Are you confused by what makes a facial serum different from a facial oil? Are you overwhelmed by the ever-growing number of both kinds of products on the market, particularly the green beauty market?  Don’t know where to begin your research to find the perfect oil and/or serum for you? You’re definitely not alone. This photo shows just some of my favorites from my ever growing collection, and is an indication of just how many delicious – and different – options are available (and potentially overwhelming!)

I love a good glow, the kind that only comes from super hydrated skin. I start 90% of my makeup applications on skin that I’ve prepped with a facial oil or serum, including my own skin. But what defines one product an oil, and another a serum?  The woman behind the eponymous skincare line, May Lindstrom, explained it wonderfully well:

• A face oil adds hydration and nutrition.
• A serum does something bonus – it brightens, slows the onset of lines and wrinkles, it tightens, it exfoliates, etc.
• Serums can be essentially a face oil blend with an extra ingredient(s), or it can be an oil-free base of aloe or an emulsion of oils and floral waters, or any number of other things. Serums vary wildly in texture and use. Some replace your face oil (because it’s basically one), and others are sticky and do not wear well alone at all and must be layered with a face oil or cream.

So where should you start when you make the decision to incorporate an oil and/or serum into your routine?

• There’s a great resource/reference site called rank and style that uses algorithms to search the internet to determine which products are selling the most and getting the best blogger, editor, and industry  recommendations, and then synthesizes all the info they collect to put out top 10 lists on just about everything, from specific items like puffer jackets or yoga mats, to all-natural face oils or brown ankle boots. I must admit I was skeptical at first, but I knew that since I’m familiar with all of the natural serums on the market, this would be a great list to test how spot-on their data collection really is.

  I was super happy when their list, which you can check out here, included all great, all truly green options, all of which I can give my stamp of approval.  I didn’t include them in my pic above because I’d used up my stock of them, but in addition to those you see, I’m also huge fan of the serums from Tata Harper and Burt’s Bees, which came in at numbers 3 and 5, respectively (very different price points, but both really great).

• You may know me to mention this site: Spirit Beauty Lounge from time to time (that means all the time). I’ve gotten to know Spirit over the years and hands down, she’s the most knowledgable person I know when it comes to all things green beauty.  Check out her thoughts and recommendations on oils and serums here  and here. She’ll send you samples so you can see which your nose (the aromatherapy aspect is key for me) and your skin respond to the best before you commit to full containers – but I can assure you, there’s not one on her site that I don’t like.

  A funny side note: A while back Spirit and I were at lunch and she asked which serum I was using. I told her I was fearful of serums because of my constant outbreaks, and that I’d basically stopped using everything on my skin. The look of disappointment that spread across her face told me that my understanding of serums was off, and she promptly schooled me. I’ve been using serums ever since and have seen a HUGE improvement in texture, lines, and coloration of my skin, and even a decrease in outbreaks. Who knew?

• Finally, this cheat sheet article on Birchbox.com, in which Los Angeles aesthetician, Rita Csizmadia is interviewed, really helps break down why you should be using an oil/serum, and specifically which types of oil are best for your skin.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US WITH SUPER SENSITIVE SKIN?
SHOULDN’T WE STAY AWAY FROM THESE PRODUCTS?

We’ve all been made to fear oils and oil-based serums – especially those of us who break out easily – because of oil-free product-marketing that has been heavy in the media for decades now. I can attest, however, that for *most* people, incorporating a serum or an oil into your weekly (if not daily) routine is beneficial. The only times I’ve seen problems is when A. I applied oils to models who don’t frequently exfoliate, therefore the oil or serum wasn’t able to penetrate into the skin, onto which I then piled foundation, concealer, and powder for a day – or week! – of photographing,  or B. when I used a very active serum – one that is chock full of high doses of plant extracts – on highly sensitive skin (like my own), and the skin just straight away had an allergic reaction to it, and got all red and bumpy.

If you have eczema or rosacea you may benefit greatly from a gentle face oil or serum, and you may want to top it off with a moisturizer to help strengthen and protect the external layer, as well. If you’re acne-prone, do not fear – the most wonderful thing about oils and serums is that they penetrate quickly, which means they don’t have waxes and other heavy components to sit on top of the skin and clog pores.

Finally, know that if one oil or serum breaks you out in pimples or a rash, that doesn’t mean they all will. Keep trying until you find one that doesn’t, and remember that you don’t necessarily need to use it daily. Sometimes a bi-weekly application is more than enough to keep those deeper layers of skin hydrated and plump.

There are numerous variations in ingredient lists, and it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with which oils and extracts are right for your skin. The above links will help you do just that.

HOW TO USE A FACE OIL/FACE SERUM

1. On freshly washed skin that is still damp from washing, OR on freshly washed skin that has been spritzed with a hydrating spray, apply a few drops of your product with your freshly washed fingers.
2. Gently glide the product across your forehead, cheeks, chin, and give yourself a gentle massage, gently pressing it into your skin, making sure to bring it down onto your neck, and the area of skin below your collarbone, even down to your chest. You’ll notice that a little product goes a long way when you apply it to damp skin.
3. Allow the product to sink in for a few minutes before applying your moisturizer (if you determine you still need one) and your makeup, and if you’re a nighttime applier, be sure to complete your regimen long before your face hits your pillow to allow maximum absorption time.

