For Vitamin C Serum DIYers
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:53 pm

anybody use real aloe vera plant in their vit. c serums? I have a plant at home and am thinking of using it in my homemade vitamin c serum.

free skin care · Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:22 pm

also for basic vit c serum, anyone substitute vegetable glycerin instead of glycerin?

free skin care · Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:35 pm

BCgirl wrote:

anybody use real aloe vera plant in their vit. c serums? I have a plant at home and am thinking of using it in my homemade vitamin c serum.

I've thought of this, but haven't tried it. My aloe plant is pretty sickly looking (I just don't have a green thumb). I do use purchased aloe gel in my vit c.

There were a couple of threads on Skin Care Talk a while back about using the gel from the plant. If you've not seen them, here are the links:

http://www.skincaretalk.com/diy-skin-care/13025-sea-kelp-bioferment.html#post181905

http://www.skincaretalk.com/anti-aging/15103-best-antioxidants.html#post230972

free skin care · Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:48 pm

I use an 99% Aloe Vera gel and mix it with some moisturizing oils and vitamin c for more moisture. It seems to be working

free skin care · Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:54 pm

BCgirl wrote:

also for basic vit c serum, anyone substitute vegetable glycerin instead of glycerin?

BCgirl,

I only ever buy and use vegetable glycerin. I find it easily at any health food store, but it's available at most online suppliers. Smile

Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:36 pm

This is my first post here on EDS but I have been lurking for a couple of months now. Such a great wealth of knowledge here!

I was inspired to try making one of Kassy's DIY Vit C serums (thank you Kassy!) and ordered my ingredients from lotioncrafters. I'm not sure though that I ordered the right thing. Can anyone confirm if the Vitamin E and SKB are supposed to be non-powder form? The ones that I ended up getting were kind of gel-like and for some reason I thought all of the ingredients except the distilled water and vodka are in powder form.

This is the recipe that I was going to try :

1oz 15%, C, E + Ferulic

Will last 8 weeks or so.. It is very stable,
(The vit E, SKB + FA all make it very stable!)

What you need for 1oz C,E, Ferulic 15%;
- 2 glass shot glasses
- 1oz cobalt or amber dropper or pump bottle
- 1 tsp L-Ascorbic Acid
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) Vitamin E (equals 1%)
- .5% of Ferulic Acid (1 good pinch)
- 2 tsp SKB (Sea Kelp Bioferment)
- 3 + 1/2 tsp of distilled water
- 1/2 tsp of vodka (don't laugh, you need it to dissolve the FA so
it's not gritty, and it also keeps the ph low enough!)

Also, I am 38, Asian, have pale, sensitive, dry skin, not much acne except for TOM acne. I have some forehead wrinkling and fine lines around the eyes, 11s are getting more prominent. I got several bad sunburns as a kid which I think has effected my skin and dried it out. Is there anything else I should add that would make this more catered to my skin condition/type? I'm worried that it will dry out my skin or make it red. I will probably need to moisturize after letting the serum sink in. I'm using the TNS Essential Serum right now and it makes my skin feel pretty tight and I hate the wait time necessary before moisturizing. I want to supplement the TNS with the Vit C.

Didn't expect this to be so long but would appreciate any advice! Thanks again!

free skin care · Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:30 pm

dustyrose wrote:

Can anyone confirm if the Vitamin E and SKB are supposed to be non-powder form? The ones that I ended up getting were kind of gel-like and for some reason I thought all of the ingredients except the distilled water and vodka are in powder form.

Hi dustyrose - Welcome! Yes, the SKB is a gel. And the vit E is usually an oil, so it may look gel-like in the container.

I use this recipe all the time and love it. I do add a 1/4 teas of Hyaluronic acid to mine (in place of 1/4 teas of the vodka; I only use 1/4 teas vodka to dissolve the FA and that works), but you don't have to do that. It makes the serum a bit thicker.

Other than that, I wouldn't change the recipe too much as you don't want to affect the PH. It needs to be around 3.0 PH to be effective.

Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:42 pm

ShastaGirl wrote:

dustyrose wrote:

Can anyone confirm if the Vitamin E and SKB are supposed to be non-powder form? The ones that I ended up getting were kind of gel-like and for some reason I thought all of the ingredients except the distilled water and vodka are in powder form.

