A serum to suit my skin

Facial serums are turbo-charged, concentrated treatments, a must for every beauty routine. They're applied after cleansing, before face creams or oils. So why sing their praises? Because they can deal with a host of skin-related problems. Here's a closer look at how these bottles of liquid gold can help dry skin, brighten the complexion or turn back the clock.

Pigment spots, dull skin, tired features, small blemishes - typical signs of worn out skin that needs a brightening boost. Which is where skin-brightening serums come into play. Packed with active ingredients, they're designed to reduce pigment spots by regulating melanin production. And that's not all - they even out skin tone thanks to a blend of brightening and light-reflecting ingredients combined with antioxidants to give skin an instant glow. So they're perfect if your skin needs a radiant helping hand.

Your skin's feeling tight, your features look drawn and you've spotted lines caused by dehydration. What's more neither your day nor night cream are doing the trick. Time for a hydrating serum - a moisturising powerhouse to add to your daily beauty routine. They're gorged with moisturising active ingredients (natural origin or blended) and hyaluronic acid, a molecule that's able to harness and retain water in the epidermis.

Anti-ageing serums are three to four times more concentrated than anti-ageing creams - perfect for mature skin. Nothing beats them when it comes to zapping wrinkles, plumping up skin, moisturising and reducing pigment spots. Global action anti-ageing serums should be applied before your day/night cream for an instant pick-me-up. Containing active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, retinol, antioxidants and peptides, they're an age-defying double whammy that also boosts skin cell renewal.