Noun
ampoule (plural ampoules) borrowed from French, earlier, "vial, flask," going back to Old French ampule, ampoule, borrowed from Latin ampulla
1. A small hermetically sealed vial. (Usually sealed by open flame that protects the contents from airborne contaminants developed in the 1890s)
Serums
“A serum is the clear, yellowish fluid obtained upon separating whole blood into its solid and liquid components after it has been allowed to clot, so it is not surprising that the precursors of modern-day serums were based on horse blood, egg albumin, and bovine placenta. (In the 1930s) Packaging these products in sterile ampoules preserved with oxyquinoline (and later, the invention of parabens) made them available commercially. Ever notice that your most active serums come in the tiniest bottles? This is a practice that stayed with us since the early days of short product shelf life, which meant small batches had to be made and used up quickly before the product spoiled.” - Dermascope article Facial Serums written by Dasha Saian 24 October 2014
Whats the difference?
There are various types of serums available for difference skin concerns e.g. ageing skin, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, etc They typically have a smaller molecular weight than your moisturiser to work slightly deeper into the epidermis.
Ampoules are like a supercharged serum that tend to have higher concentrations of active ingredients, traditionally used for a finite amount of time to address a skin issue.
Now there are many different types available on the shelf for everyones skincare needs with different user experiences.
Which one do you prefer? Have you ever purchased a course of ampoule treatments before? What skin concern does yours address?
Recommendations coming soon! Follow me on Instagram for the drop 🎤
References:
reagent.co.uk
pharmaceutical-technology.com
Dermascope Magazine