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Our Serum Stick Picks:
- Best Overall: Tatcha The Serum Stick, $49
- Editor's Picks: Weleda Brightening Serum Stick ($20) & Repairing Serum Stick ($24)
- Best Hydrating: MILK MAKEUP Cooling Water Jelly Ice Soothing Serum Stick, $29
- Best with SPF: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Balm SPF 45, $30
- Best with Collagen: Banila Co Blooming Youth Peach Collagen Multi Stick Balm, $21 $17
- Best with Retinol: Peace Out Retinol Face Stick, $36
Every bag I own contains a serum stick. It's not only great skincare, but it's also super convenient and can improve my dry skin, skin tone, and skin texture. If you haven't heard about this game-changing beauty product, or just want a few new recommendations, I'm here to provide you with the best serum sticks for on-the-go skincare.
What Is a Serum Stick?
There's nothing complicated about a solid serum stick. It's a serum in stick form that may contain key ingredients like collagen, retinol, SPF, vitamin C, vitamin E, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and more. It's a lightweight moisturizer in a convenient package.
What Are the Benefits of a Serum Stick?
Depending on the ingredient list, a serum stick can give you brightening, hydrating, illuminating, and more, effects. Some are even made to address hyperpigmentation or can improve your skin barrier. The best part is that they're easy to apply and don't require you to touch your face – all you do is swipe and you're done.
So, keep on scrolling for the best serum sticks. You may want to add all of them to your bags, too.
The Best Serum Sticks:
The Best Overall
Tatcha The Serum Stick
If you want to deeply moisturize anywhere and blur the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, then the Tatcha serum stick is the best option. It includes squalane and other ingredients for moisture, locking in that moisture, and improving your skin barrier. Plus, you can apply it before or after your makeup.
Editor's Picks: Brightening & Repairing
Weleda Skin Food Brightening Serum Stick & Repairing Serum Stick
I keep both the Weleda brightening serum stick and the repairing serum stick in my carry-on bag when I travel. I use the brightening stick with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid when I want a glowy look and even skin tone. And then I use the repairing stick with a botanical blend of soothing ingredients when I need a deep moisture boost.
The Best Hydrating Serum Stick
MILK MAKEUP Cooling Water Jelly Ice Soothing Serum Stick with Niacinamide
Packed with niacinamide and caffeine, this soothing jelly serum stick is what stressed skin craves. It can refresh and depuff, and the serum is safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin and acne-prone skin.
The Best Serum Stick with Collagen
Banila Co Blooming Youth Peach Collagen Multi Stick Balm
Just pop open this multi-balm stick and swipe it over your face. Your skin will get an instant collagen boost. I leave it in my work bag and reapply throughout the day and the peach smell is yummy.
The Best Serum Stick with Retinol
Peace Out Retinol Face Stick
Beloved by E! editor Marenah Dobin, this retinol face stick can help soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and leave your skin looking bright and smooth. Just apply to your face and neck in the PM after cleansing and moisturizing.
The Best Serum Stick with SPF
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Balm SPF 45
With a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, this balm stick promises to hydrate, protect, and leave your skin glowing. Best of all, it also protects your skin with SPF 45.
The Best Serum Stick for Hyperpigmentation
Live Tinted Superhue Hyperpigmentation Serum Stick
Dealing with hyperpigmentation? This serum stick with niacinamide and vitamin C can help. Not only can it fade the look of dark spots, but it can also smooth your skin texture and even lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The Best Tinted Serum Stick
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint
If you're searching for an easy-to-apply makeup foundation, this tinted serum stick may be what you've been looking for. It's available in 16 shades and provides a lightweight, smooth glow that easily blends into your skin.
Glossier Futuredew Solid Oil-Serum Illuminator
For a dewy glow that lasts all day, you'll want this solid serum stick. Creamy and hydrating, it'll give you a natural finish that you can layer with makeup or without.
Complete your glow with the best collagen face masks for firmer, fresher skin.
—Originally published April 10, 2025 at 3:00 a.m. PT
How We Choose
The E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.