Thirty-five serums in, and Dr. Somji Skin has approved 31 of them, given 3 a mixed take, and skipped just 1. That approval rate of 89% is high, but it is not a rubber stamp. He goes into each one looking for ingredients that actually do something, at a concentration that matters, and at a price that makes sense. One serum earned his outright winner pick: The Ordinary Squalane.
What does Dr. Somji Skin recommend in serums?
Across his approving takes, Dr. Somji Skin keeps coming back to a handful of ingredients he genuinely trusts. Azelaic acid is one of them. He says The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% works on redness, pigmentation, and blocked pores all at once, and he puts it straight on after cleansing for the best effect. For pigmentation, he rates The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + Hyaluronic Acid highly, pointing to clinical studies that back it up. He says those with more stubborn pigmentation can step up to The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%, which pairs alpha arbutin with vitamin C for a double effect. He also has a soft spot for hyaluronic acid for anyone whose skin swings between oily and dry. He names The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum as a product that does exactly what it promises, and he often suggests pairing it with a niacinamide serum to strengthen the skin barrier at the same time.
In his words
"Azelaic acid makes it into most of my routines mainly because it helps with redness, pigmentation, it helps with open and closed comedones, it's great for the functioning of the skin and this you want to put on the skin immediately after cleansing and drying and that's really going to help that redness that you get within the skin."
"If you've got sensitive skin lactic acid is really quite useful. You can get good ones from The Ordinary."
"There are some clinical studies to show that alpha arbutin, which is a glycosylated form of hydroquinone, can actually be quite useful. [...] The Ordinary do some great alpha arbutin, which is great."
"If you've got pigmentation that's a little bit more apparent or a little bit more severe then you can use the Ascorbic Acid 8% and Alpha Arbutin 2% so it's double the strength but also it's mixed with vitamin C. We know that vitamin C is fantastic for pigmentation too because it's got some effect on tyrosine as well. Now if you combine the two you're going to get more of an effect."
"The Hyaluronic Acid Serum from The Inkey List does exactly what it says in the tin. It's made of hyaluronic acid and is designed to have a thin layer. It should rapidly absorb because it's not a thick cream, it's a serum. Once you've got hyaluronic acid within the skin, that's going to help with moisture."
"Eyes clinical um hydrating serum high um is very very good um and I would use that too as well"
How many serums has Dr. Somji Skin reviewed?
Dr. Somji Skin has reviewed 38 serums, for an approval rate of 89%. 34 approved, 2 mixed, and 2 skipped.
What has Dr. Somji Skin skipped in serums?
He skipped almost nothing across the 35 serums he reviewed. The one product that did not make the cut was Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum. His issue was not with the formula in principle but with the execution. He felt it was too thin, that the B5 listed on the label sat so far down the ingredients list it would not make a real difference, and that other hyaluronic acid serums do the same job better for less. His point was not that hydrating serums are a bad idea, only that this one did not justify its price.
"It's a low strength retinol so I'm disappointed. It's a three out of 10 for that reason. Low concentration of retinol, no other actives in there, so it's a bit of a disappointment. That's probably one of the worst products in the range I'd say."
"It's super thin so it's easily absorbed, there's no doubt about that, but it's thin. It really needed that thickener. There are better other hyaluronic acids on the market that we've talked about in previous videos. Yes, there's some additional B5, but it's so low down the list that it's not really going to make a difference. I personally don't think that this product's worth it. I think there's other things on the market that can do probably much the same job if not better."
What should you take from Dr. Somji Skin's picks?
Dr. Somji Skin's record on serums is about as positive as it gets. What comes through in his takes is that he cares most about ingredients with real evidence behind them, used at a concentration that will actually work. Those looking at serums for redness, pigmentation, or a compromised skin barrier will find a long list to work from in his approvals, and his one skip tells you what he thinks is not worth the premium.
Watch Dr. Somji Skin say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- The Ordinary SqualaneNamed a winnerWatch at 7:35
- La Roche-Posay Redermic R Anti-Aging TreatmentSkipped itWatch at 14:16
- Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration SerumSkipped itWatch at 10:15
- The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%Rated itWatch at 3:46
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 3:19
- The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 8:07
- The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%Rated itWatch at 3:11
- The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 1:53
- SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier with Arbutin and Azelaic AcidRated itWatch at 4:33
- The INKEY List Mandelic Acid + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 8:50
- The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 3:16
- The Ordinary Vitamin C 23% SuspensionRated itWatch at 6:10
- The INKEY List Vitamin C SerumRated itWatch at 5:51
- Vichy LiftActiv B3 Dark Spots and Wrinkle SerumRated itWatch at 11:10
- ZO Skin Health Growth Factor SerumRated itWatch at 27:36
- Softwave Ultrasound TreatmentRated itWatch at 12:03
- The INKEY List Squalane OilRated itWatch at 2:34
- Bio-Essence Squalane OilRated itWatch at 3:53
- Revolution 2% Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 6:55
- The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum with Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 3:54
- Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day SerumRated itWatch at 2:51
- The Ordinary Virgin Marula OilRated itWatch at 14:04
- SkinCeuticals C E FerulicRated itWatch at 5:43
- The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed OilRated itWatch at 5:12
About this expert
See everything Dr. Somji Skin has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr. Somji Skin said across his videos about 38 products in serums, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products he approved. It is general information, not medical advice.