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Best One-Stop Serum
Between blowing out your birthday candles in a college dorm at the age of 20 to partying on a rooftop with your best friends (or ahem, splitting a piece of cake with your partner and your newborn), your 20s is a decade of change. Between growing your career, family, investing in a home and seeing every corner of the globe, you might not have a lot of time to dedicate to skin care. For a serum that provides big changes with zero effort, consider this pricey—but worth it!—product. Its formula takes all of the 14 steps of the sought-after Korean beauty routine and puts it into one product. This potent concentrate uses ginsenoside compounds to promote collagen, fight active oxygen and improve the overall elasticity and firmness of your skin.
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Best Facial Serum for a Pretty Glow
If your perspective on serums—for now—is to merely dip your toe in and hope for the best, you'll want one that produces obvious results. A rejuvenating serum, like this one, is a smart place to start. Why? It transforms the appearance of your face is by removing an excess layer of skin to reveal the cleaner, younger cells underneath. This daily-use formula diminishes any fine lines or wrinkles that are starting to show, giving you a fresh glow, while under the surface, it's working to repair any damage you might have. It will also be less harsh than other serums, thanks to plant stem cells and powerful, but gentle, antioxidants.
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Best Facial Serum for Dry Skin
Maybe she's born with—or can't get rid of it? Much like how we can't choose our parents, we also can't change our genetics, making our skin type ours from day one. While various hormonal periods—like adolescence, pregnancy or menopause—can cause flare-ups, if you normally have dry skin or oily skin or combo, you'll likely always have it. For those who fall in the first camp, a serum can make your patchy, itchy areas that much more painful, making a hydrating solution a must. This option has everything you seek out of a skin serum, including lactic and glycolic acid to decongest pores and exfoliate dead dermal cells, but also has vitamin-rich algae extract to tight and satiate your skin. A nightly application will have your skin looking firm, smooth and soft.
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Best Facial Serum for Sensitive Skin
Do you have Gemini skin? You know, the kind that is glowing and clear one day and then the next, riddled with acne around your T-zone? If so, you're less likely to experiment with new beauty products, which could wreak havoc on your pores. Before you give up, consider this multi-active serum that's made for sensitive folks like you. It helps strengthen your complexion's ability to protect and repair itself, all while using your natural ceramides to diminish lines and wrinkles. Another added bonus is the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory extracts like chamomile, lavender, ginseng and orchid, all of which calm flare-ups.
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Best Skin Serum for the 'I Just Worked Out' Look
Ever wish you could bottle up that slightly rosy, energized gleam you have post spin class? Or a tough boxing routine? As part of the new "athleisure beauty" trend, this product is meant for those who frequently work out, staying steady, even with sweat. What you'll appreciate the most—apart from the way it leaves your skin Instagram-ready—is the lightweight, natural texture. It doesn't feel heavy on your pores but works to relieve short- and long-term damage that can be caused by exercise or environmental conditions. You'll notice decreased dryness, firmer cheeks and plenty of sparks, thanks to vitamins, antioxidants and minerals.
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