How To Apply Face Serum
Discover how to apply face serum for the most magical skincare results that you can see and believe and learn how to use serum in your skincare routine.
- 24th August 2023
- By Charlotte Tilbury
6 minute read
Discover how to apply face serum for the most magical skincare results that you can see and believe and learn how to use serum in your skincare routine.
6 minute read
Darlings, face serum is an essential step in your skincare routine that helps your skin to look and feel its best. Discover how to apply face serum and the best ways to use serum to unlock a silky-smooth complexion that’s flooded with supercharged, skin-loving ingredients.
Before you apply your face serum, it’s important to begin your skincare routine with a cleanser, face mist and toner. Applying face serum to freshly cleansed skin that feels healthy and hydrated will help to maximise the absorption of your serum into the skin, allowing you to reap the most benefit from its ingredients.
Be sure to choose a serum that is beneficial for your skin type and skin concerns. For example, if your skin is prone to dryness, it’s best to reach for a deeply hydrating formula that’s rich in moisture-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid or polyglutamic acid; or if your skin looks dull and uneven in tone, a vitamin C serum will help to brighten the look of your complexion.
Once you’ve selected your face serum, apply 4-6 drops into the palm of your hand. Face serums contain powerful skincare ingredients and are generally more concentrated than moisturisers, so you only need to apply a few drops to feel their benefits.
A lot of face serums including Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir feature a pipette-style dropper. Before removing your dropper from the serum, squeeze the top to fill it with serum, then twist to remove it from the bottle. Squeeze the dropper again – this time into the palm of your hand – to release the product into your cupped hand ready to apply.
Gently rub your hands together to help activate the ingredients in your serum before you apply. Warming up your face serum between your hands will help to distribute the product more evenly when applying it onto the face, as well as helping denser face serums to feel lightweight on the skin.
When applying your face serum, lightly press the product into the skin and let it absorb naturally. Gently press your face serum evenly across all areas of your face including the forehead, cheeks, nose and neck. This pressing technique will provide subtle lymphatic drainage that helps to flush toxins from the skin while your superpowered serum works on reviving and revitalising the look of your complexion.
Tilbury Tip: The skin on your face is delicate, darlings, so avoid any harsh, rubbing motions.
After applying face serum, perform a gentle facial massage to help work the product into your skin. The key to a successful facial massage is using light pressure and upward motions that help to lift the look of your face. Keep your hands in a cupped formation and follow the natural contours of your face, softly gliding along the face to massage your serum into your skin.
When applying both serum and moisturiser to your face, I recommend following my easy 5-minute ‘Tilbury Tap’ massage technique. Click here to learn how to perform my facial massage technique like a pro.
Now that you’ve massaged your face serum into the skin, you can use gentle tapping motions to help your product to absorb even further. Lightly tapping your face serum into the complexion is an easy way to help boost microcirculation, which in turn can promote refreshed, healthy-looking skin.
Moisturiser is best applied after your face serum, but before you apply your face cream, it’s important to give your serum some time to absorb. Take a moment to let your face serum naturally sink into the skin, letting all the supercharged skincare ingredients nourish your complexion. I suggest waiting 60 seconds after applying your face serum before reaching for your moisturiser; this will help to avoid overloading your skin and lets each individual product fully absorb.
Item 1 of 92
R 1,650.00
Item 2 of 92
Item 3 of 92
Item 4 of 92
Item 5 of 92
Item 6 of 92
Item 7 of 92
Item 8 of 92
Item 9 of 92
Item 10 of 92
Item 11 of 92
R 2,650.00
Item 12 of 92
Item 13 of 92
Item 14 of 92
Item 15 of 92
Item 16 of 92
Item 17 of 92
Item 18 of 92
Item 19 of 92
R 2,650.00R 2,385.00
Item 20 of 92
Item 21 of 92
Item 22 of 92
Item 23 of 92
Item 24 of 92
R 1,050.00
Item 25 of 92
Item 26 of 92
Item 27 of 92
R 1,250.00
Item 28 of 92
Item 29 of 92
Item 30 of 92
R 1,050.00
Item 31 of 92
Item 32 of 92
R 1,050.00
Item 33 of 92
Item 34 of 92
Item 35 of 92
Item 36 of 92
Item 37 of 92
R 650.00
Item 38 of 92
Item 39 of 92
Item 40 of 92
R 1,150.00
Item 41 of 92
Item 42 of 92
Item 43 of 92
Item 44 of 92
R 1,050.00
Item 45 of 92
Item 46 of 92
Item 47 of 92
Item 48 of 92
Item 49 of 92
Item 50 of 92
Item 51 of 92
R 1,150.00
Item 52 of 92
Item 53 of 92
Item 54 of 92
Item 55 of 92
R 1,250.00
Item 56 of 92
Item 57 of 92
R 1,350.00
Item 58 of 92
Item 59 of 92
R 1,350.00
Item 60 of 92
Item 61 of 92
Item 62 of 92
Item 63 of 92
Item 64 of 92
Item 65 of 92
Item 66 of 92
Item 67 of 92
Item 68 of 92
Item 69 of 92
R 3,050.00R 2,745.00
Item 70 of 92
Item 71 of 92
Item 72 of 92
Item 73 of 92
Item 74 of 92
Item 75 of 92
Item 76 of 92
Item 77 of 92
Item 78 of 92
Item 79 of 92
Item 80 of 92
Item 81 of 92
Item 82 of 92
Item 83 of 92
Item 84 of 92
Item 85 of 92
Item 86 of 92
Item 87 of 92
Item 88 of 92
Item 89 of 92
Item 90 of 92
Item 91 of 92
Item 92 of 92
You can put serum on your face, ears and neck for overall skin benefits, or focus on concern-specific areas such as over dry patches, blemishes, areas of redness or fine lines and wrinkles. When applying face serum, lightly press your product into the skin and then massage evenly onto the face.
