We’re late comers to hydrating serums. But as the skin ages – as it starts doing already in our early 20s – hydrating serum becomes a go-to product for many of us to help combat those fine lines. Personally, we use it after cleansing our face and rinsing in spring water, to give the skin a double boost before applying moisturiser. The serum beauty routine is as important as actual (spring) water to keep our face looking fresh.

The older we get, the more of it our skin needs. And serums penetrate deeper than ordinary moisturisers. As with moisturisers there are many hydrating serums on the market. If you’re new to them it would be advisable to ask an expert sales assistant to help out with basic brands that suit your skin type. We have our own two personal faves which are at opposite ends of the price spectrum – both do the job well.

Our Personal Favourite Hydrating Serums

Our second favourite is Chanel’s Hydra Beauty Micro Serum. It sold us on serums because it is simply fantastic – benefits were immediately visible, and so was the feeling of freshness and, yes, hydration. And the skin looked fresher too: well-nourished and youthful.

Only a small amount is needed, ie a few drops to cover the entire face. Their micro-droplets fuse with the skin releasing camellia extract to give continuous hydration and that intense plumping effect. Chanel is quite rightly proud of it but it’s also pricey, at over £70 ($90) for 30ml – worth it though.

Another favourite serum was a surprise first time we tried it – both in quality and price. It’s fantastic and super cheap. It’s the Simply Pure Hydrating Serum. At just over £3 ($4) at your local Superdrug store, it’s a bargain. We’d like to say it does the same as Chanel’s Micro Serum – almost.

It does provide a feeling of freshness and glow and it claims to improve skin’s natural elasticity. And the skin is visibily smoother looking after use – it has a fresher complexion. Simply Pure does all of those things, but Chanel’s Micro Serum just about wins – it really is a luxury and we make every drop last as long as possible.

And then there’s Creme de La Mer’s regeneration serum (pictured). It’s not quite beauty on a budget – Cereme de La Mer is a premium price beauty brand – but it’s too good not to mention. It does save money in a round-about way: by cutting the need for additional expenses on salon treatment. Research into this serum has been extensive and because of its ability to renew the skin’s surface. it is key to anti-ageing skincare.

How to use Hydrating Serums in your Beauty Routine

The serum is part of the full beauty routine before bedtime and sandwiched between the cleanser and moisturiser.

How we incorporate serum into our routine:

• Apply cleanser across the face, neck and chest area
• Wipe the cleanser with 100% cotton pads, using movements away from the centre of the face
• Wipe off the cleanser with a 100% cotton pad – soaked in spring water
• Leave the skin to dry for a minute or two
• Apply drops of serum with your finger tip to your face, including under the eyes (dab the serum onto the skin rather than rub it in)
• Leave the serum for a minute or two to penetrate
• Once the serum has settled on your skin and penetrated, apply your usual moisturiser