When I owned my skin clinics, the question I heard more than any other wasn’t “what’s the newest ingredient?” It was quieter, and far more honest: “There’s so much out there — how do I know what my skin actually needs?”
A serum is the hardest-working step in any routine. It’s where the active ingredients live — the molecules that genuinely change how your skin behaves over time. But that also makes it the easiest step to get wrong. Choose the serum that’s trending instead of the one your skin is asking for, and at best you waste money; at worst, you irritate the very skin you’re trying to help.
So let me do for you what I did for my patients: take the three jobs a serum can do, and help you choose the one that’s right for you. At Iyvos we make three treatment serums — Active A, Active B and Active C — and each one exists for a different reason. Here’s how to tell which is yours.
First, a simple rule: choose by concern, not by hype
Before we get into the formulas, the single most useful thing I can teach you is this — start with your concern, not the ingredient name. Almost every skin goal falls into one of three buckets:
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Renew — you’re focused on fine lines, texture, congestion and the early signs of ageing.
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Calm and balance — your skin feels reactive, dehydrated, or congested around the pores, and you want it healthier and more even.
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Brighten — you’re dealing with dullness, dark spots, pigmentation or sun damage and want your glow back.
Hold your concern in mind as you read the next three sections. The right serum will feel obvious.
Active A — the renewal serum (1% Retinal)
If ageing is your focus, this is the one. Active A is built around 1% retinal (retinaldehyde) — a form of vitamin A that works faster than standard retinol because your skin has to do less to convert it. I’ve added 4% niacinamide and hydrolysed marine collagen to keep it from feeling harsh, which is so often the problem with retinoids.
Choose Active A if you’re concerned with: fine lines, wrinkles, uneven texture, enlarged pores, congestion and breakouts, or early signs of ageing.
What it does: supports your skin’s natural renewal cycle, encourages collagen, refines texture and helps clear congestion — the closest thing to a clinic-grade reset you can do at home.
How to use it: evenings only, after cleansing and before moisturiser. Start two to three nights a week and build up as your skin adjusts. Always wear SPF the next morning — fresh skin needs protecting.
Active B — the calm-and-balance serum (10% Niacinamide)
If your skin feels reactive, dehydrated, or you’re battling visible pores and redness, Active B is your everyday workhorse. It’s built around 10% niacinamide with hyaluronic acid (including an ultra-low-weight form that sinks in deeper), plus panthenol and glycerin to soothe and hydrate.
Niacinamide is the ingredient I recommended more than any other in clinic, because it does so much without ever picking a fight with your skin. It strengthens the barrier, evens tone, refines pores and calms redness — all at once.
Choose Active B if you’re concerned with: enlarged pores, uneven tone, redness or irritation, dehydration, or a barrier that feels compromised.
What it does: refines and balances, boosts hydration, calms reactivity and supports a healthy, lit-from-within glow.
How to use it: daily, after cleansing. It’s gentle enough for morning use — follow with moisturiser and SPF. It also layers beautifully with the other two.
Active C — the brightening serum (Vitamin C + Peptides)
If dullness, dark spots or pigmentation are what you see in the mirror, Active C is your answer. It pairs stable vitamin C with a generous peptide complex and Kakadu plum — one of the world’s richest natural sources of vitamin C — for brightness and antioxidant protection in one step.
Choose Active C if you’re concerned with: dullness, uneven skin tone, dark spots, pigmentation, sun damage, or you simply want more radiance.
What it does: brightens and evens tone, helps fade pigmentation, defends against the free-radical and UV damage that ages skin, and gently smooths texture so everything else absorbs better.
How to use it: mornings, after cleansing and before moisturiser. Always follow with SPF — vitamin C and sun protection are a partnership, not a choice.
Can you use more than one?
Yes — and most people eventually do. A common, well-tolerated rhythm is Active C in the morning to brighten and protect, and Active A at night to renew. Active B is the flexible one: layer it either time of day whenever your skin needs calming and hydration. The key is to introduce one new active at a time so you can see how your skin responds.
Why your serum is only as good as your cleanser
Here’s something I wish more people knew: the fastest way to undo a good serum is a bad cleanser.
Harsh, stripping, high-foaming cleansers compromise your skin barrier — and a compromised barrier is more easily irritated by actives like retinal and vitamin C. So the people who react badly to a serum often don’t have a serum problem at all. They have a cleansing problem.
A gentle, hydrating cleanser does the opposite. It respects the barrier, leaves your skin calm and primed, and lets your active do its work without the sting. This is why I never separate the two — in clinic, the serum and the cleanser were always a pair.
A quiet note: our end-of-financial-year edit
If you’ve been meaning to start, this week is a lovely moment to. From 23–30 June, choose any Iyvos Active serum — A, B or C — and we’ll include your cleanser, on us. It’s our way of helping you begin the way I’d always recommend: the right active, paired with the gentle cleanser that lets it perform. Explore the full serum collection here.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose an active serum if I have more than one concern?
Pick the concern that bothers you most and start there. Skin improves in layers — strengthen the barrier or address the biggest issue first, then introduce a second active once your skin is comfortable.
Which serum is best for sensitive skin?
Start with Active B. Niacinamide is one of the best-tolerated actives and actively strengthens the barrier, which makes sensitive skin more resilient before you introduce stronger actives like retinal.
Can I use retinal (Active A) and vitamin C (Active C) together?
Yes, but split them by time of day — vitamin C in the morning, retinal at night. This keeps each one effective and is far gentler on your skin than layering them at once.
Do active serums really need a special cleanser?
Not a “special” one — a gentle one. Avoid stripping, high-foaming formulas. A hydrating cleanser protects your barrier so your actives work with your skin rather than against it.
How long until I see results?
Hydration and radiance often show within a week or two. Texture, tone and pigmentation are a longer game — give any active at least 8–12 weeks of consistent use before you judge it.
Gabrielle Singh is the founder of Iyvos and a former cosmetic clinic owner. Iyvos brings clinic-grade actives together with a luxury experience and a price you can actually keep using.
