It’s no news that we at Cole’s Salon love IMAGE Skincare. They have amazing products, bring us amazing results, and keep our skin healthy and aging gracefully. But when it comes down to figuring out which line and product works best for you, the multiple shelves of stocked pretty boxes can be daunting.
In any skincare routine, the biggest and most invested product should be your serum. It is the “correction” stage of our routine. It has the smallest molecule out of all our moisturizers, toners, or cleansers (which we rinse off anyway) and therefore can sink the deepest into our skin and make the most change. They are also often aided with technologically advanced delivery systems that allow the product to sink efficiently before expanding. So, the serum game is really a molecule game; which is the smallest, which has the most benefit for your skin, and which will and will not play well together.
So here is a breakdown of a couple favorites of mine that are available from IMAGE Skincare (and at Cole’s Salon!), that can help you navigate which one is right for you!
- The Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum (AKA the “favorite”): This is the most popular and best selling serum for many years now. The high dose of Vitamin C and supportive hyaluronic acid soften the appearance of wrinkles, supports elasticity, and fights environmental damage. This serum also offers some antioxidant defense to shield our skin from environmental debris and free radicals.
- Ageless Total Hyaluronic Filler (AKA the “friendliest” serum): With six forms of hyaluronic acid, this is the perfect basic serum for hydration. These molecules hold 1000x its weight in water and release slowly over time as you wear it keeping you hydrated all day (or all night). I love this as a basic hyaluronic because it is truly nothing but hyaluronic (there’s no extra “stuff”), which makes it super clean and easy to use. This serum works amazing with many others (and for many people), thus its “friendly” name.
- Ageless Total Anti-Aging Serum (AKA the “smoother”): Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) are what help keep us young. The blend of glycolic, lactic, and malic acid offered in this serum smooths our aging texture and dark spots (think AHA prevents aging). Combined with peptides and hyaluronic acid, this serum is incredibly supportive and actively tightens the appearance of skin. This smoothing serum is also obviously active when applied to the skin and is therefore recommended for nighttime use. And don’t forget to pair SPF with this one—all day, and every day.
- Ormedic Balancing Antioxidant Serum (AKA the “repairer”): You’ve got a compromised skin barrier? This is the serum for you. Compromised skin barriers are common in skin that hasn’t been treated in a while, is transitioning to new products, or is having difficulty in being consistent with their routine. If you have redness, sensitivity, breakouts, and dryness, you could have a compromised skin barrier. The number one thing you must do for this kind of skin before doing anything (lightening, anti-aging, exfoliating, etc.), is to balance the pH and repair the barrier. This serum does exactly that. It restores the skin and provides antioxidant protection. Because it repairs and restores, this is a morning and evening serum.
- Iluma Intense Brightening Serum (AKA the “brightener”): As I’m sure you’ve guessed, this serum focuses on brightening. This serum is fabulous for addressing age spots, dark spots, and more. It diminishes dullness and aids in redness to even out tone and gives the skin a very dewy finish.
- Restoring Power-C Serum (AKA the “everything” serum): So, let’s say you have read this list and thought to yourself, “I need all of them!” Then, this is your serum. It is IMAGE’s most sophisticated and technologically driven serum yet. And that is because it focuses on everything—wrinkles, elasticity, and dark spots. That being said, if there is something specific you want to work on, above the rest, you may be better off with a serum that addresses just that concern before adding this to your routine. Similar to the Total Anti-Aging serum, this is a very active product. If you have sensitive skin, this may also not be the best choice for you. But for those of us who want to see the biggest change and need the whole package—this is it. Packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, hyaluronic, and a stabilized molecule that almost “knows” exactly what to do, for me (and many of us at Cole’s Salon), this is the end-all and be-all serum.
IMAGE has a TON of serums, and I didn’t have a chance to cover them all. These are the most popular and the list addresses most of the global skin concerns (and those we tend to see in the spa!). There are plenty more with plenty more focused and advanced ingredients. Hopefully, this reaffirms how important a serum is to your skin routine, and can help you and your esthetician figure out which is best for you!
Wesleigh Dichter is an Esthetician at Cole’s Salon Burnsville. You can follow her on Instagram at @museonfleek.
