Best serum in Pakistan: how to choose by concern, not by trend

Serums in Pakistan compared by concern

Pick the active for the concern, then the price. Niacinamide for oil and uneven tone, vitamin C for dullness and dark spots in the morning, retinol for lines and texture at night, hyaluronic acid as a support step rather than a treatment.

Prices below were read from each brand's own product page on 3 September 2026. The comparison that matters is not brand against brand but active against concern — buying a second serum for the same concern is the most common way people in Pakistan spend more and see less. One serum, one concern, twelve weeks before judging it.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

What a serum does that a moisturiser does not

A serum is a thin, high-concentration base built to carry actives into the skin. A moisturiser is a heavier emulsion built to hold water at the surface. Different jobs, and you generally want both.

This is why the serum is where a limited budget should go. A basic moisturiser and a well-formulated serum beats an expensive moisturiser and no serum, most of the time.

Niacinamide: the safe first serum

Best for oily and combination skin, visible pores, uneven tone and post-blemish marks. It is well tolerated, works morning or night, and layers with almost anything.

If you have never used a serum, this is the one to start with, because it is the hardest to go wrong with. Elluvi Hydra Glow Serum is 10% niacinamide with 1% Zinc PCA and hyaluronic acid, Rs. 1,149 for 30 ml.

Vitamin C: for dullness and dark spots

A morning serum. It works on pigment already formed and helps protect against the damage that creates more. It needs daily sunscreen alongside it to be worth using.

Vitamin C is the fussiest of the four. In its pure L-ascorbic form it is unstable, it can sting on sensitive skin, and it belongs in an opaque bottle, which is why Elluvi Vitamin C Serum uses a stable derivative: 10% 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid at pH 5.0, Rs. 1,299 for 30 ml.

Retinol: for lines and texture

A night serum for fine lines, rough texture and long-term tone. It is the most evidence-backed ingredient in this list and the one most likely to irritate if you rush it.

Start two to three nights a week and build up. Elluvi Age Defying Serum pairs 0.3% retinol with peptides, niacinamide 5% and alpha arbutin 2% at Rs. 1,299 for 30 ml. It is not a beginner product, and it is not for use in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Hyaluronic acid is a supporting ingredient

It holds water and makes skin feel plumper. It does not treat anything on its own, which is why it appears inside the other three serums rather than being worth buying alone.

A serum sold on hyaluronic acid alone is a hydrating step with a serum's price tag. In dry indoor air it also needs a moisturiser over it, or it can pull moisture out of the skin rather than into it.

Pick one, not four

One serum, twelve weeks, then judge it. Layering three actives at once is the fastest route to an irritated barrier, and irritated skin looks worse than the problem you started with.

If you want two, run them at opposite ends of the day: vitamin C in the morning, niacinamide or a retinoid at night. That is the most a normal routine needs.

Serum prices in Pakistan

Locally formulated serums with stated percentages run roughly Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000 for 30 ml. Imported ones start around Rs. 3,000, and most of that gap is import cost rather than better formulation.

At two to three drops a use, a 30 ml serum lasts about three months twice daily, so Rs. 1,149 works out around Rs. 12 a day. Compare stated active percentages, not bottle prices. A serum that will not tell you its concentration is not offering you a comparison.

How to use one properly

Apply two to three drops to clean skin (slightly damp for niacinamide, dry for vitamin C), press it in rather than rubbing, and follow with moisturiser. In the morning finish with sunscreen.

Introduce a new serum on its own for a fortnight before changing anything else, so you know what caused what. Patch test first: Apply a small amount to a discreet area of the jawline once daily for 2–3 days. Stop if persistent redness, itching or irritation occurs.