Hi dustyrose - Welcome! Yes, the SKB is a gel. And the vit E is usually an oil, so it may look gel-like in the container.

I use this recipe all the time and love it. I do add a 1/4 teas of Hyaluronic acid to mine (in place of 1/4 teas of the vodka; I only use 1/4 teas vodka to dissolve the FA and that works), but you don't have to do that. It makes the serum a bit thicker.

Other than that, I wouldn't change the recipe too much as you don't want to affect the PH. It needs to be around 3.0 PH to be effective.

Whew, thanks so much for your reply Shastagirl!! I am so glad to hear that I did get the right things. I guess I'll try the recipe as is and see how it goes since I didn't order any Hyaluronic acid but will keep that as a note for future reference. I did buy pH strips as well just so I could make sure that I did have the right pH and just because it sounds like fun mad scientist thing to do Very Happy

Sat Nov 27, 2010 3:03 am

So I finally made Kassy's DIY serum (yay!) and had two questions. It looks like the serum has a pH of 2. Is this ok to use? I know it should be around a pH of 3. What is the ideal pH range that should be ok?

Also, I wasn't able to get the serum fully mixed - the Vitamin E and SKB didn't seem to mix completely. It is quite clumpy. Is this ok? Any tips on getting these two ingredients more fully incorporated?

I'm really excited that I made this myself. I ordered from lotioncrafters and their CS was excellent. They included some freebies that were really helpful - stirring rod, small measuring cup and some plastic droppers.

free skin care · Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:56 pm

dustyrose wrote:

So I finally made Kassy's DIY serum (yay!) and had two questions. It looks like the serum has a pH of 2. Is this ok to use? I know it should be around a pH of 3. What is the ideal pH range that should be ok?

Also, I wasn't able to get the serum fully mixed - the Vitamin E and SKB didn't seem to mix completely. It is quite clumpy. Is this ok? Any tips on getting these two ingredients more fully incorporated?

I'm really excited that I made this myself. I ordered from lotioncrafters and their CS was excellent. They included some freebies that were really helpful - stirring rod, small measuring cup and some plastic droppers.

Glad you had a chance to make this. It is such a nice serum (and sooo much cheaper than buying it).

On the PH, between 2-3 is typical. Mine is usually closer to 3, but I use aloe for some of the SKB, so that may alter it.

Sometimes the E and SKB do settle at the top. Shake it before you use it. It could be clumpy if your ferulic didn't totally dissolve. Using the vodka helps that, but some brands of ferulic seem to be more problematic than others.

Sounds like you're another DIY convert! Very Happy

Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:53 pm

ShastaGirl wrote:

dustyrose wrote:

So I finally made Kassy's DIY serum (yay!) and had two questions. It looks like the serum has a pH of 2. Is this ok to use? I know it should be around a pH of 3. What is the ideal pH range that should be ok?

Also, I wasn't able to get the serum fully mixed - the Vitamin E and SKB didn't seem to mix completely. It is quite clumpy. Is this ok? Any tips on getting these two ingredients more fully incorporated?

I'm really excited that I made this myself. I ordered from lotioncrafters and their CS was excellent. They included some freebies that were really helpful - stirring rod, small measuring cup and some plastic droppers.

Glad you had a chance to make this. It is such a nice serum (and sooo much cheaper than buying it).

On the PH, between 2-3 is typical. Mine is usually closer to 3, but I use aloe for some of the SKB, so that may alter it.

Sometimes the E and SKB do settle at the top. Shake it before you use it. It could be clumpy if your ferulic didn't totally dissolve. Using the vodka helps that, but some brands of ferulic seem to be more problematic than others.

Sounds like you're another DIY convert! Very Happy

I am definitely on the DIY C train...full speed ahead! I love the fact that I can make it fresh and yes much much more economical esp since I am spending quite on bit on TNS essential serum Shock

.

Is there anything that I can tweak next time to get the serum closer to pH 3 - would adding a bit more or a bit less of one of the ingredients help? I'd prefer not to have to buy another ingredient if possible.

