For Vitamin C Serum DIYers
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free skin care · Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:56 pm

well, I am not certain but adding more poly 80 should help.. it looks like teh oil has not been emulsified enough....

Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:18 am

Daler, how much more do you think I need to add?
Don't know if it will change ph of serum. And sorry for a dumb question, but should I shake it after adding poly or stir it?
I wish Kassy would come and help me, I was so exited to do serum myself. After reading all those DIY forums for couple of weeks straight, I was sure my serum would turn out perfect. The receipe was chosen from group of 15, as kassys receipes evolved over years and I kept saving them as I read along.
I admire and adore Kassy, I think she is very encouraging and inspiring, her posts got me very exited, I could not wait to get my shippings from different sites...I just hope I can fix this issue. People don't pass by, save my DIY efforts Very Happy

free skin care · Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:31 am

I would try by adding 1% more of poly 80, stir and shake it,and see if it helps... DIY is great but initially one does end up wasting lots of $! at least i did.... dont let this discourage you though.. you ll learn as you go!

Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:52 am

Thank you, Daler, you such a sweetheart.
I'll try your suggestion, hope it will help, keep my fingers cross.
I just use my serum 5 min ago, just gave it a shake and apply to dry face. Still tingling little bit, it's encouraging, right Confused

Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:41 pm

Hi I've read all the different ways to formulate the serum but can people who have made their own serum tell me exactly what type of benefits do you see? Does it dry your skin out? I am 42 and I have dry skin. It's better when I'm getting close to my monthly when my estrogen is higher but I get so dried up looking after the monthly and my skin texture is horrendous. I use to have flawless skin but a rare skin disorder/allergy to UV light has ravaged my poor skin. I need something to undo the damage. Thanks!!

Alpha hydroxy make my UV sensitivity worse Sad

free skin care · Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:17 pm

Mariek wrote:

Hi I've read all the different ways to formulate the serum but can people who have made their own serum tell me exactly what type of benefits do you see? Does it dry your skin out? I am 42 and I have dry skin. It's better when I'm getting close to my monthly when my estrogen is higher but I get so dried up looking after the monthly and my skin texture is horrendous. I use to have flawless skin but a rare skin disorder/allergy to UV light has ravaged my poor skin. I need something to undo the damage. Thanks!!

Alpha hydroxy make my UV sensitivity worse Sad

Mariel if AHAs make you more photosensitive then Vit C is not for you. Vit C accelerated pigmentation on my skim despite using a sunscreen religiously. If you are prone to photosensitivity remember that Vit C has the same exfoliating action as AHAs and will do the same thing. While many people experience an improvement with Vit C, photosensitive people, like myself may have contrary results.

The answer for you lies first is an oral antioxidant program that deals with your photosensitivity, once that's under control, you may be able to use chemical exfoliators without harm. There are many very good oral antioxidants, krill oil has anthataxin which is recommended for pigmentation issues and as a bonus will also help with your skin dryness. I would start there and also with a good quality skin supplement as well.

Fri Nov 18, 2011 10:04 am

Thanks NotMeNotYou! I was going to go ahead and make a preparation of the serum until I read your post. I will hold off and try the krill oil to see if that helps.

I do take some anti-osidants now that kind of help - maybe the krill will be better for me.

free skin care · Sat Nov 19, 2011 11:16 pm

MarieK

Quote:

I am 42 and I have dry skin. It's better when I'm getting close to my monthly when my estrogen is higher but I get so dried up looking after the monthly and my skin texture is horrendous. I use to have flawless skin but a rare skin disorder/allergy to UV light has ravaged my poor skin. I need something to undo the damage.

There are other forms of C that are not as irritating. Magnesium ascorbyl phospate, sodium AP, Tetra C. Of those, MAP has the best clinical evidence of efficacy based on % use. It is very gentle and not irritating at all. Have yet to read a report of irritation using it. The pH requirement of LAA is the main problem. MAP, is neutral pH 7.0 and higher for stability.

Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:22 pm

I wanted to ask if you could use white and/or green tea (made with distilled water) to put the vitamin c in and lemon juice since I read that citric acid can stabilize it. I'm not sure though if the amount of citric acid in lemon juice would be enough.

free skin care · Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:09 pm

When I make ascorbic acid serum and keep it in the fridge, there is no discoloration for almost a month; I take it as an indication that most of the ascorbic acid has not oxidized yet.. If you really want to take steps to stabilize it you can add ferulic acid dissolved in a bit of ethanol/ grain alcohol.

Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:08 pm

Hi,

Just a couple of days ago i did my first attempt at making a diy c serum and have noticed tht even though it has jojoba and argan oil it isn't that hydrating or do I feel it brightens my skin that much.

I live in Spain and for the last couple of years rather than HA or CoQ10 the rave has been for a product called proteoglycans. My aunt is a plastic surgeon and told me to start using these, so I did. WOW!! they are great!! Just the first time I applied it my skin instantly tightened and felt really bright without being oily.

So I did some investigating and it turns out that proteoglycans are actually proteins produced by the body that prevent wrinkle formation, adjust the hydration level of the skin etc..

I would love to add this "mystery product" to my c serum but i do not know where the proteoglycans come from. The product comes in ampoules and have the following ingredients listed:

water,L Ascorbic acid, proteoglycans, Linoleic Acid, polysorbate 80 and parabens. It lists the Vitamin C at 5% and the proteoglycans at 3%.

I would like to add this to my next batch of C serum, however I don't want the polysorbate or the parabens as I have a family with a long history of cancer and I don't like to use these much in my cosmetic products. Hence when my box of ampoules finished I started investigating to do my own C serum.

My question is does anyone know of any product that could mimick the effect of proteoglycans, I looked up products in makingcosmetics dot com (sorry I can`t post websites as I'm newbie) and the closest thing I found was the Glycan booster peptide.

before compulsively buying anything I would love you guys' professional input on what I can use instead or if the Glycan booster would do the job.

THANK YOU!!!! Razz

free skin care · Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:55 pm

nani wrote:

Hi,

I would like to add this to my next batch of C serum, however I don't want the polysorbate or the parabens as I have a family with a long history of cancer and I don't like to use these much in my cosmetic products. Hence when my box of ampoules finished I started investigating to do my own C serum.

regarding parabens, you would have to use a preservative, both for microbs as well as mold. Parabens have been used for a long time and tested; if you wont use parabens then you may use something new n fancy which is not been tested vigorously and may be potentially way more dangerous.. If you want my opinion, parabans are just fine, Hannah at skinactives uses parabens in her products and she wont be unless she is satisfied with their safety.

free skin care · Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:57 pm

I would really want to know where to get my hands on pure proteoglycans but I think lecithin and sea kelp bioferment in a cream may act something comparable ( may be remotely) to proteoglycans ...

Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:09 am

Hi Daler, yeah, my question is exactly that, where can someone get pure proteoglycans or at least what ingredients would be comparable. Regarding the parabens unfortuntely my doctor told my to try not use products with parabens.

Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:44 pm

Hi Ladies,
I have read through most of this thread and it is amazing!! I am looking for some advice on making a simple 15% C,E,F serum similar to Kassy's....is it necessary to use SKB? What would happen if I did not add this?
I have also heard great things about Phloretin...is this recommended to add?
Can someone recommend a simple recipe for a beginner like myself that does not contain a bunch of extra ingredients (glycol or any preservatives etc) WITH TSP MEASUREMENTS! I am going to place an order on one of the websites but honestly I would like to stick to only a few key ingredients. Thanks so much in advance!! Ps I have oily/combination skin prone to congestion, I am 30 yrs old, and use Retin A at night.

free skin care · Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:21 pm

@erica1981 ... Try this!

Simple Vit C Serum 15% 1oz:

- 1 tsp L-AA (I recommend lotioncrafter.com for the fine powdered variety)
- 2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 tsp Jojoba Oil (This would be especially good for your skin type!)
- 3 tsp distilled water

Dissolve the L-AA in the water in a shot glass.. In another shot glass mix together the aloe and jojoba.. Now slowly stir/mix both phases together till fully mixed.

Keep in fridge and it should keep well for a few weeks..

The aloe can make it feel a bit tacky when applied but it will absorb within 10 minutes, and no more tackyness Wink

I'd really recommend that you apply a few drops of any vitamin E rich oil on top of your serum...(Antioxidants work in teams!)

Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:32 pm

Kassy- Thanks so much!! You are very knowledgeable and we all appreciate your hard work on these!
I have a couple questions about this recipe...no ferulic acid?? (I thought this was one of the key ingredients?) Would it be okay to add this and vodka? if so, how much of each?
What would be the best types of jojoba and vit-e oils to purchase? Does it matter?
Should I add the vit-e into the serum or is it better to apply after?
Thanks in advance..im so excited to get started! Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:42 pm

LOL! You asked for "simple" with just a "few" ingredients.. Laughing

I'd encourage you to start with the easy one I just posted for you... Ferulic Acid is a great addition to C serum but it is also the ingredient that seems to give DIY'ers the most grief.. (When you are ready to go for that ingredient you will have a 3 phase formula on your hands, and there's no shortcuts for it.)

