What is a hair serum? Composition, useful properties and contraindications. TOP 6 best products, rules for using serum in hair care, real reviews.
A hair serum or serum is a concentrated multifunctional product for intensive care of hair, which allows you to eliminate various problems, for example, fragility, dullness, loss, slow growth, etc. There are a lot of options in composition and functionality, so there is definitely a solution for every situation … All quality products in this group are highly effective and quickly obtain a pronounced effect. This article provides detailed information on the beneficial properties and types of cosmetic products, as well as how to use the hair serum at home to get a positive result.
What is hair serum?
Pictured is a hair serum
Among all the variety of care products for hair and scalp, serum is not yet the most popular product. Many people use a variety of shampoos, balms, conditioners, masks to maintain the health and beauty of curls. And if shampoo is necessary, then the rest of the products can be supplemented or completely replaced with serum, having correctly selected the required type, taking into account the existing problems and hair type. It is noteworthy that hair cosmetics containing natural ingredients can not only mask defects for a while, but also help in solving the problems that provoked them. In general, from the use of serum, you can get a healing, moisturizing, nourishing and styling effect.
The consistency of such care cosmetics can be liquid, creamy or oily. Depending on the type, the purpose also changes. Usually the texture is so light that the effect of sticking the hairs is completely absent, so you can use such cosmetics immediately before styling. And its distinctive feature is that the serum is easier to use than masks and balms. Most often, the product does not need to be rinsed off, which saves time.
Hair serums are sold in small bottles. It would seem that this is uneconomical. However, each contains a highly concentrated substance that must be used in small volumes. Moreover, the effect is often more pronounced.
What can be found in the best hair serums:
- Polyphenols … Herbal antioxidants that have a protective effect on the structure of the hair shaft. They enrich them with useful substances and prevent oxidative reactions. They have a beneficial effect on the scalp and bulbs.
- Tea tree essential oil … Protects hair during heat treatment and from ultraviolet rays. It also has an antiseptic effect on the scalp.
- Argan oil … This ingredient is able to restore normal hair structure, get rid of dandruff, restore natural shine and protect curls from aggressive external influences.
- Avocado oil … It has a high nutritional value and protects the strands from heat.
- Other essential oils … These natural ingredients are very beneficial for curls. They have a softening effect, allow you to smooth the structure of the hairs, make curls more manageable.
- Ceramides … These lipids are present in the hair cuticle. Due to their lack, the condition of the hair worsens. Therefore, ceramides must be present in cosmetics. They allow you to maintain the normal structure of the hairs.
- Silicones … They are considered a salvation for dull and fluffy strands. They penetrate the structure of the shaft, fill it in and smooth out the bristles. After applying a serum with this ingredient, the curls are very quickly transformed.
- Glycerol … This ingredient also fills in the voids of the hair and envelops the surface. It attracts moisture very well. But it is important that at the same time the humidity of the air is not low, so as not to get the opposite effect of humidification.
- Hyaluronic acid … An essential ingredient for the health and beauty of hair. Its deficiency leads to the destruction of the rod.
- Keratin … This component is present in the structure of the hair shaft. Its deficiency leads to the vulnerability of the head of hair and brittle hair.
- Silk extract … The natural component is important for the hair structure. It also has a beneficial effect on the appearance of hair.
- Other substances … Zinc, selenium, betaine, sulfur, salicylic acid, etc. are considered effective in eliminating flaking, dandruff and normalizing the structure of the skin.
Before buying a cosmetic product, not only read the manufacturer's promises, but also carefully study the composition. This will allow you to choose exactly the option that will best affect the condition of your hair.
You can buy hair serum in many stores - specialized in the sale of cosmetics or curl products, hypermarkets, online stores and pharmacies. Prices depend on the brand, composition, volume of the bottle. Before buying, you can get advice from a trichologist or hairdresser in order to correctly determine the type of hair and find out what components should be in a miracle remedy to quickly restore hair.
Useful properties of hair serum
The composition of the serum for curls is very diverse. Depending on the combination of components, the remedy gives one or another complex of beneficial effects. It is very important to take care of your hair on an ongoing basis, taking into account the manufacturer's recommendations. In this case, it will be possible to obtain the desired result and fix it for a long time.
Useful properties of hair serum in one combination or another:
- Recovery … Even the healthiest and strongest curls are negatively influenced by environmental factors and very often lose strength, become thinner, become brittle and ugly. The hair restoration serum allows you to have a complex effect on the shaft: it fills the voids inside, smoothes the bristles, making the surface smooth, prevents further damage and gives a beautiful appearance.
- Moisturizing … Hair needs proper moisture. If there is not enough moisture, then they lose color, becoming dull, brittle, thinner, and can become more tangled. To eliminate this problem, you need to use a moisturizing hair serum with special components that can saturate the hair with moisture and keep it for a long time.
- Elimination of fragility … Loose and thin strands tend to break. This does not in the best way affect the beauty of the hairstyle. In addition, you have to trim the ends more often to improve the appearance. A serum for split ends is able to get rid of this problem by strengthening and rebuilding the structure.