I have been shaking the serum before use to try and get everything to mix together. So I'll keep on doing that and next time pay a bit more attention to the ferulic. I got my ferulic from lotioncrafters. Do you have a rec for a better brand to use?

Thanks for your help Shastagirl with my DIY efforts Smile

!

free skin care · Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:19 pm

Crossposting as I think this may be helpful for those who aren't tolerating the higher percentages of Vitamin C. Smile

Found this very interesting especially for those with sensitive skin!

Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Clinical, topographical and ultrastructural evaluation: double-blind study vs. placebo.
Humbert PG, Haftek M, Creidi P, Lapière C, Nusgens B, Richard A, Schmitt D, Rougier A, Zahouani H.

Department of Dermatology, Hospital Saint Jacques, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
Abstract
Vitamin C is known for its antioxidant potential and activity in the collagen biosynthetic pathway. Photoprotective properties of topically applied vitamin C have also been demonstrated, placing this molecule as a potential candidate for use in the prevention and treatment of skin ageing. A topically applied cream containing 5% vitamin C and its excipient were tested on healthy female volunteers presenting with photoaged skin on their low-neck and arms in view to evaluate efficacy and safety of such treatment. A double-blind, randomized trial was performed over a 6-month period, comparing the action of the vitamin C cream vs. excipient on photoaged skin. Clinical assessments included evaluation at the beginning and after 3 and 6 months of daily treatment. They were performed by the investigator and compared with the volunteer self assessment. Skin relief parameters were determined on silicone rubber replicas performed at the same time-points. Cutaneous biopsies were obtained at the end of the trial and investigated using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Clinical examination by a dermatologist as well as self-assessment by the volunteers disclosed a significant improvement, in terms of the 'global score', on the vitamin C-treated side compared with the control. A highly significant increase in the density of skin microrelief and a decrease of the deep furrows were demonstrated. Ultrastructural evidence of the elastic tissue repair was also obtained and well corroborated the favorable results of the clinical and skin surface examinations. Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream was an effective and well-tolerated treatment. It led to a clinically apparent improvement of the photodamaged skin and induced modifications of skin relief and ultrastructure, suggesting a positive influence of topical vitamin C on parameters characteristic for sun-induced skin ageing.

Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Clinical,... [Exp Dermatol. 2003] - PubMed

free skin care · Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:03 pm

DarkMoon wrote:

BCgirl wrote:

also for basic vit c serum, anyone substitute vegetable glycerin instead of glycerin?

BCgirl,

I only ever buy and use vegetable glycerin. I find it easily at any health food store, but it's available at most online suppliers. Smile

I also use vegetable glycerin with mine,I buy it online Smile

Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:42 pm

Thank you all for such great advice. Im getting ready to make my first batch of Vit C Serum. I was wondering if it would be possible to add Kojic Acid to the recipe to further combat hyperpigmentation?? Any thought would be greatly appreciated!

free skin care · Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:07 am

How to preserve the C serum

Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:21 am

I'm getting everything I need so I can make Kassy's 15% Vitamin C, E + FA Serum with Jojoba!

1 tsp L-AA
1 tsp SKB
1 tsp Jojoba Oil
3 tsp H2O
1/4 tsp Ferulic Acid
1/4 tsp Vitamin E Oil
1/4 tsp Vodka or Witch Hazel (vodka is best and purest though.)

I have a cart full what I might need for this with Lotioncrafter and I'm so excited to order, but I'm going to hold off until I get some knowledgeable council whether or not I should really get all my supplies through the L.C. store or get some items from another source. Like the SKB.Is that ok from there? Except for the distilled water, Jojoba oil, and vodka of course since they don't have those. Also would like recommendations for basic items that would be helpful to have on hand for making diy skincare stuff.

Please don't make me wait too long! I'm ready yesterday to make my C, E + FA Serum with Jojoba! Laughing

I will be very grateful to whosoever will help me with this or give me any kind of tips/info/advise concerning skincare stuff!

Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:17 am

HI Kassy_A, (or anyone else with similar know-how and experience).
I have just recieved my L-asorbic acid and Propylene glycol in the post and I am dying to try out my first, home made vit c serum. I just wondered, about storage. I know that glycerin allows the serum a longer shelf-life, but I have no idea how long I can keep a propylene based serum. Any suggestions?
The recipe I am going to try is;
quarter tsp l-asorbic acid
5 ml propylene glycol
5ml distilled water
I would also like to add some vitamin e oil from capsules that I have. any idea how many I should add to this quantity?

free skin care · Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:19 am

Miche wrote:

I'm getting everything I need so I can make Kassy's 15% Vitamin C, E + FA Serum with Jojoba!

1 tsp L-AA
1 tsp SKB
1 tsp Jojoba Oil
3 tsp H2O
1/4 tsp Ferulic Acid
1/4 tsp Vitamin E Oil
1/4 tsp Vodka or Witch Hazel (vodka is best and purest though.)

I have a cart full what I might need for this with Lotioncrafter and I'm so excited to order, but I'm going to hold off until I get some knowledgeable council whether or not I should really get all my supplies through the L.C. store or get some items from another source. Like the SKB.Is that ok from there? Except for the distilled water, Jojoba oil, and vodka of course since they don't have those. Also would like recommendations for basic items that would be helpful to have on hand for making diy skincare stuff.

Please don't make me wait too long! I'm ready yesterday to make my C, E + FA Serum with Jojoba! Laughing

I will be very grateful to whosoever will help me with this or give me any kind of tips/info/advise concerning skincare stuff!

I've used Lotioncrafters SKB. It's fine and works well in the C serum. I bought their Ferulic 2 months ago, but haven't used it yet - still finishing up the stuff I had. It looks more powdery than the Skinactives Ferulic I have, so that should be good.

Their L-AA gets raves for being fine and easily dissolved.

You should be good to go!

The one other thing I would suggest (and I can't remember if Lotioncrafters carries them) is an airless pump bottle for your C serum.

Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:03 am

Hi girls
Can anyone tell me roughly how long it takes to see any improvement in pore size when you start using a Diy vit c serum?
Thanks

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:18 pm

I have finally got all my ingredients for Kassys
vitamin c serum, the first time it was incredibly lumpy the SKB, and e wouldnt mix.
my second go the c didnt seem to mix, my third time after rereading this topic, putting the skb, vodka and FA in the microwave for 6 secs made it into a lovely texture serum, I have just realised I forgot the hyaluronic acid, is this a problem? I have redone my instructions so I will make sure I add it next time.
Do I just use it once a day in the mornings?
and what are the benefits of this, as everyone raving about it ?

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:22 pm

another question sorry Very Happy

do i keep it in the fridge.
thankyou
helen

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:27 pm

helenjean wrote:

another question sorry Very Happy

do i keep it in the fridge.
thankyou
helen

It won't harm it, but it's not a must. Smile

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:31 pm

blast, been reading the threads, and I used metal utensals, what will happen to my serum?
Can I still use it?
sorry for being a pest Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:18 pm

helenjean wrote:

blast, been reading the threads, and I used metal utensals, what will happen to my serum?
Can I still use it?
sorry for being a pest Rolling Eyes

No problem! Smile

Stainless Steal? I have used it in the past, I wouldn't worry just use plastic or glass from now on so you are sure.

free skin care · Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:20 pm

helenjean wrote:

I have finally got all my ingredients for Kassys
vitamin c serum, the first time it was incredibly lumpy the SKB, and e wouldnt mix.
my second go the c didnt seem to mix, my third time after rereading this topic, putting the skb, vodka and FA in the microwave for 6 secs made it into a lovely texture serum, I have just realised I forgot the hyaluronic acid, is this a problem? I have redone my instructions so I will make sure I add it next time.
Do I just use it once a day in the mornings?
and what are the benefits of this, as everyone raving about it ?

Hi Helenjean - I make Kassy's serum ( a different formula without the skb - tried the SKB one and went back to the other). Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Some get a nice glow from using C products. I suggest using an AHA about 20 minutes before or at opposite ends of the day - this gets rid of all the dead skin allowing the C to do it's best work. Once a day is fine for vitamin C. I know some on here use different types of Vit at opposite ends of the day but there is no known study to support that. LAA is considered the most effective Vitamin C - keep it fresh. keep it in the frig and use it up....

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