Demystifying Hair Serum: What Does It Really Do?

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Key Points

  • Hair serums help your hair and make it look more polished, even if the marketing tends to be dramatic.

  • There's a hair serum out there to benefit the health and look of anyone's hair.

  • With the proper hair growth serum, consistent use, and patience, most people really can grow more hair.

  • Use your hair serum as often as you want to add protection, moisture, shine, and easier management.

Hair serums have become a popular addition to the world of hair care, promising a myriad of benefits. Do serums really deliver on these promises? Are serums just a part of the Summer 2023 TikTok "must-try" beauty products?

Discover the truth about hair serums, exploring what they actually do for your hair by separating fact from fiction. Whether you're looking to achieve sleek, shiny locks or you're looking to promote hair growth, there's something for you.

What Does Hair Serum Do?

Hair serums come with a whole list of promised benefits. Nourished hair, sleeky shine, no frizz for 48 hours, hair growth within three months, and so much more. It's often hard to tell if hair serums truly bring these benefits to your hair or if it's all a part of the beauty marketing scheme.

The truth is that there are many benefits to using hair serum, but the advertising often dramatizes its effectiveness. It takes the right product, an adequate technique, and consistent use to reap all the possible benefits of your hair serum. There isn't one golden product for anyone to use; it takes some experimentation to find your hair serum. Consider your hair type and goals to find the right serum and routine for you.

Most serums effectively coat your shafts for heat protection, frizz control, taming of flyaways, easier management, and a shiny finish. The extent of these benefits is often unique to each person. Additional perks such as repairing split ends, deeply moisturizing your strands, and promoting hair growth are totally possible with hair serums but not as easily accessible.

If you have goals to reverse damage in your hair or promote growth, remain patient with your serum and use it religiously for the best chance at visible progress. With the right product and continuous use, you likely reap the benefits you're dreaming of, but it's not a quick fix.

Yes, hair serums really can deliver the benefits they promise. The results may not be as picture-perfect as the model in the commercial, but with a product suited to your hair and the right technique, you leave your hair nourished and shiny!

Can Hair Serums Really Make Your Hair Grow?

With consistent use of a product your scalp likes — yes, a hair serum really can make your hair grow. This transformation doesn't happen overnight, though. To see results from hair growth serums, you must use your serum as directed for an extended period. Most people usually see new baby hair sprouting within one to three months of use. Stay consistent, and trust the process.

Hair Growth Serum for Thinning Hair
$22.49 ($11.24 / Fl Oz)

by The Ordinary

Buy Now
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
09/19/2023 06:08 pm GMT

Try the industry favorite and budget-friendly hair growth serum — The Ordinary Multipeptide Growth Serum. While it won't work for every person on the planet, it has received amazing reviews from a vast amount of users. It has promising odds for increasing your hair growth, and it's much more affordable than most alternatives!

It's important to note that not every hair serum promotes hair growth; many serums are for the protection and nourishment of your shafts, with no intention to go on your scalp or even your roots. If your goal is hair growth, be sure to pick a serum intended for such use. Not everyone responds to hair growth serums, in which case you should see a dermatologist to determine your other options. The earlier you're proactive in growing more hair or saving your scalp from hair loss, the more effective your treatment is.

Hair growth serums can't make you grow a whole new head of hair or grow your locks down to your knees, but they can certainly help you fill in a patchy scalp. The worst-case scenario is no hair growth, so give it a shot and enjoy the gentle process of massaging serum onto your scalp every day because it feels pretty good to give yourself some self-love.

Do You Need Hair Serum?

Yes, you do need hair serum if you want to protect your hair and make it look show-stopping. Sure, you can go your whole life without hair serum, but with hair serum, you take good care of your hair to protect your locks and give them the nourishment they need to look silky smooth. Hair serums aren't just for those with frizzy, dry, or dull hair — there's a hair serum out there to make anyone's hair better.

