Dr. Shereene Idriss looks at serums the way a dermatologist does. She wants to know what is in the bottle, how much of each ingredient is actually there, and whether it is worth buying. Out of 49 serums, she approved 36, gave 12 mixed takes, and skipped just one. That puts her at a Guru Score of 73%.
What does Dr. Shereene Idriss recommend in serums?
There is a clear pattern in what she approves. She likes formulas that tackle more than one concern at a time. That might mean combining brightening ingredients with ones that support the skin barrier, or pairing something that calms redness with hydration. With Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, she loved how alpha arbutin, kojic acid, and licorice root, ingredients that fade dark spots and even out skin tone, worked together with just the right amount of niacinamide. She also cares about how a formula behaves on skin. She was genuinely impressed that Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum did not pill at 10% azelaic acid. That matters because that concentration usually makes serums clump up and sit on top of skin instead of soaking in.
In her words
"I love this serum, it is one of my most prized possessions. I actually cannot live without it. It is loaded in a couple of things at really effective levels. There is alpha arbutin in here, kojic acid in here, there is licorice root in here, and just the right amount of niacinamide, just in this particular product not over burying, just the right amount. This is going to really help target some of that pigmentation and it just delivers the best hydration in the tiniest little amount and your skin has been glowing since I've been using this and I'm obsessed, obsessed, obsessed."
"Aveeno has their Calm + Restore Serum, or any serum that's glycerin based if you do not want to be double dipping on the hyaluronic acid in your routine."
"It's the Clarins Double Serum. It's just heavenly. It is nice. It is chewy. It is yummy on your skin. It also has a beautiful scent. So, from an experiential point of view, it really is all balming. And I think you guys should try it out or gift it. The person you gift it to will highly enjoy it."
"Peach Slices has their Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum which retails for 19 bucks. The beauty with this one is that it also has green algae and panthenol to help with your barrier support as well as centella to help reduce signs of redness. There is no hyaluronic acid and no fragrance, and it is extremely elegantly formulated, which quite frankly I'm shocked by because 10% azelaic acid is high and it usually pills, so this is a beautiful formula of azelaic acid. Truly impressed."
"The Ordinary has thought outside the box and decided to mirror ingredients together to create a multi-ingredient story, which makes my heart flutter when you are looking for skincare products you want to look for multi-ingredient stories to really streamline your routine. This one is their soothing and barrier support serum for $7. The name tells you what it does: it helps to calm your barrier and to repair your barrier. It has vitamin B12, which helps to support your skin barrier by reducing dryness and visible redness. It also has centella asiatica and gallic acid. If you are a real nerd, you know that gallic acid helps to target redness associated with external stressors on the skin and by reducing water loss, so it's a very interesting product for your barrier."
"It's Allies of Skin Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting Serum. It has 3% growth factor complex which is their complex that is meant to enhance skin repair and strengthen your barrier function, and it has a 9% lifting peptide complex, another complex made out of multiple peptides that improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is very expensive, but I [...] think when you're testing out very expensive products that have these claims of helping lines and wrinkles, test it on areas where your skin is thin. Take a tiny bit and just focus on your under eyes, and then this product will last a very, very long time and you'll be able to tell if your under eyes look better."
How many serums has Dr. Shereene Idriss reviewed?
Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed 49 serums, for a Guru Score of 73%. 36 approved, 12 mixed, and 1 skipped.
What has Dr. Shereene Idriss skipped in serums?
She barely skipped anything. Out of 49 reviews, only one serum got a true skip: La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector Serum. She felt better brightening options exist. She did say it could work as an extra layer for someone with really stubborn melasma who had already tried everything else and knew they were fine with niacinamide.
"I think there's better out there for brightening. If you are at a wit's end and you have really bad melasma and you're trying to add every possible product on the market and you're not reactive to niacinamide, adding this with a complete serum or something that is a little bit more potent is a great add-on. But for me, I'm under control, so I don't think I'll be using it in my routine."
What should you take from Dr. Shereene Idriss's picks?
Dr. Idriss is a really practical voice on serums. She names the ingredients, explains what each one does, and calls out when a formula gets the dose right or wrong. Her three named category winners, Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid Gel, and Aveeno Calm + Restore Serum, all fit her preference for formulas that pack in multiple actives at doses that actually work. She also shared a tip for expensive serums: start by using just a little on a thin-skinned area first. That way you can tell if it is working before you run out.
Watch Dr. Shereene Idriss say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 12:26
- Finacea 15% Azelaic Acid GelNamed a winnerWatch at 10:51
- Aveeno Calm + Restore SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 5:08
- La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Corrector SerumSkipped itWatch at 9:53
- Clarins Double SerumRated itWatch at 14:27
- Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 3:14
- The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support SerumRated itWatch at 6:09
- Allies of Skin Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting SerumRated itWatch at 11:04
- Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening SerumRated itWatch at 14:52
- L'Oreal Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 14:15
- Sofie Pavitt Face Mandelic Clearing SerumRated itWatch at 5:56
- Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 4:42
- Shani Darden Lactic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 4:44
- Differin Dark Spot Correcting SerumRated itWatch at 8:18
- The INKEY List Q10 Antioxidant SerumRated itWatch at 13:57
- Edom Milk Marvel Dark Spot SerumRated itWatch at 8:08
- iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Green Machine SerumRated itWatch at 7:10
- Cocokind Ceramide Barrier SerumRated itWatch at 14:17
- BYOMA Hydrating SerumRated itWatch at 7:09
- Vanicream Vitamin C SerumRated itWatch at 5:00
- Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial SprayRated itWatch at 14:43
- Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot SerumRated itWatch at 17:50
- Paula's Choice C15 Super BoosterRated itWatch at 4:06
- CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 6:47
About this expert
See everything Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr. Shereene Idriss said across their videos about 49 products in serums, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.