P1,700) and It’s Skin Power 10 Formula CO Effector 30ML, (P539)
