Chaé Skincare Regimen – 4 Simple Steps for all skin types
Chaé’s four-step routine (cleanse or exfoliate, mist, serum, moisturize) with the products to reach for at each step, whatever your skin type.
Infused Skin Serum: What It Is, What to Look For and How to Use It
“Infused” is on a lot of serum labels, and it doesn’t tell you much on its own. Here is what an infused skin serum actually is, what to look for on the ingredient list, and how to use one so it does its job.
A serum is the step people are most likely to skip, and the one they are most likely to use in the wrong order. It looks like a small bottle of something expensive, and the label promises glow, bounce and radiance. The question is what is actually in it.
“Infused” sounds technical, but it isn’t. It simply means the serum is made with active ingredients or botanicals. What matters is which ones, how much of them, and what the rest of the formula is doing. This guide shows you how to read that from the label.
The short version
- A serum is a lightweight, concentrated formula made to deliver specific ingredients. It goes on after cleansing and before moisturizer.
- “Infused” isn’t a regulated or technical term. Read the ingredient list to see what the serum is infused with and how high those ingredients sit on the list.
- A well-made serum usually combines something that holds water (glycerin, hyaluronic acid), an antioxidant, something soothing and lipids that keep it from feeling tight.
- Apply it to slightly damp skin, once or twice a day, then follow with moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning.
- Serums are cosmetics: they help skin look brighter, smoother and more hydrated. A product sold to treat a skin condition is a drug.
What Is an Infused Skin Serum?
A serum is a skincare formula built to carry a high share of active ingredients in a light texture that sinks in quickly. A moisturizer’s main job is to hold moisture in and protect the skin’s surface. A serum’s job is to put specific ingredients onto the skin, so it is usually lighter, more concentrated and used in smaller amounts.
“Infused” is a label word. A serum infused with astaxanthin, rose water or hyaluronic acid contains those ingredients. It doesn’t tell you how much. For that, look at where they appear on the ingredient list, which runs from most to least. Ingredients in the top half make up most of the bottle. Many actives work at small percentages, so a key ingredient in the middle of the list isn’t a bad sign, but one listed after the preservatives and the scent is there in a very small amount.
Serum vs. Moisturizer vs. Face Oil
| Serum | Moisturizer | Face oil | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Deliver specific ingredients | Hold moisture in and soften the surface | Seal in moisture and add richness |
| Texture | Light, absorbs quickly | Lotion or cream | Oil |
| Where it goes | After cleansing, before moisturizer | After serum | Last at night, or mixed into moisturizer |
| How much | A small amount | Enough to cover face and neck | A few drops |
Some serums, including ours, also moisturize well enough that on humid days or for oily skin you may not need anything on top. Dry skin usually still wants a moisturizer.
What to Look For in a Face Serum
Whatever a serum is infused with, a few kinds of ingredients make the difference between a pleasant serum and a useful one:
- Something that holds water. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid (often listed as sodium hyaluronate) draw water into the top layers of skin, which is a big part of why skin looks plumper and smoother right after.
- An antioxidant. Antioxidants such as astaxanthin and vitamin E (tocopherol) are popular in serums for brighter, more resilient-looking skin.
- Something soothing. Allantoin is a classic ingredient for a soft, comfortable feel, especially on skin that looks red or stressed.
- Lipids, in balance. Squalane and plant butters keep a serum from feeling tight or dry, but a serum shouldn’t feel greasy.
- A light hand with scent. If scent is there, ingredients like rose water named on the list tell you exactly what you are smelling.
- An independent certification. Ours is Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified.
How to Use a Face Serum
- 1. Cleanse. Start with clean skin.
- 2. Mist or tone. Leave skin slightly damp. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin work best with a little water to hold on to. We like a few sprays of OxyPlus Mist here.
- 3. Serum. Smooth a small amount over face and neck, enough for a thin, even layer, and press it in rather than rubbing hard.
- 4. Moisturizer. If your skin wants more, follow with a moisturizer such as our CoQ10 Revitalizing Moisturizer.
- 5. Sunscreen, in the morning. Whatever your serum does for the look of your skin, daily sun protection protects it.
Use it once or twice a day. As with anything new, try it on a small patch, such as the side of your neck, for a few days before using it all over your face. For a fuller morning and evening plan, see our guide to building a skincare routine for your skin type.
What INFUSION Is Infused With
Our INFUSION Advanced Serum is a multi-functional serum for skin that looks dull, tired or stressed. Here is what is in it, grouped by what each part does.
