SAVE FACE WITH SKIN SERUMS

NO MATTER YOUR SKIN TYPE, EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM A TOPICAL SERUM. THINK OF THEM AS A PERSONAL TRAINER FOR THE SKIN, BOOSTING THE RESULTS OF MOISTURISERS AND TREATMENT CREAMS. GET GLOWING!

By JENNI GILBERT , Editor of THRIVE

If moisturisers are a drink for the skin, serums are food. That’s because they have concentrated ingredients and much smaller molecules, so are absorbed into the skin more quickly and penetrate deeper, providing more significant results.

These powerhouse formulations assist with your body’s own natural processes of skin cell generation to attain the highest possible appearance of youthfulness and health.

Whatever your skin concern – lines, wrinkles, dryness, dullness, redness, blemishes or brown spots – the right serum will give your complexion extra oomph.

Always follow instructions for use, but most will indicate that you supply a serum to cleansed skin before moisturising. Smooth it over areas being treated but don’t massage serums in. It could emulsify their ingredients on the surface before they’ve had time to penetrate and act within the dermis. Wait until the product is fully absorbed and skin is dry to the touch before applying moisturiser or treatment cream.

WHICH TO CHOOSE There are a wide range of serums on offer for a multitude of concerns. For instance:

Moisture-boosting: In these formulas, targeted skin-drenching ingredients such as hyaluronic acid (HA, a hydrating agent that occurs naturally in the skin), algae extracts and antioxidants quench thirsty complexions, addressing moisture balance and helping to soothe and protect against irritation. They directly address dryness and dehydration, helping to re-plump, rejuvenate and prevent damage that arises from a compromised protective lipid barrier.

Eyes only: These aim to de-puff, brighten and tighten skin in the orbital area. It’s important that their formulas can be readily absorbed because the fine skin there can’t cope with overload. Expect to find ingredients such as light-reflecting pearls to counteract dark circles, antioxidants to ward off lines and wrinkles, and cooling botanical extracts to soothe and de-puff.

Radiance-enhancing: These pack a punch with hydrating ingredients that plump fatigued skin and improve cellular function. They address fatigued complexions, greyness and dullness. The secret lies in their formulas, such as tiny mother-of-pearl particles or other light-reflecting treasures that brighten the skin upon application.

Wrinkle-busting: Expression lines, wrinkles, fine lines and furrows are all addressed with these potent serums, which include ingredients such as collagen and elastin (the skin’s natural “building blocks”) to plump from within. Also retinol (a Vitamin A derivative), and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to rejuvenate and smooth the skin’s surface, and antioxidant-rich fruit extracts such as pomegranate, to protect against free radical damage and help prevent more furrows.

Firming: Targeting loss of elasticity and firmness in skin of any age, firming serums seek to relieve temporary sagging due to loss of moisture, as well as the longer-term effects of collagen degradation and gravity. They directly target the effects of loss of collagen and elastin that lead to jowling on the face and neck. They do this by employing specific tightening ingredients, such as egg white extract, to deliver both immediate and cumulative effects.

Balancing: Blemished, oily and generally unbalanced skin will benefit here. These serums are tailored to complexions troubled by issues such as open pores and irregular oil flow. They can also be useful in treating skin disturbed by post-pregnancy hormonal fluctuations or menopause. Ingredients often include non-irritating substances such as glucosamine or rice extracts, to help smooth and refine pores. They may also include calming essential oils, such as lemon and bergamot.

Lightening: These superhero formulas target pigmentation, age spots, freckles and generally uneven complexions – hot issues for skins under the Australian sun – improving clarity and consistency of skin tone. The ingredients they employ include Vitamin C, licorice extracts and other such brightening or whitening agents.

Anti-redness: Skin can appear red for several reasons: from rosacea to inflammation from an acne breakout - even the weather. Serums to counteract this contain ingredients that help calm and cool skin. They relieve redness while leaving skin tone more even and without clogging pores; providing intense comfort and balancing hydration levels of ultrasensitive skin without tipping it over into oiliness. They also support the skin barrier to help reduce penetration of allergens. Popular ingredients include niacinamide (Vitamin B3), zinc, mulberry extract, cucumber, thyme and chamomile, ginger root, and oats.

WHEN TO USE AND HOW MUCH For best results, serums should be applied morning and evening, underneath moisturiser. You can choose a different serum for day and night wear, just as you would moisturiser. A drop or two is all you should need to cover face and neck. Add a couple more drops to cover the chest area – too often neglected in skincare regimes. Smooth serums into the skin with gentle upward motions.

