Do I actually need serums?

Most of us have the similar skin frustrations: dullness that won’t go away, dark spots that keep coming back, fine lines that creep in, or a barrier that feels easily irritated. Cleansers and moisturizers are essential, but they can only go so far. That’s where serums come in.

Serums are the powerhouse step in your routine, the concentrated treatments that tackle stubborn problems head-on. They brighten, protect, hydrate, and repair in ways your other products can’t. And when layered correctly, they amplify each other’s results, giving you healthier, stronger, more radiant skin for the long haul.

What Each Barefaced Serum Does

Liquid Gold (15% Vitamin C Serum)

1. Your everyday essential for stronger, brighter skin.

2. Packed with 15% L-ascorbic acid plus antioxidants like Vitamin E, kakadu plum, turmeric, and white mulberry.

3. Shields against environmental stressors, supports collagen, boosts SPF efficacy, and helps minimize the look of dark spots, keeping your skin healthier, longer.

Why it matters for you: If your skin looks dull, uneven, or stressed, this is your defense and daily glow serum.

Brightening Serum (Targeted Dark Spot Booster)

1. Think of this as your treatment step. The one that tackles stubborn issues.

2. Powered by a proven trio of kojic acid, arbutin, and bearberry.

3. Formulated to target melanin production to help fade the look of dark spots and even out skin tone over time.

Why it matters for you: If you’ve been fighting dark spots that won’t budge, this is your go-to booster.

Overachiever (10-in-1 Multitasking Serum)

1. One product that nearly does it all: firms, plumps, hydrates, calms redness, smooths texture, and strengthens your barrier.

2. Formulated with bakuchiol, peptides, azelaic acid, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid.

3. Works as a retinoid booster, retinoid alternative, and sensitive-skin/redness BFF.

Why it matters for you: If you want fewer steps but better results, this is your catch-all serum for healthier, stronger skin.

How They Work Best Together

When you layer these three serums, you cover your bases in a way no single product could:

1. Liquid Gold is your shield → it protects, brightens, and primes your skin for what comes next.

2. Brightening Serum is your corrector → it zeroes in on stubborn dark spots and uneven tone.

3. Overachiever is your strengthener → it hydrates, calms, and builds up your barrier so your results last.

Used in this order, each step clears the way for the next—making your routine not just more effective, but simpler and smarter.

Why Order of Operations Matters

Apply serums the wrong way, and you risk watering down their benefits or keeping them from working at all. Apply them the right way, and they actually boost each other, helping your skin absorb every ingredient and giving you the results you’ve been chasing.

Think of it like baking: when you follow the recipe step by step, the final product turns out just right. But skip or scramble the order, and it’s a gamble. The good news? We’ve taken the guesswork out for you. Instead of juggling a dozen bottles, we focus on three multitasking, results-driven serums: Liquid Gold, Brightening Serum, and Overachiever. Each has a clear job, and when you use them together, they’re even more transformational.

How to Layer (Correctly!)

Serums absorb and work best when applied from thinnest to thickest so that serums with larger molecules don’t block smaller molecules from penetrating properly.

How to Stay Consistent

1. Start simple. Add one serum at a time so your skin adjusts. Or if you want to add 2+ use them on alternating days to determine how your skin reacts to each product.

2. Expect purging. Breakouts in the beginning can be normal, it’s a sign your skin is turning over.

3. Be patient. Skin cycles every ~28 days. Visible changes show up in 4–6 weeks, with your best results showing in 4–6 months. Take progress pics, you’ll thank yourself later.

4. Listen to your skin. If it feels like too much, pull back and let your barrier reset.

The Bottom Line

Serums don’t need to be complicated. Did you notice we don’t have an individual hyaluronic acid serum? That’s because we added hyaluronic acid to several of our products instead of creating an extra step. The smartest business move? Probably not. Easier for you? No doubt, and that’s what we’re in business for. With just three intentional steps—defend, correct, and strengthen—you’ve got a complete, powerhouse routine.

And here’s the best part: once you nail the order, it becomes second nature. Line them up in your bathroom in the sequence you use them, and you’ll find yourself reaching for them without even thinking.

The result? Skin that looks brighter, feels healthier, and keeps getting better the longer you stick with it.