How Many Serums in Your Routine Is Too Many? A Top Aesthetician Gives Us an Actual Number
Main image – Bruno Ngarukiye
Jordan Samuel Pacitti is an aesthetician, skincare founder and regular Live That Glow columnist. He is a go-to source of beauty advice for skincare fans across the world. Here, he advises a reader on how many serums is too many. Got a question for Jordan? Send it to columnists@livethatglow.com for a chance to have it featured.
Is it actually bad to use too many serums? My routine has somehow ended up with vitamin C, niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid and retinol on different nights, and now I’m wondering if I’m doing too much rather than helping my skin
Jordan says:
There isn’t a simple “good” or “bad” answer here – but in most cases, a long lineup of targeted actives is more than your skin really needs.
One of my favourite things to do with clients is help them build a strong, maintainable skincare routine that truly works for them. We usually start by dialling in the basics; cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF. These become the everyday foundation of the routine – the steps you can rely on 365 days a year.
JORDAN’S TIPS
- More serums don’t necessarily mean better results
- Get the basics right first: cleanser, moisturiser and SPF
- Choose actives based on what your skin actually needs
- Aim for no more than two serums – one AM, one PM
- Stick with your routine for several weeks before changing it
From there, I like to have the client look at their skin and identify what they actually want to address. Is it dehydration? Breakouts? Fine lines and wrinkles? Redness? Pigmentation? Once we know the goal, we can choose products more thoughtfully instead of adding ingredients just because they sound helpful.
There are so many multifunctional serums available now that it is often possible to simplify your routine, maximise results, and ideally save money, too. You can likely get the benefits you are looking for from fewer products rather than building separate steps around every single ingredient.
As a starting point, I typically would not put someone on more than two serums: one for the morning and one for the evening. While this is not a perfect science, it is an easy, realistic place to begin.
Once the routine is built out and your skin is tolerating it well, stay consistent for several weeks before making adjustments. That gives you enough time to see how the products are actually working and whether anything needs to be added, removed, or changed.
So often, we end up with a cabinet full of single-ingredient actives that we never use consistently enough to understand their impact. A simpler routine with well-chosen, multifunctional serums makes consistency easier – and consistency is what helps create long-lasting, meaningful results.