HOW SOON THEY WORK You will likely feel an immediate change in your skin the first time you use a serum – it may feel softer, smoother and perhaps a little firmer.

Most formulas suggest you will note a visual change in your complexion after around a month, especially if you have fine lines, wrinkles, redness or large pores. A NOTE OF CAUTION If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or have a chronic health concern, use of some ingredients is not recommended – for instance, retinol/Vitamin A.

Check with your medical practitioner if you are thinking of embarking on a new skincare regime but are unsure if certain ingredients are right for your health profile.

Thrive editor Jenni Gilbert is a veteran newspaper, magazine and digital journalist and editor, including of New Idea magazine, with a personal passion for the beauty, skincare and medi-cosmetic industries. She was previously editor of SPA+CLINIC and Clinical Aesthetics magazines and websites; highly respected brands that targeted professionals in salons, spas and medi-cosmetic clinics. Prior to that, she was the launch editor of Younger You, a website (and later print magazine) that focused on beauty and wellness for the "mature-age" woman before that became a mainstream industry "trend".

Spend just a few hours in the kitchen each week and you’ll have your weeknight meals cooked for the whole family.

These dinners are bursting with exotic flavours, created by sisters Sally Obermeder and Maha Corbett for their new book, Dinner’s Done.

Dinner's Done, by Sally Obermeder and Maha Corbett, $29.99, available at bauerbooks.com.au or your favourite bookstore.

PREP AND FORGET 4 hours 30 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil 8 (1.36kg) chicken thigh fillets, thickly sliced 1/2 cup (125ml) soy sauce or tamari 1/2 cup (125ml) hoisin sauce 4 garlic cloves, crushed 11/2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Serve with green tea soba noodles (or rice noodles) and steamed baby bok choy

Place the olive oil, chicken thighs, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic and honey into a 6-litre (24-cup) capacity slow cooker. Mix to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours, or until chicken is tender. Stir in the cornflour and cook for a further 30 minutes or until thickened.

TO SERVE: Spoon chicken and sauce over noodles. Top with sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve with baby bok choy and any extra sauce on the side.

SERVES 4

Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make this recipe gluten free by using tamari instead of soy sauce, using wheat-free hoisin sauce and serving with rice noodles instead of green tea soba noodles.

PREP AND COOK TIME 35 minutes

8 eggs 1/3 cup (80ml) full-cream milk 1 medium red onion, sliced 1 cup (120g) pitted black olives, halved 1 cup (190g) drained roasted red peppers 200g Danish fetta, broken into pieces 260g cherry truss tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the onion, olives, red peppers and fetta between the bases of two small non-stick ovenproof frying pans. Pour the egg mixture evenly between pans. Top with the tomatoes. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

TO SERVE: Sprinkle with basil leaves and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

SERVES 4

To test if the frittata is cooked through, insert a skewer into the centre. If the skewer comes out clean, the frittata is ready. If you don’t have two small frying pans, you can cook the frittata in a medium non-stick, ovenproof frying pan for 25 minutes.

PREP AND COOK TIME 40 minutes

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 2 medium brown onions, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 medium red capsicum, finely chopped 2 medium carrots, finely chopped 500g beef mince 3 tsp ground cumin 3 tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp ground chilli powder 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 cup (250ml) beef stock 400g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

Serve with corn chips, sour cream, sliced fresh jalapenos, fresh coriander sprigs and purchased guacamole

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, capsicum and carrot. Cook for 8 minutes or until softened. Add the remaining olive oil and beef to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cumin, paprika, chilli powder, tomatoes and beef stock to the pan. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the kidney beans and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste.

TO SERVE: Place corn chips into a large serving bowl. Top with the chilli con carne, sour cream, jalapenos and coriander. Serve with guacamole on the side.

SERVES 4

You can find guacamole in the refrigerator section of the supermarket.

PREP AND COOK TIME 10 minutes

300g packet cauliflower rice 400g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved 2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced ½ medium red onion, finely chopped ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped ½ cup (75g) golden raisins 200g Danish fetta, crumbled

DRESSING 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Serve with canned tuna, lemon wedges and flatbread

Place the cauliflower rice, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley, mint and raisins in a bowl. Toss to combine. To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil and garlic together until combined. Season to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.

TO SERVE: Add the dressing to the salad and mix until combined. Top with fetta and tuna. Serve with lemon wedges and flatbread on the side.

SERVES 4

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