- Thermal damage protection … Curls are daily exposed to thermal effects, which does not in the best way affect their condition. Drying with a hairdryer, curling with tongs or flattening with an iron, washing in hot water, sunrays or frosty air - all this can significantly degrade the structure and appearance of the hair. A special serum helps to provide a protective effect, which envelops each hair and prevents its destruction.
- Color pinning … Many people are faced with the fact that after staining, the color is quickly washed off or fades before the eyes, losing its original attractive shade. This happens for various reasons - hard water, exposure to wind, ultraviolet radiation, temperature from a hair dryer or ironing, poor quality shampoo and balm. But again, the solution can be found in the use of a hair serum. Some products from this group fix the color very well after staining and protect against fading. This avoids additional use of paint.
- Smoothing … The splendor of the hair does not always speak in favor of the large density of curls. Sometimes thin hairs with an irregular porous structure lead to its formation, which now and then get tangled with each other, electrify and very often split. In such cases, a regenerating hair serum helps, which smoothes the bristles, making each hair smooth and flowing, eliminating the dandelion effect. As a side effect, the curls become more shiny, similar to delicate silk, acquire brightness.
- Disciplining your hair … Serums with this feature help tame unruly hair that often turns the wrong way or is difficult to curl. Gentle care makes styling easier and allows you to create a hairstyle that will not break up every now and then, but, on the contrary, will last all day.
- Ease of combing … Fine and brittle, curly or loose hair very often gets tangled - after washing, while drying, in the wind. In such cases, it is necessary to use a serum to restore the structure, smooth the surface. This will make the curls a little heavier, make them smoother and more manageable. As a result, they will become easier to comb through, and torn lumps will not remain on the comb.
- Elimination of fat content … Excessive sebum production leads to rapid pollution of the scalp and hair. Curls acquire an ugly shine, stick together, which generally looks unattractive. Therefore, the task of some serums is reduced to normalizing the secretion of the sebaceous glands and reducing fatty deposits on the hair.
- Enhanced growth … Hair serums containing nutrients help restore normal metabolism and provide the hair follicle with enough vitamins and minerals for rapid growth of the hair shaft.
- Fallout prevention … There are many reasons for excessive hair loss. For example, a lack of nutrients, metabolic disorders, damage to bulbs can provoke it. In this case, the hair loss serum should contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, as well as ingredients that stimulate blood flow. All this will provide a nutritious and stimulating effect on the bulbs, protecting them from premature destruction.
- Eliminate dandruff … The serum should contain an anti-fungal component, as well as moisturizing and nourishing components. This will allow to normalize the condition of the skin on the scalp.
Contraindications to the use of hair serum
There are no serious contraindications to the use of the serum. It all depends on the composition of a particular product. It is very important to study it in order to exclude individual intolerance to any component. To a greater extent, this applies to those options that need to be applied to the scalp.
If the rules of use provide for application only to curls and at the same time there are suspicions of allergies, then after distribution it is enough to wash your hands well.
The products produced in the form of a spray should be treated with caution by asthmatics and people with sensitive eyes. During spraying, it is advisable to close your eyes, hold your breath and carry out the treatment in a well-ventilated area. With careful use, there will be no harm.
In addition, it is important to use the hair serum only for its intended purpose and follow all the manufacturer's recommendations.
TOP 6 best hair serums
In the photo, Serum GKhair hair serum, the price of which is about 500 rubles. for 10 ml.
The growing popularity of hair serum allows manufacturers to create more and more new products, significantly expanding the range. Almost every company has a line for the care of each type of hair and for solving individual problems or for eliminating their whole complex. Manufacturers experiment with the composition, choosing the most useful and effective ingredients in order to increase the effectiveness of the use of funds, so that each customer can find the best option for themselves.
TOP 6 most effective remedies:
- Serum GKhair Hair Serum … Multifunctional product: protects from external influences, moisturizes and nourishes, restores structure, eliminates static electricity, fights frizz. It contains argan oil, keratin, vitamin E, etc. It is easily distributed through the hair, without weighing it down, without sticking it together. Gives a pleasant aroma. The price of a 10 ml bottle is 500 rubles or 220 hryvnia.
- Dove Advanced Hair Series Oil Serum … Suitable for removing brittleness, restoring and moisturizing the rod. As a result of prolonged use, new split ends do not appear, the curls become soft and shiny. The firming effect allows you to maintain the length of the curls. This revitalizing hair serum contains coconut, almond oil. It is used for processing the ends. The price for a bottle of 50 ml is 400 rubles or 180 hryvnia.
- Hair Serum Ollin Professional … Ollin CARE is designed for intensive recovery. Suitable for the care of hair after chemical treatment. Versatile by hair type. The functions include smoothing the surface, strengthening the shaft and eliminating brittleness, facilitating combing. After the first application, you can see a beautiful shine and feel that the curls have become soft. The composition is enriched with flax seed extract. The price of a bottle of 150 ml with a dispenser is 600 rubles or 290 hryvnia.