The actives
- Astaxanthin: a red-orange carotenoid, the same family of pigments behind the color of salmon and shrimp. On our label it is marked “super antioxidant”, and it is there for brighter, more resilient-looking skin.
- Ectoin: a molecule that microbes living in salt lakes and deserts make to protect themselves from heat, salt and dryness. In skincare it helps skin look smoother and more resilient.
- Glyceryl glucoside: the moisture-holding molecule that the resurrection plant, a desert shrub that can dry out and revive, uses to survive. Here it supports hydration for skin that looks healthier and more revived.
- Tephrosia purpurea seed extract: a botanical that helps stressed-looking skin appear calmer and more luminous, with less visible redness and shine.
- Finger lime extract (Microcitrus australasica): from the Australian finger lime, whose little pulp beads are called lime pearls. It helps lift dull surface cells for a smoother, fresher look.
- Sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) and allantoin: deep hydration and plumping support, and a soft, comfortable feel.
The texture
Glycerin and squalane come right after water, followed by organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, cocoa and cupuaçu butters and safflower. Together they give INFUSION its silky, cushiony feel: it sinks in and leaves skin looking plumper, without feeling oily or sticky.
The scent
Soft and botanical: rose water and orange hydrosol, with a touch of geranium, neroli and petitgrain oils. It is light, not perfumey.
Keeping it fresh
Benzyl alcohol and ethylhexylglycerin, with vitamin E (tocopherol).
What a serum can and can’t do
A good serum can make skin look brighter, smoother, more even and better hydrated, and the right ingredients make a visible difference in how skin looks and feels. In the U.S., a product sold to treat a skin condition, or to change the skin’s structure, is regulated as a drug. INFUSION is a cosmetic, and our claims are about how skin looks and feels. If you are dealing with a skin condition such as rosacea, eczema or acne, talk with a dermatologist.
Who INFUSION Is For
- Skin that looks dull, tired or stressed
- Uneven-looking tone and redness-prone-looking skin
- Anyone who wants all-day moisture from one step
Customers rate it 5 stars, and it is Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified.
The Bottom Line
“Infused” tells you a serum has active ingredients. The ingredient list tells you which ones, and that is what to shop by: something to hold water, an antioxidant, something soothing and a balanced texture. Put it on slightly damp skin after cleansing, follow with moisturizer, and add sunscreen in the morning. That is all a serum needs to do its job.
FAQ: Infused Skin Serums
What is an infused skin serum?
A lightweight, concentrated skincare formula made with active ingredients or botanicals. “Infused” isn’t a technical term, so check the ingredient list to see what the serum contains and how high those ingredients appear.
Do I need a serum if I use a moisturizer?
Not always, but a serum can add ingredients a moisturizer doesn’t have, in a lighter texture. Many people use both: serum first, then moisturizer.
Does serum go before or after moisturizer?
Before. Cleanse, mist or tone so skin is slightly damp, apply serum, then moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning.
How often should I use a face serum?
Once or twice a day, depending on the serum. INFUSION can be used morning and night.
Can I use a serum on sensitive skin?
Usually, if the formula is gentle. Look for soothing ingredients such as allantoin, and patch test anything new on a small area for a few days before using it all over your face.
What is INFUSION infused with?
Astaxanthin, ectoin, glyceryl glucoside, Tephrosia purpurea seed extract, finger lime extract, hyaluronic acid and allantoin, in a base of glycerin, squalane and plant butters, scented with rose water and orange hydrosol.
Sources
- Davinelli S, Nielsen ME, Scapagnini G. “Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review.” Nutrients 10(4), 522 (2018).
- Graf R, Anzali S, Buenger J, Pfluecker F, Driller H. “The multifunctional role of ectoine as a natural cell protectant.” Clinics in Dermatology 26(4), 326–333 (2008).
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Cosmetics Labeling Guide (ingredient order).
Product spotlight
INFUSION is Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified. Build the routine around it: mist, serum, moisturizer.
INFUSION Advanced Serum - Visible Skin Radiance
Glow, bounce and all-day moisture for skin that looks dull, tired or stressed.
$59.99 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop INFUSION Advanced Serum
OxyPlus Mist - Invigorating
A fresh, lightweight mist that leaves skin feeling clean and refreshed in seconds.
$19.95 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop OxyPlus Mist
CoQ10 Revitalizing Moisturizer
Firming, brightening moisture that makes skin look more awake—fast.
$59.95 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop now
Foaming Cleanser - Wash Away Dirt and Makeup
Clean, balanced skin. Soft hydration. A fresh, healthy glow—without stripping.
$21.95 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop Foaming Cleanser