Shiny, healthy hair is often a central feature of someone's look. Likewise, dull and brittle hair is quickly noticeable. If you want to put your best foot forward and provide yourself with a salon-level hair look every day, use a hair serum to add the bounce and shine that makes you feel your best. Not only do you look much better by using hair serum, but you're protecting your locks from heat-styling, UV rays, and brushing damage.

You have nothing to lose by trying a hair serum and seeing how your hair reacts to it!

Will Hair Serum Make Your Hair Greasy?

No, hair serum doesn't make your hair greasy when used properly. Ensure you choose the right product for your hair type, you use the right amount of serum, and you distribute it effectively to damp hair. Overusing your serum, applying it to your roots, or using the incorrect serum for your hair type may cause a greasy look though.

According to Medical News Today writer Rachel Ann Tee-Melegrito, "Over-applying serum can cause the hair to go flat and greasy. Ideally, people should begin with a small amount and gradually add more as needed to prevent this… It is important to avoid applying hair serum on the roots as this can weigh the hair down, make the roots appear greasy, and cause product buildup. Since the hair tips are naturally drier, applying the hair serum from the ends to the midshafts is best."

Do You Need To Use It Daily?

Using serum as a regular part of your routine is ideal, but you certainly don't need to stress yourself out over it. At least apply serum to your hair every time you wash to seal in extra moisture and protect your hair. Extra applications of serum are a bonus if your hair can handle it for an added boost of shine and protection. 

If your hair is dry and brittle, your hair greatly benefits from a daily dose of serum. Apply it when you style in the morning for easier management and a more polished look. Apply it before bed to give your hair time to soak up the goodness and reduce friction and tangling overnight.

If you heat style your hair, you must apply a serum at least five to 10 minutes before using heat. Straighteners, curlers, and blow dryers use heat upwards of 450 degrees on your hair. This is incredibly damaging to your precious locks. Show some love to your hair and add serum before each heat styling session. 

The more religious you are in your hair care routine, the better results you see in your hair. However, if a daily application is too overwhelming or feels time-consuming to you, use your serum when you can. Applying your serum sometimes, particularly after washing, is way better than never applying it!

Does Hair Serum Reduce Frizz?

Yes, one of the main draws of hair serum is its ability to control frizz. Frizzy hair is due to uneven cuticles or damage to cuticles. Serum smooths these rough ends out and contains your hair more neatly. This reduces the look of frizz and leaves your hair looking much more polished.

Not every serum controls frizz for everyone. It may take you a few tries to find the right serum and routine for you, but it's well worth your efforts to control frizz. Those in humid climates particularly benefit from using a hair serum as it locks moisture into your hair and coats your strands to prevent the exchange of moisture with the air.

Can Hair Serum Fix YourScalp Issues?

Some serums promise to solve all of your scalp issues, including irritation, redness, flaking, dandruff, and more. While hair serums can definitely help with these issues, they don't help everyone, and they aren't instantaneous. Some scalp conditions require medical attention and diagnoses. However, if you have a mild scalp condition that just needs a bit of the right ingredients and TLC, there are effective products to relieve you of your symptoms and give your scalp a healthy reset.

Scalp Serum | Revitalize and Detoxify
$48.00 ($48.00 / Fl Oz)

by DIVI

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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
09/19/2023 06:16 pm GMT

Try the divi Scalp Serum to detoxify your follicles and promote healthier hair growth.

Did You Use Serum Today?

Young romantic couple standing face to face in bathroom with fabulous hair

Hair serums are a valuable addition to any hair care routine. They offer a range of benefits, from heat protection and frizz control to nourishment and shine. While the marketing surrounding hair serums often seems unrealistic, with the right product, technique, and consistent use, you can truly reap the rewards. 

Whether you're looking to address specific scalp issues or promote hair growth, there are serums available to suit your needs. Give your hair some extra love and protection by incorporating a hair serum into your daily regimen. Your locks thank you for it!

For more information on all things hair serums, subscribe to Age Defying.

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