Any Jojoba and Vitamin E oils will do.. I'd suggest you buy the smallest bottles you can find because once opened you'll want to replace them after a few months..

For now, just make the above serum, and apply a few drops of a nice oil on top of it.. Eazy peazy Very Happy

(grapeseed oil is high in E and won't clog your nice young pores!)

free skin care · Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:08 am

Would a little bit of rosehip oil be okay in a vitamin C serum?
I'm thinking of trying something like:

1 ts LAA
half ts rosehip oil
half ts vit E oil
3 ts distilled water

free skin care · Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:08 am

hi all

Since English is not my mother language, I got trouble in reading this post. And I have some questions about DIY c serum, I would be very grateful if anyone can help me! thanks~

1)I would like to know does sea kelp bioferment = Sea Kelp Extract ?
because i can only find sea kelp extract in this site http://www.makingcosmetics.com/Sea-Kelp-Extract-p1450.html

2)I find out that there are 2 vitamin E in makingcosmetics, so which one are suitable for making vit c?
Vitamin E (dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate)
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/Actives-Cosmeceuticals/Antioxidants/Vitamin-E-dl-alpha-tocopheryl-acetate--p190.html
Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol)
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/Actives-Cosmeceuticals/Antioxidants/Vitamin-E-d-alpha-tocopherol--p189.html

Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:30 am

@nani )The product comes in ampoules and have the following ingredients listed:

water,L Ascorbic acid, proteoglycans, Linoleic Acid, polysorbate 80 and parabens. It lists the Vitamin C at 5% and the proteoglycans at 3%.)

What is the name of the product nani?

Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:52 pm

Quote:

@erica1981 ... Try this!

Simple Vit C Serum 15% 1oz:

- 1 tsp L-AA (I recommend lotioncrafter for the fine powdered variety)
- 2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 tsp Jojoba Oil (This would be especially good for your skin type!)
- 3 tsp distilled water

Dissolve the L-AA in the water in a shot glass.. In another shot glass mix together the aloe and jojoba.. Now slowly stir/mix both phases together till fully mixed.

Keep in fridge and it should keep well for a few weeks..

The aloe can make it feel a bit tacky when applied but it will absorb within 10 minutes, and no more tackyness Wink

Thank you Kassy! I have been searching all over the internet (including all the sites listed in the suppliers thread and lotioncrafters that you recommended) It seems like I still need to shop a bunch of different sites for what I need Sad

plus the shipping costs just as much as the products Sad

On the Aloe vera...I looked for pure aloe vera gel and most that I found had other additives. Is this ok? (they were all the after sun gel that you can get most everywhere)
I found Jojoba oil and grapeseed oil on another separate site...but the LAA they carry is not ultrafine.
Plus I still need to order containers! (the specialty bottles website is great btw)

Is there a site out there that has all the ingredients that we need in one place?? Is it ok to purchase the oils/aloe gel at a store, and do they need to be pure?
Any feedback is very much appreciated!!

Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:43 pm

I'm new here and have been wanting to make a vitamin c serum for my face AND body. I assume that if it's good for the face, it's good for the body, too? So I just noticed this recipe posted:

Simple Vit C Serum 15% 1oz:

- 1 tsp L-AA (I recommend lotioncrafter for the fine powdered variety)
- 2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 tsp Jojoba Oil (This would be especially good for your skin type!)
- 3 tsp distilled water

I, too, would like to use Rosehip Seed Oil in place of Jojoba, if that's possible?

Where do I buy Aloe Vera Gel? And do I need to buy a special container to put this in, and refrigerate? Like an amber or blue container or something?

Also, do I put this on my face and body first, followed by lotions/creams/etc?

Thanks!

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:45 am

aloe vera gel can be bought at any health food store.. i guess it's possible to substitute rosehip oil for jojoba oil, in fact better since rosehip oil contains vit c itself too (IIRC) much more beneficial in a way!

i like your recipe... the ingredients are very much easier to obtain... but i would prepare them fresh each them i use it.

Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:44 pm

Hi all!

Truly sorry if this has been asked before, I've been reading through all the information here and will admit am a little overwhelmed Embarassed

I'm actually new to the DIY thing, and was wondering if there is any way to incorporate witch hazel into a simple recipe?

TIA!

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