How to Get Maximum Results From Your Serum – Our Recommended Routine

Most people don’t see the glow they want because they skip one key step or apply their serum incorrectly.

We’ve designed this simple 5-step routine so you get the best possible results from your HoyRadiance serums — brighter skin, faded spots, deeper hydration, and smoother texture in as little as 2–4 weeks.

Morning & Night Routine – For Best Results

  1. Cleanse – Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat dry.
  2. Toner (optional but recommended) – Pat on while skin is still slightly damp to prep and boost absorption.
  3. Serum – Apply 2–3 drops of your HoyRadiance serum (Niacinamide, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, etc.). Gently press and massage upward until absorbed.
  4. Moisturizer – This is the important sealing step! Apply your regular moisturizer (or a richer night cream) right after the serum. It locks in all the active ingredients and prevents moisture loss.
  5. Sunscreen (morning only) – Always finish with SPF 30+.

However, most serums are lightweight and water-based. They absorb quickly but don’t create a protective barrier on top of the skin. Without that barrier, the hydration they deliver can evaporate faster — especially in dry air, air-conditioned rooms, or during the day.

That’s exactly why we always recommend following your serum with a moisturizer.

 Shop the Right Serum for Your Skin →

Know Your Skin. Find Your Perfect Serum. Glow With Confidence.
Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring humectant that attracts and binds water to the skin, providing deep hydration and plumping effects for dry or dehydrated skin by reaching multiple layers. It helps reduce fine lines and improves skin elasticity without clogging pores, making it suitable for all skin types, including sensitive ones.
Glycerin

Glycerin is a powerful humectant that draws moisture from the air and deeper skin layers, helping to maintain hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, and prevent dryness or irritation. It also soothes cracked skin, improves texture, and is gentle for dry, oily, or sensitive types, offering long-lasting moisture without tackiness. Check out this infographic on its benefits:
Panthenol

Panthenol (provitamin B5) acts as both a humectant and emollient, attracting water while locking it in to support the skin barrier and provide instant relief for dry, dehydrated, or irritated skin. It reduces transepidermal water loss, calms redness, and is ideal for sensitive skin, promoting healing and smoothness.See a before-and-after example of its effects:
Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that penetrates the skin to exfoliate and dissolve dead skin cells that clog pores, helping to clear existing breakouts and prevent future ones. It effectively treats mild acne, such as blackheads and whiteheads, by keeping pores clear.

Reduces mild acne, prevents future breakouts, has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and calm active breakouts.
Niacinamide

Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, reduces inflammation to ease redness and discoloration from acne and other conditions. It regulates oil production from sebaceous glands, which is helpful for oily skin prone to breakouts.

Calms redness from acne, rosacea, or eczema; improves skin texture, regulates oil, brightens skin, reduces pore appearance, treats hyperpigmentation, rebuilds healthy skin cells, protects against oxidative stress, and may prevent future breakouts.
Tea Tree Extract/Oil

Tea tree oil, from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, contains terpinene-4-ol, which has antibacterial properties that target acne-causing bacteria like Cutibacterium acnes. It reduces bacteria, oiliness, and pore size while promoting healing by activating white blood cells.

Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects reduce acne lesions, purify skin, unclog pores, balance oil, and decrease inflammation; effective for mild to moderate acne.
Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps brighten dull skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots. By inhibiting tyrosinase, it supports a more even skin tone while preventing new discoloration from forming. It also stimulates collagen production to improve firmness and elasticity.

In addition to enhancing radiance, Vitamin C protects the skin from environmental stressors such as UV exposure and pollution. Most serums contain 10–20%; those with sensitive skin should start with lower concentrations. For best results, apply in the morning and follow with sunscreen.
Alpha Arbutin

Alpha Arbutin is a gentle, plant-derived ingredient (often from bearberry) that's highly effective for targeting hyperpigmentation and dark spots without the harshness of hydroquinone. It functions by blocking tyrosinase activity to reduce melanin synthesis, leading to lighter spots from acne scars, sun damage, or melasma. This makes it ideal for evening out skin tone and reducing patchiness or dullness over time. In serums, it's typically used at 1-2% concentration and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive ones, as it's less irritating than other brighteners. It repairs skin damage and can be layered with other actives for enhanced results, but consistent use (4-8 weeks) is needed to see fading of dark spots. Side effects are rare, but patch testing is recommended.
Retinol

Retinol is a form of vitamin A widely used in anti-aging serums for its ability to accelerate cell turnover, which helps shed dead skin cells and reveal fresher, smoother skin underneath. It penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen production, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and improving overall skin texture and firmness.

Regular use can also fade age spots and enhance elasticity by protecting existing collagen from breakdown. Typically found in concentrations of 0.1-1%, it's best applied at night as it can increase sun sensitivity, and beginners should start with lower strengths to avoid irritation like redness or peeling. Results often appear after 3-6 months of consistent use.
Peptides

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules, instructing skin cells to ramp up production of collagen and elastin, key proteins for maintaining skin's structure and bounce. They help firm the skin, soften wrinkles, and improve elasticity, making them ideal for addressing fine lines without the potential harshness of stronger actives.

Common types include copper peptides or matrixyl, which also support hydration and barrier repair. In serums, they're gentle for all skin types, often at 1-5% concentration, and play well with other ingredients like retinol for amplified anti-aging effects. Visible improvements in skin firmness can take 4-12 weeks.
Centella Asiatica

Centella Asiatica, also known as Cica or tiger grass, is a herb renowned in skincare for its soothing and reparative properties, making it particularly beneficial for sensitive or red skin. It contains active compounds like asiaticoside and madecassoside that reduce inflammation, calm redness, and alleviate irritation from conditions such as rosacea, eczema, or dryness. By strengthening the skin barrier and providing antioxidant protection, it helps prevent flare-ups, boosts hydration, and promotes wound healing for a more balanced complexion.

In serums or creams, it's often used at concentrations of 0.5-2% and is gentle enough for daily use, even on reactive skin, with visible calming effects in 2-4 weeks. Side effects are minimal, but patch testing is advised for very sensitive types.
Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant extract celebrated for its hydrating and anti-inflammatory benefits, ideal for soothing sensitive, red skin. Its gel is rich in vitamins, enzymes, and polysaccharides that reduce swelling, redness, and irritation from sunburn, rashes, or rosacea while providing deep moisture without greasiness. It also has antimicrobial properties to prevent infections and support skin healing, making it suitable for eczema or acne-prone sensitive skin.

Typically found in pure gels or serums at 90-99% concentration, it's non-comedogenic and can be applied directly or layered in routines, with immediate cooling relief and longer-term barrier support after consistent use. Rare allergies may cause mild stinging, so test on a small area first.
Ceramides

Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids that form about 50% of the skin's barrier, essential for maintaining hydration and protection in sensitive, red skin. They help restore the barrier function, lock in moisture, and reduce irritation, dryness, or inflammation associated with eczema, psoriasis, or environmental stressors. By preventing water loss and shielding against irritants, they calm redness and improve skin resilience, often combined with cholesterol and fatty acids for optimal efficacy.

In serums or moisturizers, synthetic or plant-derived ceramides (e.g., Ceramide NP or EOS) are used at 0.1-1% levels, suitable for all skin types, with noticeable improvements in barrier strength after 4-6 weeks of use. They are well-tolerated with no common side effects.

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