What is the difference between a lotion, an essence and a serum?

Lotion, essence, serum… If you too are lost among all these beautiful skin products, here is a short guide to use them correctly and no longer confuse them.

In recent years the beauty sector has experienced a huge boom. As a result, many new care products of sometimes obscure usefulness have been added the long list of already existing cosmetics.

To avoid getting the order of application wrong or even confusing them, here is a short practical guide on lotion, essence and serum. Let’s go !

What is the lotion for?

The lotion, also called Tonic, it is a treating water that is used to perfect the cleansing of the skin (removing the last traces of makeup and make-up remover), as well as restoring the pH of the epidermis after cleansing.

It is applied (most of the time) with a cotton pad on freshly dried skin, immediately after cleansing, or in the morning after getting out of bed to remove excess sebum produced. But you can also “spray” directly on your face, in case your skin is too sensitive to use cotton.

There are different types of lotions, which can be classified into three categories based on their consistency.

Fog : contained in an aerosol, this lotion is sprayed directly on the face, taking care to close the eyes. you can let the hundreds of very fine droplets dry on your face or, if you don’t have time, dab your sweet face with a clean towel.
Liquid lotion : certainly the most widespread, the liquid lotion is applied to the face, neck and décolleté using a cotton pad. There is no need to clean it, it is absorbed directly into the skin.
The gel lotion : Inspired by the lotions loved by Asians, the gel lotion is applied to the face with the fingers, in the same way as a serum or a hydrating gel. As with the liquid lotion, you don’t need to carry a towel with you because your skin absorbs it directly within seconds.

Note: Even though they look the same, micellar water is not part of the lotion family, being a skin cleansing product. And if it is a cosmetic that was very popular a few years ago, for our part we avoid recommending it because the surfactants it contains can be very irritating to the skin.

Even a splash of thermal water cannot replace tonic lotion.the latter being a real care product, which can sometimes help treat some problems (redness, pimples, spots, etc.), and not simply a refreshing and hydrating spray (which does not take away its benefits, obviously) .

Our selection of lotions

What is the difference between a lotion, an essence and a serum?

Soothing milky lotion, Patyka, €16.90
Clarifying tonic lotion, Ren Skincare, €23
First Aid Beauty tonic lotion, €22
Tonic lotion with glycolic acid, The Ordinary, €9.90
Exfoliating lotion (to be applied only in the evening before sleeping), Oh My Cream, €29

What is petrol?

L’essenceit is a hybrid product, halfway between tonic lotion and serum… which, in fact, is applied between lotion and serum (did you follow)?

Concretely, it is a very liquid or slightly viscous gel, richer in active ingredients than tonic lotion, but less concentrated than serum or vials. This is not an essential step, but if your skin is often thirsty or suffers from occasional dehydration, adding an essence to your skincare routine can help you satisfy this need for wateror in any case delay its unwanted effects.

An essence can also fight acne, eczema or milia problems and strengthen the action of other cosmetics.

To apply it is very simple, just pour a few drops of product on the palms of your hands and pat them on your face to distribute it evenly.

Our selection of species

Snail slime essence, Cosrx, €15.40
Miracle Seed Essence, Primera, €42.59
Brightness micro-peeling essence, Patyka, €34.90
Essence of artemisia, I am from, €34.50

Is the serum mandatory?

THE serum It is an intended care product address certain issues specific skin conditions such as redness, blemishes or wrinkles. It is applied between the lotion and the day or night cream. Even if you don’t have particular problems, know that the serum can in no way replace a moisturizing cream.

Thanks to its very fine and liquid texture, the serum penetrates the epidermis deeper than a classic cream and will therefore be able to deal with every little problem More efficient. For this reason, serums are often more concentrated in treating the active ingredients than a simple cream. They are applied with light pressure from the palms of the hands to the face, just like the essence.

But be careful: if words ending with “-methicone” or “-siloxane” appear at the beginning of the list of ingredients of the product that catches your attention (or even in the list itself), know that the product contains silicones. The serum chosen so carefully may, for some people, not have the expected effect or even cause the appearance of blackheads.