You’ve got places to be, people to see — thanks to these portable serums, you won’t leave your dry, puffy skin hanging while you’re out and about.
When it comes to skin-care routines, consistency is key. You can slather on all the serums and skin-care products in the world, but without daily application, you won’t see results of the caliber that you might be expecting. Unfortunately, traditional face serums aren’t exactly travel-friendly — most are prone to leakage and those glass bottles are far too delicate to throw in a tote or carry-on luggage. Enter the serum stick, a mess-free and TSA-friendly alternative that makes application (and on-the-go reapplication) a breeze.
For the uninitiated, don’t fret, because there’s not much to catch up on. As Boston-based, board-certified dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD, puts it: “Zero snark — serum sticks are simply serums in a stick format.” There are three main benefits to the stick format: they’re mess-free, convenient, and make for an effective, targeted treatment. Just a few swipes can fix a variety of skin-care woes, including hyperpigmentation, pesky irritation, and patches of dry, rough skin.
There’s no need to fret about sanitary concerns, either. “Serum sticks are less messy than traditional serums,” Dr. Hirsch shares. “They should not be shared but are otherwise fine to use on yourself over and over as needed — no cleanup or sanitation required.” Plus, serum sticks can be applied without you ever actually touching the skin yourself, so you don’t need to worry about transferring any pesky germs from your hands.
Best of all, these grab-and-go skin-care sticks fit in even the tiniest of purses and benefit all skin types. Below, take a look at our favorite serum sticks that are ideal for quick touch-ups on the fly (or while flying, if that’s your cup of tea).
Hero Cosmetics Force Shield Superfuel Serum Stick
Peace Out Retinol Face Stick
According to Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Derm in New York City, Hero Cosmetics’ Force Shield Superfuel Serum Stick is a great pick for visible hydration and brightening. It’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like calendula flower and sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid), which replenish and calm dry, dehydrated skin, as well as powerful antioxidants, like elderberry fruit extract, that soothe the skin. Just one swipe helps soothe the moisture barrier and leaves behind a nice glow. Dr. Hirsch is also a fan — she says the cooling effect is especially nice in hot or humid climates.
Retinol can be a slippery slope: The jack-of-all-trades ingredient can help diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne, and texture, but it can also cause serious irritation — dry, peeling skin and weeks-long purging before that. To minimize irritation and maximize those glowy results, Dr. Chang suggests Peace Out’s Retinol Face Stick, a concentrated but gentle formula consisting of a blend of three percent encapsulated retinol. This format increases the stability of the retinol and allows it to penetrate more deeply into the skin while mitigating potential side effects. (Just be sure to apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher during the day while using this product.)
P.S. Peace Out also offers a Retinol Eye Stick if you’re looking to trade in your usual eye cream for a more portable formula that’s spiked with peptides and encapsulated retinol to reduce puffiness and improve overall texture.
Live Tinted Superhue Hyperpigmentation Serum Stick
Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm
The Live Tinted Superhue Hyperpigmentation Serum Stick is a balm-to-serum stick that effectively fades signs of dark spots and hyperpigmentation over time. Dr. Chang notes that the formula is action-packed with ingredients that promote even skin tone and minimize the look of dark circles, including niacinamide, vitamin C, bakuchiol, glycolic acid, and licorice root. Plus, the stick format allows users to target precise areas where dark spots and hyperpigmentation are most visible.
Kahi’s Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm quickly went viral after Korean actress Kim Go-eun flaunted the convenient little stick in episode eight of the K-drama The King: Eternal Monarch. And that’s not the only interesting thing about this multi-balm. The serum balm features salmon collagen and salmon polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), two major players in K-beauty. While it hasn’t taken off stateside yet, these ingredients — which are actually DNA fragmented from salmon sperm — actually have ample research behind them. Studies have found that salmon DNA promotes wound healing, helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the skin, reinforces the skin barrier, stimulates collagen production, and promotes cell regeneration.
And, true to its name, this multi balm can be used to help prevent makeup from drying and caking throughout the day, as a moisturizing treatment around areas prone to fine lines and wrinkles, and as a lip balm. Hello, dewy skin.
Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule Stick Balm
Chasin’ Rabbits All About Glow Multi Balm
Missha’s best-selling ampoule comes in stick form so you can give your skin a wake-up call anywhere you go. The Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule Stick Balm (try saying that five times fast) is infused with 77-percent Extreme Biome, a proprietary ingredient made up of 10 different fermented probiotics, to help strengthen and firm skin while improving elasticity and radiance. It also features a proprietary blend of plum, carrot, plum cabbage, eggplant, beetroot, and blueberries to protect against daily environmental stressors and leave skin calmer and clearer. You can also
Supercharged with soothing inca inchi, shea butter, and ceramides, Chasin’ Rabbits All About Glow Multi Balm gives skin a boost of deep hydration and an instant glow. The petite stick is perfect for on-the-go application — simply soften the stick with the temperature of your skin and gently apply it to areas prone to dryness and rough texture.
Jones Road Hippie Stick
Acwell Real Aqua Balancing Stick Cream
Jones Road’s Hippie Stick is a truly multifunctional beauty product. The universal balm is packed with deeply nourishing ingredients like sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, caster oil, and beeswax for a buttery boost of moisture that works all over. Apply it to any area that needs some TLC — the face, cuticles, elbows, heels, ends of hair, lips, you name it. The glide-on formula provides an instant boost of moisture alongside a subtle, spearmint-like scent.
Give skin a quick boost of mid-day hydration with Acwell’s Real Aqua Balancing Stick Cream. The formula features the patented N4 Complex, a blend of four traditional herbs and plant extracts that instantly calm, soothe, hydrate, and brighten skin, as well as cica extract to strengthen the skin barrier and increase elasticity. The stick leaves behind a slight cooling sensation and makes targeted application a breeze
Tatcha The Serum Stick
Undone Beauty Synergistick 4-in-1 Solid Serum
Tatcha’s The Serum Stick is jam-packed with 80-percent purified squalane, hyaluronic acid, and Japanese lemon balm to alleviate dry skin (especially the under eye area) and visibly smooth and soften skin texture. Dr. Hirsch suggests using it more like a primer under makeup to improve blendability, though we love the refreshing, glowy results over makeup just as much (especially when it comes to smoothing out cakey, dried-up makeup throughout the day).
For long-lasting hydration in a fast-absorbing formula, look no further than Undone Beauty’s Synergistick 4-in-1 Solid Serum Balm. The multipurpose serum stick effectively simplifies your skin-care routine by hydrating, prepping, toning, and replenishing the skin in all but a few swipes. The formula is packed with a heaping dose of electrolytes, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid to leave skin feeling smooth and soft.
Medicube Collagen Vita Multi Balm
Erborian Pink Blur Stick
Instantly rejuvenate skin with the Medicube Collagen Vita Multi Balm, which simultaneously improves the look of fine lines and wrinkles while brightening dark spots and visually plumping the skin. The stick features a triple collagen complex, 15 percent vitamin C, and 10 different peptides to help improve skin elasticity and hyperpigmentation. It leaves skin looking glowy — not oily — and is backed by seven different types of clinical testing, as per the brand.
The Erborian Pink Blur Stick is like swiping on an Instagram filter, blurring and slightly mattifying pores, fine lines, and blemishes in an instant. The smooth-gliding, pocket-size tube also acts as a primer and helps makeup stay in place all day long.