Face Oil vs. Face Serum: What’s the Difference?

Adding serums and face oils to your essential skincare ritual can help up your glow and make your daily soulcare feel more luxurious.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FACE OIL AND A SERUM?

Face oils and serums serve distinctly different purposes on your skincare shelf. Oils tend to be richer in consistency, whereas serums are water-based, lightweight, and absorb quickly into skin.

Face oils offer extra nourishment and hydration, while serums are often formulated with potent ingredients — think of your faves like brightening niacinamide or hydrating hyaluronic acid. Both serums and oils can be used to boost your luminosity or give yourself an extra moment or two of presence and self-care.

Not sure which facial oils and serums are right for what your skin needs? Compare these soulcare serums and facial oil offerings based on their unique benefits, your skin type, and more.

WHAT IS A FACIAL OIL + WHY SHOULD I USE ONE?

Why add a facial oil to your skincare ritual? Great question. You might want to reach for an oil during moments when your skin is craving extra hydration and replenishment, especially for normal and dry skin types. Facial oils tend to be richer in texture, and, unlike serums, oils aren’t water-based.

You might be thinking: “Oh, I already have oily skin, so I don’t need to add a face oil to my routine.” Contrary to popular belief, all skin types — yes, even oily-prone skin — can benefit from the rich, nourishing ingredients in a facial oil like Deeply Replenishing Squalane Facial Oil, which is non-comedegenic and safe even for acne-prone skin

Deeply Replenishing Squalane Facial Oil is lightweight, but packed with hydrating oils like squalane to help moisturize and soften skin, plus prickly pear seed oil and pomegranate seed oil

When it comes to the order of applying your skincare, we recommend using a face oil as the step before moisturizer in your PM routine. Your skin will soak up the nourishing ingredients overnight and you’ll wake up feeling radiant. (Watch this video to learn exactly how to apply a facial oil like Deeply Replenishing!)

As you pat the oil gently into your skin and prepare your mind and body for an evening’s rest, remember this simple affirmation: “Be good to yourself.”

WHAT IS A FACIAL SERUM?

Facial serums, on the other hand, are often water-based and feel lightweight on the skin. They’re usually packed with potent ingredients to address specific skin concerns, like niacinamide, which helps brighten the appearance of skin. There are plenty of benefits of a skin brightening serum, like helping to balance uneven skin or helping minimize the appearance of dark spots.

Face serums can achieve distinctly different purposes based on what your unique skin needs. Compare these soulcare offerings, for instance:

Let Me Glow Illuminating Priming Serum with Niacinamide is our take on a hydrating brightening serum, plus it doubles up as a glowy primer that ups your luminosity, adding a touch of warmth your skin with or without makeup. Choose your glow effect with 3 skin-loving shades for whatever vibe you’re feeling.

Truly Becoming Multi-Benefit Peptide Serum is a rejuvenating serum that uses a potent polypeptide complex, a formulation of amino acids to help visibly firm and improve skin tone. You might reach for Truly Becoming to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, particularly for normal and dry skin types.

Watch these videos to learn how to use Let Me Glow in your daily soulcare ritual.

When it comes to applying serum, a dime-sized amount is all you really need for the face and neck. As you gently tap the serum into your skin, give yourself all the permission you need to glow from the inside out.

WHEN SHOULD YOU APPLY SERUMS VS. OILS?

Skincare application order can be confusing, but it is important to ensure your skin properly soaks up all the goodness of the ingredients in your daily ritual.

SHOULD YOU PUT ON A FACE SERUM OR AN OIL FIRST?

Oils and serums can be used in the same routine. Generally, serums will go first because they are water-based and absorb into the skin more quickly. One rule of thumb is to apply your skincare from thinnest texture to thickest. Oils tend to be thicker and take longer to absorb into the skin, so it’s recommended you let the oil fully absorb before moving on to your next skincare step.

Here’s what an average ritual might look like if you add a serum or face oil.

AM:

1. Start with your favorite facial cleanser (we love how gentle Golden Face Cleanser is, plus the sage and oat milk scent is so soothing!)

2. After cleansing, gently press press 1-2 pumps of your favorite facial serum into skin using upward motions. Some formulas (like Truly Becoming or Promise Facial Serum) you can use in both your morning or evening self-care

3. Continue with your moisturizer of choice and favorite SPF.

PM:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above.

2. If your skin is craving extra nourishment, you can add a facial oil after your serum and before applying your PM moisturizer like our Firm Beliefs Peptide Cream. Allow the hydrating ingredients to soak in and replenish skin while you dream overnight.

3. Facial oils and serums can carve out a much-needed moment of relaxation, fostering a mind-body connection that nurtures your skin just as much as your soul.

How are you taking care of you today? Tell us in the comments.