How are gels and creams different? Why are foams sometimes a good option? And what exactly is a serum, again? With so many textures, it can be hard to figure out what each is for and how they work.
“The specific texture or aesthetic of a product is important for delivering different skin care benefits,” explains Dr. Julie Bianchini, Kenvue product development manager for skin health & beauty.
As product developers and formulators, Kenvue scientists optimize formula textures so the final product experience delivers unique skin care benefits.
“For example, a thick cream is formulated with higher level of emollients, waxes and occlusive ingredients that help to soften and moisturize the skin barrier, which is great for nighttime or dry skin,” Bianchini says. “But a gel formula contains higher amounts of water, humectants (ingredients that bind and hold water onto skin) and polymers that break apart as the product is rubbed into the skin. These give the gel a lightweight and often cooling aesthetic, which is great for people with oily and acne-prone skin.”
So which should you choose for your skin care needs? Use our texture glossary below to understand the options, learn about products that may work for you and see how to use different textures to create your best skin care routine.
Serums
Serums are highly concentrated formulations designed to deliver a potent mix of benefits to your skin to target specific skin care concerns, like blemishes, visible redness or visible signs of aging.
One of the benefits of a serum texture is the ability to layer it onto skin before applying other skin care products. While serums usually have a liquid or fluid texture, they’re designed to be completely absorbed into the skin’s surface. This is different from a lotion or cream that sits on top of the skin’s surface to create a barrier that helps seal in moisture. Try a serum like Aveeno® Calm + Restore® Triple Oat Sensitive Skin Face Serum, which should be applied after washing your face, but before applying a moisturizer or sunscreen.
Gel
The lightweight and airy texture of gels provides hydration that’s quickly absorbed into the skin, usually without clogging pores, making gels the perfect formulations to wear in the more humid summer months, under makeup or if you have oily skin.
The Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid is an ultra lightweight unique gel moisturizer that absorbs quickly into the skin and instantly refreshes and cools. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, a hydrator naturally found in skin that binds to water and holds it within the skin’s surface, this water gel is derm-tested and clinically-proven to deliver long-lasting, weightless hydration.
Lotion
Perhaps the most traditional skin care product texture, lightweight lotions provide fast-absorbing, long-lasting moisture. Great for smoothing over hands and body every day, lotions often provide a non-greasy, clean and pleasant feel on the skin and are suitable for all skin types. Lubriderm® Daily Moisture Lotion is enriched with shea butter and glycerin to help restore skin’s moisture barrier for healthier-looking skin.
Cream
Creams are probably one of the most popular textures in skin care and are usually formulated to have a rich, thick consistency to help form a barrier on top of your skin to prevent water evaporation from skin’s surface. Aveeno® Daily Moisturizing Cream can be used on the body, face and hands and is clinically proven to provide 48-hour hydration for dry skin.
Foam
The texture of foaming skin care products is exactly what it sounds like — they’re typically lightweight creams or gels that will transform into a foam when they come in contact with water. Foaming cleansers, like the Clean & Clear® Essentials Sensitive Skin Foaming Facial Cleanser, often have a rich foaming lather that gently removes oil and pore-clogging impurities, cleansing and nourishing the skin without drying, making foaming cleansers ideal for oily and combination skin.
Oil
Don’t let the name fool you. Just because skin care products have an oily texture doesn’t mean they feel greasy when used correctly. Johnson’s® Baby Oil forms a silky barrier on skin to help prevent excess moisture loss and protect against dryness, leaving delicate skin soft and smooth. The lightweight, moisturizing mineral oil locks in up to 10 times more moisture on wet skin than an ordinary lotion can on dry skin, and is ideal to use after a bath, as a gentle massage oil or anytime you want to help seal in moisture and relieve dry skin — for both babies and adults.
Clay
When you think of clay you might think of pottery, but you should also think of it as a beneficial addition to skin care products, like the Neutrogena® Skin Balancing® Clay Cleanser for Oily Skin, with kaolin clay, absorbs excess oil while respecting skin’s moisture barrier. Kaolin clay starts as a powder, and then is combined with oils or other liquid ingredients to create a paste with a neutral pH and gentle texture, allowing for easy cleansing, oil absorption and conditioning. Kaolin clay is unique in that it can absorb deep-seated impurities, deeply cleanse and refine the look of pores without drying out your skin.