You can massage and pat face serum into the skin – both are useful techniques for applying serum. I recommend using a light patting motion to initially press face serum into the skin, and then moving on to a light facial massage that helps to evenly distribute product and works it into the skin. As long as you are using a gentle pressure and are not being rough with your skin, both of these application methods are useful when applying face serum.
Face serums often have pipette-style droppers so that they can release the perfect amount of product. Serums are generally formulated with potent, highly concentrated skincare ingredients, and so you only need to apply a small amount of product. Serum droppers allow you to carefully manage how much serum you are applying, making it easy to disperse a few drops at a time.
Serum droppers are submerged within your serum, so I recommend avoiding direct contact with your face to prevent contamination. To use your serum dropper, squeeze the handle to fill it with serum, then remove it from the bottle ready to apply. Instead of gliding the dropper onto your skin, I suggest squeezing your serum onto cleansed hands before applying to the face using light pressing motions. Once you have applied your face serum, place the dropper back inside your serum bottle and firmly twist closed to ensure your serum is secure and airtight.
It’s important to apply face serum day and night to flood your skin with nourishing, skin-loving ingredients. At night, you can use your face serum as you would during your morning skincare routine – after your cleanser, face mist and toner – then following up with your night cream and face oil for plenty of overnight hydration.
To get the best results from your face serum, I recommend applying it consistently in the morning and evening, as well as following my step-by-step guide on how to apply face serum. This will give your skin the best chance at benefiting from all the supercharged skincare ingredients that your face serum has to offer.
Item 1 of 41
Item 2 of 41
Item 3 of 41
Item 4 of 41
Item 5 of 41
Item 6 of 41
Item 7 of 41
Item 8 of 41
Item 9 of 41
Item 10 of 41
Item 11 of 41
Item 12 of 41
Item 13 of 41
Item 14 of 41
Item 15 of 41
Item 16 of 41
Item 17 of 41
Item 18 of 41
Item 19 of 41
Item 20 of 41
Item 21 of 41
Item 22 of 41
R 3,050.00R 2,745.00
Item 23 of 41
Item 24 of 41
Item 25 of 41
Item 26 of 41
Item 27 of 41
R 2,650.00R 2,385.00
Item 28 of 41
Item 29 of 41
Item 30 of 41
Item 31 of 41
Item 32 of 41
Item 33 of 41
Item 34 of 41
Item 35 of 41
Item 36 of 41
Item 37 of 41
Item 38 of 41
Item 39 of 41
Item 40 of 41
Item 41 of 41
Darlings, now that you’ve learned how to apply face serum, discover my magical face serum, Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir – a research-powered formula that floods the skin with hydration. It’s the secret to younger-looking, magic skin!
With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.
Item 1 of 11
It’s important to apply your skincare routine steps in the correct order of skincare products to reap all the benefits. Discover the perfect skincare routine order for night and day in this guide.
Item 2 of 11
Follow my morning skincare routine and unlock all-day hydration and gorgeous, glowing skin.
Item 3 of 11
Discover all the supercharged skincare steps you need in your night skincare routine and learn how to properly prep your skin before bed.
Item 4 of 11
Follow my skincare routine for 30s and help your skin to look youthful and glowing into your thirties and beyond!
Item 5 of 11
How often should I moisturise? Discover my magical guide to moisturising your face and learn the answers to frequently asked questions like when and how to moisturise and which face cream is best for you.
Item 6 of 11
Learn how to moisturise your body using my magic massage technique.
Item 7 of 11
What is eye serum? Discover the benefits of adding a supercharged eye serum to your skincare routine.
Item 8 of 11
What is serum? Discover what facial serums are for and the skin-saving benefits of serum in this skincare guide.
Item 9 of 11
Discover the benefits of eye creams, how to apply eye cream and where to put eye cream to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, decrease the appearance of puffiness and unlock flawless-looking under eyes.
Item 10 of 11
What’s the difference between gel and cream moisturiser? Discover the unique benefits of gel vs cream moisturiser and why both formulas belong in your skincare kit.
Item 11 of 11
In this guide, I’m answering your face mist FAQs including how to use face mist to refresh and revitalise your complexion and when to use face mist in your beauty routine.