- Hair Serum Kapous … This brand is very popular due to its high quality and wide range. In addition to coloring agents, there are serums on the list. For example, Biotin Energy to strengthen and enhance hair growth. The serum contains biotin, lactic acid and keratin, therefore it protects well against free radicals, moisturizes, preventing dry ends. As a result of constant use, curls acquire shine, softness and beautiful color. The price of a 200 ml bottle with a spray is 400 rubles or 180 hryvnia.
- Lador Perfect Hair Therapy hair serum … Designed for thermal protection of curls. Contains argan oil, silk proteins and other nutrients. This allows her not only to have a protective effect, but also to gradually restore the structure of the rod, filling the voids, gluing all the bristles and making the hair more obedient and beautiful. The cost of a 160 ml bottle is 1100 rubles or 450 hryvnia.
- Alerana Hair Growth Serum … Designed to stimulate the growth of the hair shaft and maintain the functionality of the bulb. Contains vitamins and other natural ingredients. It allows you to slow down the aging of the hair follicle, avoid partial baldness, increase the density of the hair, strengthen and heal the shafts. It is applied to the scalp, applied daily in a course of 4 months.
How to use hair serum correctly?
The serum is a means of external use, and the use itself depends on the purpose. So, means for restoring the structure of the rod, moisturizing, disciplining, preserving color, giving smoothness and shine to hair are applied along their entire length. To accelerate growth, against dandruff and hair loss - on the root part. Against split ends - on the lower part of the hair.
Additional factors limiting one or another option are composition and consistency. It is usually light, but it can make curls heavier if used and used incorrectly.
How to use hair serum of different composition and consistency:
- Oily products are usually used to care for the ends and are never applied to the root zone, so as not to provoke excessive oily content.
- Cream can be applied not only to the ends, but also to the bulk of the hair, while sometimes you also have to refuse to process the root part.
- But liquid ones, which are usually sold in the form of a spray, are sprayed along the entire length of the curls, sometimes on the skin.
Step by step instructions on how to use the hair serum:
- Before using the product, you must wash your hair. The substance can be applied to both dry and damp curls.
- The amount of serum required for a single treatment of hair varies from case to case and is usually described in the instructions. For liquid products, on average, 2-3 sprays are sufficient, for cream and oily products it will be a few drops. An excessive portion can lead to the opposite effect - weighting, sticking, increasing the fat content of the hair.
- The liquid serum can be sprayed directly onto the hair or in the palm of your hand first. But products with the addition of a cream or oil base only on the hands.
- The serum will warm up a little in the palms. It should be applied with massaging movements in order to evenly distribute the nutrient mass over the entire surface of the hair shaft.
- No need to rinse off. It works until the next shampoo.
- To enhance the effect, you can wrap the treated areas for 15-20 minutes. However, when using a serum to restore hair structure, on the contrary, it is necessary to cool the treated curls.
Real hair serum reviews
The constantly expanding range of cosmetics allows everyone to find their own version of the hair serum. However, it is sometimes very difficult to do this, relying only on the marketing promises of manufacturers. Sometimes these products fall short of expectations or turn out to be inappropriate. In such cases, it is better to find out the opinion of those who have already tried this or that remedy. On the network about the serum for hair, reviews are mostly positive. Here are some of the most informative.
Valeria, 38 years old
I used to buy myself different balms, hair conditioners. And now, after each shampooing, I use only serums. And I have three options. I change them periodically. I really like the products from Kapus, Dove and Aleran. By the way, from the latter company, an incredibly good remedy for hair loss and for accelerating growth. It is more curative than cosmetic, but very effective. I used to cut the ends all the time, so the length didn’t increase. And over the past six months, I have never gone to a hairdresser, and the condition of the curls is excellent. And the length has already increased by at least 7 cm.
Alla, 43 years old
My hair itself is thin, brittle. And because of the gray hair, I have to constantly paint them. Therefore, the condition of the hairstyle has always left much to be desired. Of course, I tried a bunch of shampoos and skin care products. But I recently discovered a serum. This is something like a balm, but according to the instructions, you do not need to wash it off. And the effect is simply excellent. The first one I bought was a dear one from Ollin. And now I prefer the cheaper Kapus hair serum. Product for professional use. The quality is excellent. Less lost hairs remain on the comb. They seem to have become more resilient and stronger. And the color will not fade.
Polina, 40 years old
I've always enjoyed making homemade masks. But it took a lot of time, although the effect was good. Now there is practically no time for such care, and I do not want to launch my favorite curls. So I decided to switch to serum. The first time I bought a serum against hair loss. I did not notice any particular effect. As about 30 hairs fell out, it falls out, although in general the curls did not become worse. And over time, I have already tried several types. Among the most effective in my opinion are Lador, Ollin, Kapus. They are all different about the price. Be sure to read not only the declared effect, but also the composition.
What is hair serum - watch the video:
Thus, the serum occupies an important place in hair care, allowing faster other means to put the curls in order, heal and strengthen them, improve the appearance and make them more obedient. The effect of the application is prolonged and lasts for several days or weeks, depending on the composition.
