The Rare Ritual serum range covers two fundamentally different types of natural face serums, each designed for a specific position in the 7-step ritual. Understanding the difference between an Active Serum and an Oil Serum is the key to building a ritual that actually performs. They are not interchangeable. They are complementary: applied at different steps, from different bases, doing different jobs on the skin.

Two Types of Natural Face Serums

Most skincare brands use “serum” as a catch-all word for any concentrated product. Rare Ritual does not. Every serum in the range has a precisely defined place in the ritual, and the distinction between the two types is formulation-based, not marketing language.

Active Serums are water-based, pH-adjusted formulas designed to deliver targeted actives into the skin early in the ritual. They are applied directly after toning, before anything else, because water-soluble actives need direct contact with clean, damp skin to absorb effectively. The formulas are lightweight, non-occlusive, and quick-absorbing. They work on specific concerns: acne and congestion, pigmentation, anti-ageing and barrier reinforcement.

Oil Serums are 100% anhydrous, cold-processed formulas designed to nourish the skin after the active serum has fully absorbed. They deliver bioactive plant oils, fatty acids, and lipid-soluble actives like bakuchiol to the skin. Oil serums do not compete with active serums. They follow them, providing the fatty acid nutrition and antioxidant protection that a water-based formula cannot deliver.

Why the Order Matters

The ritual moves from lightest to richest. Active Serums, being water-based and fast-absorbing, come first. Oil Serums, being richer and lipid-based, come later. If an oil serum is applied before a water-based active, the oil creates a barrier on the skin’s surface that prevents the water-soluble actives from absorbing properly. The order is not optional. It is the reason the ritual performs.

Active Serums vs Oil Serums at a Glance

Active Serums (after toning) Apply 1 drop over clean, fully dry skin after toning. Wait for the skin to stop feeling wet before the next layer.

• Targets specific concerns: acne, pigmentation, anti-ageing
• Water-based, fast-absorbing
• pH-adjusted for optimal active function
• The Clarity, Radiance, and Renewal families each have a dedicated active serum

Oil Serums (after your actives) Warm 1 to 2 drops between the palms and press into the skin. Do not apply over an active serum that has not yet fully absorbed.

• Delivers bioactive plant oils and lipid-soluble actives
• 100% anhydrous, no water, no preservatives
• Cold-processed to protect heat-sensitive bioactives
• Three formulas: Clarity, Radiance, and Renewal

Layering Two Serums

If your ritual includes two active serums, apply the higher-priority one first, allow it to fully absorb, then layer the second. Never blend two active serums into a single application. This matters most when combining an exfoliating active with a renewal or bakuchiol active. For sensitive skin, alternate them: one in the morning, one in the evening.

Two oil serums can be layered. Warm a drop of each together in the palm and press the blend in as a single application.