More than 20 serums in, Dr. Somji Skin has approved the large majority of them, with only a handful of mixed takes and skips. That approval rate of 86% 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. His outright winner pick is 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.
Dr. Somji Skin's serum picks, 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're going to have another serum I would add the alpha arbutin 2% and you can get this from The Ordinary. For those of you that don't want to buy an extra product, this particular one's got ascorbic acid 8% in it which is vitamin C, so you've got vitamin C and alpha arbutin mix. Alpha arbutin is what we call a tyrosinase inhibitor, it blocks the production and transport of melanin, which is what pigmentation is."
"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"
"I'm a big fan of oils. You just got to make sure that you're not acne prone within the area and it's more that you've just got kind of sensitivity. So you could cleanse the skin, you could use the oil and then you can use the azelaic acid over the top and you should be absolutely fine."
How many serums has Dr. Somji Skin reviewed?
Dr. Somji Skin has reviewed 29 serums, for an approval rate of 86%. 25 approved, 3 mixed, and 1 skipped.
What has Dr. Somji Skin skipped in serums?
He skipped very few of the serums he reviewed. The clearest of those skips 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 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 B-Hydra 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.
- Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration SerumSkipped itWatch at 10:15
- The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%Rated itWatch at 3:46
- The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 9:43
- 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 Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed OilRated itWatch at 5:12
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated SerumRated itWatch at 5:55
- The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 3:16
- La Roche-Posay Niacinamide 10 SerumRated itWatch at 3:19
- 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
- CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 12:48
- SkinCeuticals C E FerulicRated itWatch at 5:43
- Finacea Azelaic Acid Gel 15%Rated itWatch at 1:21
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Rated itWatch at 5:50
- The Ordinary Virgin Marula OilRated itWatch at 14:04
- The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5Rated itWatch at 1:45
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night SerumRated itWatch at 5:43
- Rhode Peptide Glazing FluidRated itWatch at 5:00
- Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid BoosterRated itWatch at 7:24
About this expert
See everything Dr. Somji Skin has reviewed
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This guide reflects what Dr. Somji Skin said across his videos about 29 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.