Let us know what you’re using that you love, and how you would describe your skin before and after you discovered oils and serums, here, on the Facebook page for this blog.

Do I need to include a disclaimer line here? Just in case, here goes:  You all know I’m not a dermatologist, nor a scientist. I’m just a person who looks at, touches, and learns about different skin on a daily basis. I also ask a ton of questions and do a ton of research. Finding an aesthetician, dermatologist, or holistic health care practitioner you feel you can trust is wonderful, but I believe we each have the responsibility and the ability to do some of the research about what’s going to benefit us by ourselves, for ourselves.

xoxo

Christy was the first ‘celebrity’ face I touched. Early on in my makeup career I was fortunate enough toassist her long time makeup artist, Pati Dubroff, a number of times.  One year Pati was double – or maybe triple- booked for a red carpet event, and because of traffic, she just couldn’t make it back to get Christy ready in time. When I got the call asking me to head to drop everything and head to Christy’s house, I was over the moon excited. One of the most beautiful and iconic faces of my time – and I was getting her red-carpet ready!  It hardly seemed possible.

My disbelief continued, when, a few days later, my buzzer rang, and there at my door was a gorgeous purple orchid plant in the delivery man’s hands. The card read something along the lines of: I’m so grateful to have you in my life. Thank you for making me look and feel so pretty.  With love, Christy.

Since that time nearly six years ago I’ve had the pleasure of doing her makeup on many occasions. I’ll forever be grateful to Pati for trusting in me that day.

To get Christy’s look, I used these products:

Eyes:

• I blended three shades by Kjaer Weis: Cloud Nine served as the base, and I buffed it into the lid from lash line, nearly to the brow bone, and into the inner corner. I blended Earthy Calm into the crease, and under the buttom lashes and Onyx – a slightly shimmering slate, along the lash line.
• A minimum of 5 coats of Nvey Eco mascara in black gives her amazingly full lashes.

Face:

Christy’s skin was prepped with May Lindstrom Skin, The Youth Dew facial serum, and then I massaged Roots Rose Radish BLue Chamomile Face Cream into the parts that needed a little more moisture.
I perfected her skin with Vapour Organic foundation sticks, and swirled Desired Glow-a deep tan cream blush – from Kjaer Weis onto her cheekbones, and blended it down.

Lips:

• A blend of Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Zivoli and Zin.

I always look online the day before I work with a celebrity client to see what they’ve been up to since I last saw them. The night before I was to work with Susan for the event where the photo above was taken, I saw pictures of her wearing a beautiful ornately embroidered silk, floor length caftan, walking beside a man in a white robe, with a pink turban on his head. The caption beneath said she had attended the closing ceremony of an International Film Festival in the Omani capital.

I quickly calculated the time difference, and realized that when I was to begin getting her ready for that night’s event in NYC, she would have just arrived home from her trip – IF she flew direct. I so hoped that she’d been able to sleep on the plane.

Flying is one of the biggest culprits in dry skin and overall systemic dehydration. I made a promise to myself years ago: no alcohol while flying and LOTS of water (I generally stick to this promise).  I try to sit on the aisle so I don’t feel guilty about waking the person sitting beside me every time I have to use the loo.

As soon as Susan took her seat in front of me at her kitchen table, I began massaging one of my very favorite immediately hydrating products onto her face and neck: Tammy Fender’s Spontaneous Recovery Creme.  The texture is unlike any other, and the scent is so raw and delicious. I like to demonstrate on my friends with tattoos just how miraculous this stuff is; it takes a 15 year old ink drawing and makes it look new again.

Now I know that this  product line ain’t cheap, and because I’m pretty darn frugal, you have to believe me – these creamy lotions and potions really are great. I don’t advocate for spending your last dime on fancy beauty products, but if you’re saving up to splurge, this line is one to put on your wish list.

Needless to say, the spontaneous recovery creme did it’s job on Susan (who looked pretty amazing despite her trip around the world sans a good night’s rest) and I think she looked incredible as she walked in front of the paparazzi.

I’ve been using a number of Tammy’s products on myself the past few months and I LOVE what they do for my skin.  Disclaimer: I have incredibly sensitive, acne prone, rash prone, super temperamental skin, and I’ve never had anything but great experiences with the following regimen.

I use her Bulgarian Rose Water as a toner -right out of the shower – immediately before the Capillary Stregthening Blend serum, followed by her delicious Antioxidant Creme in Neroli and Orange. I also think her Firming Eye Gel (which is really creamy and does that perfect mixture of sinking in and still keeping the top layer of skin looking dewy) is one of my all time favorites. The scents of her products aren’t in any way sweet or perfumed – they’re just what you’d expect from the woman whose tag lines are ‘holistic skin care’ and ‘pure living energy’, and who serves up her products in light-protecting brown glass bottles and jars.

As a side note: the other day I arrived at Susan’s and she and a few others were gathered around her laptop watching the trailer for Cloud Atlas, the latest film from the creators of the Matrix, in which Susan stars along side Tom Hanks and Halle Berry.  It looks incredible, and Susan looks amazing – both when she plays a character in her own likeness AND when she plays a character of an older man of Indian descent. Now that’s some talented hair and makeup! I can’t wait to see it on the big screen.