Bring your summer glow into fall. Try these serums for oily skin!
On the hunt for Korean serums for oily skin?
First of all: how is it already October? It feels like it was just yesterday I was walking around the streets of Seoul damning the humid weather for ruining my makeup for the 11th time in a week but all of a sudden I’d rather find myself feeling cold as soon as the sun sets. But — I love fall! I really do. Especially because I can use all my more hydrating, goopy serums for oily skin that I’ve had to put in the back of my shelf during the humid summer months. I love hydrating masks, hyaluronic acid treatments, and thick balms for my dehydrated fall skin — it really makes my everyday skincare routine feel like such a treat!
Why are serums essential to a fall skincare routine?
Because they add that little extra oomph to my routine! I find serums to be one of the most fun steps of my routine as it’s one of the few steps I can change up according to my skin’s needs for the day. So, I usually use about three (I’ll introduce which ones later — hold on!) serums with different treatment areas in my fall routine.
Of course, it’s not necessary to use three serums in your routine, but knowing how to change up your serum rotation according to your daily skin condition can really change how your skin looks and feels. For example, different actives and ingredients work better for certain skin problems (and even seasons), and it’s important to know when to change up your routine for one that serves your current skin condition and to not just use the same routine all year round (unless you have that dreamy “normal” type skin, that is!)
What serums for oily skin are in my current rotation?
Before I continue, I should mention that I have oily, dehydrated, and somewhat sensitive skin. I use retinol on a daily basis (you can read more about that here!) which can sometimes make my skin sensitized and I tend to like serums that sink into my skin quickly than those that leave a film on my skin due to my specific skin type.
On to the fun stuff: the three serums I currently use in my fall skincare routine are Sioris Bring the Light Serum, Aqulabo Vinyasa Calming Serum, and Cosrx Propolis Light Ampoule.
I alternate between these serums depending on how my skin feels, but most days I use the Aqulabo Vinyasa Calming Serum together with the Sioris Bring the Light Serum in the mornings for some gentle brightening and plumping of my skin and use the Cosrx Propolis light serum in the evenings to give my skin all that good propolis hydration during my night sleep.
What’s so good about these specific serums?
First, they give my oily skin a light glow that makes my skin look healthily lit from within without looking like an oil slick. That’s a dream for anyone with oily skin like me! Aside from that, they all boast different skin benefits. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of each of these serums!
- Sioris Bring the Light Serum – a natural anti-aging serum that effortlessly brightens and refines dull skin texture. Contains Broccoli Extract, that contains high levels of Vitamin C and Zinc to gently brighten without causing any irritation.
- Aqulabo Vinyasa Calming Serum – improves energy flow in the skin to achieve a clear and bright complexion with a smooth texture. Contains antioxidants and Lotus Ferment Complex™ that is prepped with Vitamin C, B Complex, and minerals that will plump and brighten dull morning skin.
- Cosrx Propolis Light Ampoule – an ampoule that gives glow and deep hydration without any heavy feeling. Contains 83% Propolis to hydrate and gently treat acne.
As you can see, each serum has its own specific characteristics but they all have one thing in common — they’re all gentle. Gone are the days when I used to use all the acids on my poor face every night and hello to the wonderful fall days of hydration, protection, and more hydration.
Looking to build your own serum routine for fall?
Lastly, my general recommendation is to save all the harsh and strong actives for steps that don’t stay on your face for long. Let the AHAs stay in your toner, and the BHA stay in a ten-minute mask. For the drier, colder weather that’s coming up, everyone needs hydration — even us oily faced gals. If you want to come out of winter looking as fresh and glowing as you did in the summer I’d recommend a gentle, hydrating, and brightening serum routine with 2-3 serums that you can rotate according to your daily needs.
