Best Serum to use with LED Light Therapy-By a Skin Pro

Read our top 7 best serums to use with your at home LED Light Therapy, Hand Picked by an Esthetician.

At-home LED light therapy has been gaining popularity in recent years as an easy and effective way to treat a variety of skin concerns, including acne, fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and hyperpigmentation. But with so many serums on the market, it is pretty difficult to choose which one is right for you to use with your LED device. Luckily, we've got our trusted esthetician who can help with that.  She's done the research for you and compiled a list of the seven best serums to use with your LED treatment device.

Believe us when we tell you we understand your pain and frustration when picking the best skincare products and tools. There is a massive amount of products on the market to choose from and a lot of them are garbage. That's why we are here for you- we want to help you out throughout this process. The last thing we want to see is someone have a bad reaction because someone who didn't about skin advised them to pick a product that hurt their skin. You have a professional to help you out so just follow along as we break it all down.

We based these picks on a number of factors like efficacy, ratings, and ease of use.

Best Serums to Use with LED Light Therapy

Top Recommended Serums Based on Skin Type

1. Best for Mature Skin

KateCeuticals Firming Serum

2. Best Natural Product for Age spots-Hyperpigmentation

Eminence Organics Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster

Best for Aging Skin Repair and Renewal

Osmosis Beauty StemFactor - Growth Factor Serum

Best For Dehydrated Skin

PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum

Great for All Skin Types-Especially Acne or Hyperpigmentation

Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20%

Best for Acne- Hormonal Acne/ Smoother Skin

iS Clinical Active Serum

Best for Sensitive Skin

Phyto Corrective Gel

Keep reading to find out why these top picks made our round up and what makes them s special.

This article contains affiliate links.

1. Kate Somerville-KateCeuticals Firming Serum

Best for Mature Skin Types

KateCeuticals firming serum has peptides to enhance the production of collagen and elastin, adenosine, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and Nasturtium Flower as well as healing essential oils. Skin will feel plumper, smoother, and lifted, and a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. Use red light therapy with this serum to deeply penetrate the product and affect aging skin concerns.

2. Eminence Organics Bright Skin Licorice Root Booster

Best For Age Spots or Hyperpigmentation

The perfect solution for those with skin discolorations, this natural serum derived from plants is organic and safe to use on sensitive skin. It contains two active ingredients: Gigawhite which helps diminish dark spots without irritation; plus a hydroquinone alternative (which does not irritate your body). Infused in vitamins C & E? This brightening formula smooths out the wrinkles while defending against free radicals! With daily applications, you'll notice more evenness in your skin discoloration for a more even and smoother-looking complexion  - Always wear your broad-spectrum sunscreen to help prevent future damage and discoloration.

3.Osmosis Beauty StemFactor - Growth Factor Serum

Best for Aging Skin Repair and Renewal

Stem factor serum is the key to a radiant complexion. This innovative product stimulates new cells and rebuilds collagen/elastin with advanced exosome technology, which helps you achieve a more youthful look!

Reverse signs of aging, Promote cellular renewal, Improve hydration, Increase elasticity, Restore nutrients, and Fight free radicals

4.PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum

Best For Dehydrated Skin

The benefits of PCA Skin's Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum include deeply hydrating your skin, helping it retain more moisture than before for a plumper-looking complexion with less visible fine lines and wrinkles. This powerful serum is infused with an exclusive blend that includes ceramides which repair skin surface dehydration to provide you long-lasting results; niacinamide strengthens the natural barrier of the skin to fight against environmental stressors like UV rays  (this helps prevent future and premature aging), while also preventing further signs of advancing age such as spots or unevenness on face surface due to sun damage. Niacinamide also helps regulate sebum production for combination dry skin.

5.Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20%

Great for All Skin Types-Especially Acne Scarred or Hyperpigmentation

Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% is a vitamin C serum that's specially designed to penetrate deep into your skin and provide you with effective antioxidant protection from UV damage as it brightens away hyperpigmentation while encouraging the growth of collagen fibers. It also includes hyaluronic acid, which binds moisture on contact so dryness isn't an issue!

6.iS Clinical Active Serum

Acne- Hormonal Acne - Smoother Skin

iS Clinical Active Serum is a face serum that will give your skin the instant and long-term results your skin needs. It smooths away fine lines, and wrinkles while softening any roughness to leave behind a healthier-looking complexion with less hyperpigmentation, redness, or acne problems! Clinically proven to help provide both instant and long-term results.

7.SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel

Best for Sensitive Skin

A soothing, calming, and moisturizing gel that hydrates, comforts, and relieves redness for sensitive skin types. Powered by ingredients like cucumber extract, olive oil, thymus Vulgaris (thyme) along with other botanical extracts that improve your complexion's redness and also provide the skin with mulberry leaf which helps calm, soothe and reduce discoloration minimizing the appearance of redness for a boost of fresher-looking skin! Hyaluronic acid helps to retain hydration in the skin.

For information on how to apply Phyto Corrective Gel watch this Skinceuticals YouTube video.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

What is an LED light?

So maybe you're wondering what an LED is? LED is an acronym for Light-Emitting Diode. LEDs are primarily used for skin rejuvenation and can help with multiple skin conditions from acne to sensitive skin and skin discolorations, fine lines and wrinkles, and skin discolorations like hyperpigmentation as well as reduce inflammation.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is the use of infrared radiation to improve cellular function. It has a wide range of applications, from reducing inflammation and healing wounds to increasing energy levels and reversing the signs of aging.

