This winter has started with a bang - we're now into our second polar vortex and looking at about a foot of snow in Manhattan today. The heat is cranking inside, and when we do venture out, the cold and wind numb what areas of skin we have exposed. Many customers ask what the difference between our Serum and our Argan Oil is, and given our current weather conditions, it's an opportune time to discuss these two products and when and how to use Kahina Serum. Hint: it's a winter-time must for us! Here are some key points about our Serum that will help you decide if it's right for you. 1. Kahina Serum is a rich blend of oils, including high concentrations of argan oil. Our Serum is thicker and heavier than argan oil alone. Do you find that your skin is drinking up argan oil and you're applying more and more as the weather gets colder/dryer? It's the right time to switch to Serum. Emollient oils like sea buckthorn and pomegranate will help your skin feel more moisturized with less product. Its superior moisturizing properties are part of why we highly recommend Serum during winter months, or any time you're prone to dryness (travel, anyone?). 2. Kahina Serum contains a broad spectrum of antioxidants and vitamins. If anti-aging is high on your list of skincare goals, you should incorporate our Serum into your routine. Argan oil is high in vitamin E, sea buckthorn seed oil contains vitamin C, while carrot seed oil has vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. Pomegranate, coffee berry, and argan oil provide antioxidant benefits. Ultimately, there are many ways to address skin aging, but two key goals are 1) preventing micro-inflammation (antioxidants assist in this) and 2) making sure your skin is adequately moisturized (incorporate emollient oils and Toning Mist). 3. We formulated the Serum to be healing and calming, regenerating and restorative. Many ingredients work toward this end, including rosemary, bisabolol (an incredibly soothing ingredient derived from German chamomile), and pomegranate. The formulation as a whole is meant to protect from oxidative damage occurring in the first place, but also repair existing damage. Oxidative damage deforms cells and disturbs cell functioning, the effects of which you experience as fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity (collagen/elastin). Using Kahina Serum can help offset the aging effects of exposure to pollution and UV rays. 4. Appreciate aromatherapy in your skincare products? While we love that Kahina Argan Oil is unscented, we wanted to incorporate a greater sensory experience with our Serum. To that end, we've included a blend of essential oils that give our Serum a unique scent with notes of ylang ylang, myrhh, rosemary, lavender, and chamomile. They don't just smell amazing; these steam-distilled oils have their own skincare benefits: soothing, regenerating, and antiseptic/antibacterial. APPLICATION TIPS:

• Do you have both Argan Oil and Serum? Don't apply both at the same time - you don't need to! Since the Serum contains argan oil, you'd be doing double duty. You can, however, apply one during the day, and one at night.
• We recommend Serum as a nighttime treatment since it is reparative and your skin is doing just that as you sleep. If your skin is particularly dry, feel free to use Serum as a day and night moisturizer/treatment.
• To start, use just a few drops and make sure your skin is absorbing it properly. If your face feels oily after a few minutes, you've applied too much.
• Using a water-based layer (we recommend our Toning Mist) before and after application also helps the Serum absorb.
• One other way to incorporate the Serum into your routine is to add a drop or two to a cream or lotion moisturizer, mixing them in the palm of your hand. Voila! You've fortified your moisturizer, adding vitamins, antioxidants, and making it even more moisturizing.

Leave a comment or email us at info@givingbeauty.com if you have any questions we can answer. Decided our Serum is right for you? Shop Serum now.