I’ll tell you a secret: I just started using toner last year. Still here? Good. When I say toner, what I really mean is straight-up rose or coconut water, via one of the all-natural apothecaries I buy all my bulk goods from. While I like to keep my skin-care routine simple — wash, exfoliate, moisturize — I noticed that utilizing toner has helped my face retain more moisture. However, sooner after I began incorporating it into my routine, I realized toner wasn’t quite enough, as there was something that needed to happen between toner and moisturizer to connect the two more fluidly (so to speak).
As I've burrowed deeper into my 20s, my face has needed more love, attention, and care, which means adding a partner or two to this polyamorous facial-ship. Which leads to my next confession: I discovered serums just three months ago. I understand if you must exit this article, for I too am a little embarrassed that I’m late to that party. For those who are still here, I’d like to wax poetic about my love affair with serums — and my most recent favorite, the Joanna Vargas Rescue Serum.
Joanna Vargas, the famous facialist known for her exquisite treatments and rejuvenating plant-based skin care, has blessed the faces of Eva Mendes, Elisabeth Moss, and Julianne Moore, to name a few. I was curious about her Rescue Serum, which is packed with vitamin C. I had yet to use vitamin C on my face but was well aware of its many beneficial wonders, including a brighter, smoother complexion, as well as greater elasticity and texture. Squalene — a fatty, antioxidant-rich natural moisturizer that we produce in our skin, but diminishes as we age — makes an appearance in this serum, as well. (Hey, I’m all about putting stuff back into my body that shouldn’t have left in the first place, like pizza and dark chocolate.)
Additionally, the serum contains hyaluronic acid, a natural humectant that makes skin look supple and youthful by increasing hydration and preventing water loss. It also features chlorophyll, that plant-processing necessity that we learned about in elementary school #throwback. Chlorophyll contains vitamins A, C, E, and K, fades blemishes and delivers antioxidants to your skin — which reduces free radical damage, making your skin look healthier. The silky green formula added resilience and vibrancy to my complexion, and smoother application of my facial oil or creamy moisturizer.