Red light therapy  works by stimulating mitochondrial activity, leading to an increase in energy production. This increased energy production can then be used by the cells to repair damage, fight inflammation, and perform other essential functions like anti aging. This light therapy treatment in use with red light helps the skin as well as other conditions. Red led light therapy is most often associated with detox using infrared light therapy device. You might have heard about red light therapy of sauna therapy, the benefits of this technology target different conditions at the cellular level.

Can you use a serum with LED?

Yes. Not all serums will be appropriate for use with an LED. Stay clear of those that are photosensitizing like retinol and products with heavy exfoliating acids, lactic acid, malic, and so forth. Hyaluronic acid is good, as is vitamin C, peptides  and antioxidants. Use with led light therapy and especially red light therapy is beneficial for skin rejuvenation so the best serum to use with led light therapy will be those serums that can benefit the skin with rejuvenating effects.

PhotoBiomodulation

LEDs use a nonthermal cellular stimulation called photomodulation. The light triggers a photo-bio-chemical response at the cellular level. Individual wavelengths at a low intensity use visible light like blue, red, or infrared (invisible) light. Different colors of light affect different processes and depths within the skin. In a nutshell, depending on the color of the LED it will trigger a different biochemical response. For example: when a yellow light reaches a specific depth of skin it triggers this response to stimulate the circulation of reduced bacteria.

This is why it's really important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations and understand your potential contraindications for use if you have medical conditions. Someone with thyroid issues should consult their doctor before use as light stimulates a response.

What does the light stimulate?

The use of LED has been clinically shown to increase ATP production- also known as adenosine triphosphate. This is the cellular energy production in our cells. As we age some of our cellular energy doesn't work as efficiently or well as it did when we are young. Skin rejuvenation is one of the primary treatments for LED treatments.

What Should I put on my face before LED?

You can use an LED light therapy device without a serum. Or you can apply a serum to a clean, preferably  exfoliated face before using the LED. Simply apply your chosen serum to the skin and then use with led light therapy device for best results. Be sure the serum to use with led light does not have photosensitizing ingredients in the formula. A  Vitamin C serums  is often a good choice for brightening your skin as well as increasing the skin's antioxidants.

Do I have to Wash my Face Before Using LED?

Yes. Always have a clean face unless you're using a serum.

When using an LED always clean your face and it's helpful to use a mild exfoliator if you are using a water-based serum for increased efficacy.

What do you put under an LED mask?

Often people will use a serum under an LED mask. LED masks are becoming more popular in beauty and skin care treatments. LED light therapy is said to help with a variety of skin conditions, such as acne, wrinkles, age spots, and even eczema.

Many masks may also come with a suggested list of products that you can use underneath the mask. Hyaluronic acid serum are beneficial for dehydrated skin.

What skincare products can be used with LED?

Some key information to remember is that LED is best used with serums that promote hydration and are water-based, and those that don't react to light are better when you're using a serum with an LED. Avoid creams as these won't penetrate the skin as well as a water-based serum.

What color of LED is right for me?

Keep in mind the color of light to use for your specific skin type. Anti-aging is generally red light. Blue light is generally for acne and oily skin.  Yellow or amber is for reducing inflammation and detoxification.  Green is better for skin discolorations and hyperpigmentation. And remember to wear your goggles when under the light. You don't want to damage your eyes. You generally don't need more than 20 minutes. Stay somewhere in the range of 10-20 minutes when using your LED. There are some contraindications for those who should not use LED.

Who should not use LED (Contraindications)

These are general guidelines. Your manufacturer may provide you with additional contraindications.

The following are contraindicated and should not use LED treatment

• Pregnancy
• Those with unidentified lesions or open skin lesions
• Clients taking Photosensitizing Medications like Retinols, Retin A or other medications-some antibiotics are photosensitizing so check with your Dr first
• History of Seizures
• Chemotherapy
• Autoimmune Disorders
• Or has been directed by your doctor not to
• Thyroid conditions-get an ok from your doctor

At Home LED Solution

If you're looking for an at-home solution for brighter, smoother skin, or more youthful-looking skin then an LED light therapy device is a great option. And when used in conjunction with a good quality serum, you can experience even better results.

The use of LED encourages better product penetration so you should get a better response from its use. Just be warned the LED lights you get over the counter or online generally don't have the professional strength capacity that your esthetician or spa probably has. So if you're not sure which serum to use with your LED device, be sure to check out our list of the seven best serums for an LED treatment above!

Stay tuned for our next article as we talk about the best masks to use with your LED.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest for our latest guides on all things beauty.

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: As a staff of licensed aestheticians we review products based on their merit based on our professional expertise. This is not a replacement for your own skin therapist's advice for your skin or any medical claim or endorsement. We encourage you to seek medical care when appropriate. To support our website activities, we may receive monetary compensation or another form of recompense for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonials, and/or links to any products or services from this website as part of the Amazon Associate program or another Affiliate program. We Thank you in advance for your patronage.

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: As a staff of licensed aestheticians we review products based on their merit based on our professional expertise. This is not a replacement for your own skin therapist's advice for your skin or any medical claim or endorsement. We encourage you to seek medical care when appropriate. To support our website activities, we may receive monetary compensation or another form of recompense for our endorsement, recommendation, testimonials, and/or links to any products or services from this website as part of the Amazon Associate program or another Affiliate program. We Thank you in advance for your patronage.