For Vitamin C Serum DIYers
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free skin care · Mon May 04, 2009 11:40 am

Hello,

I am considering a DIY formula using MAP and SKB from the Skinactives site.

Have any of you tried this one before?

Everything I have read about MAP indicates that it is water soluble and yet the Skinactives site claims that it is oil soluble. This gets confusing.

Also, any thoughts as to how quickly MAP oxidizes and whether pH is also an issue with this formula?

There is little info available on this.

I would like to use this formula post rolling -hoping that it would be less irritating.

Thanks, BF

free skin care · Mon May 04, 2009 1:17 pm

BF I can tell you that I have mixed MAP with SKB to incorporate MAP into a larger serum, which makes me pretty sure you are going to have to add h20 (at minimum) to dissolve the MAP into the SKB.

As for oxidation my serum would last 4 weeks but you can always make smaller batches more often to avoid that problem.

The ph of MAP should be bet'n 7 - 8.5
HTH

free skin care · Mon May 04, 2009 5:26 pm

BF, MAP is soluble in both water or oil.

It's not pH dependant (that I'm aware of), and probably for that reason, is why it's in lots of retail creams, lotions etc..

I added it to a moisturizer I made, and it started to smell like hotdogs after a while.. (I assume it was the MAP, because it never happened before or since, with the same ingredients minus the MAP.)

I'm sure you will find it to be less of an irritant than LAA, but it is much less effective as well... (Kind of like trying to compare Retinyl Palmitate to Retin-A.) Only MHO!

You can make a nice DIY serum with MAP + SKB.. I would also recommend adding a good oil to it, that contains vitamins, lipids, + fatty acids.. (Avocado, Palm or Rosehip would be nice.. Or AOB + ELS from skinactives if you have it on hand.)

If you need any help putting a recipe together, give a holler..

free skin care · Tue May 05, 2009 2:01 pm

Thanks Kassy.

Are you aware of any research data that discusses how effective MAP is as compared to LAA, etc.?

BF

free skin care · Tue May 05, 2009 6:18 pm

Barefoot I don't get any irritation with Kassy's C,E and Ferulic recipe, that's why I continue to use it (LAA) as my dermarolling C. As Kassy says it works way better than any other C out there. But I don't put it on directly post roll. I've read it takes only a short time for the holes to close after rolling anyway. I use the retin a that evening, as retin a is affected by light and must be used before retiring, then the C,E and Ferulic in the morning.
Sorry for taking this off topic guys. Angel

free skin care · Tue May 05, 2009 7:51 pm

Mishey wrote:

Barefoot I don't get any irritation with Kassy's C,E and Ferulic recipe, that's why I continue to use it (LAA) as my dermarolling C. As Kassy says it works way better than any other C out there. But I don't put it on directly post roll. I've read it takes only a short time for the holes to close after rolling anyway. I use the retin a that evening, as retin a is affected by light and must be used before retiring, then the C,E and Ferulic in the morning.
Sorry for taking this off topic guys. Angel

Just want to clarify that I said, "as good as".. Laughing

(It's up to others who can compare to retail products for the "way better than".... Very Happy

)

free skin care · Wed May 06, 2009 1:41 am

Kassy_A wrote:

Mishey wrote:

Barefoot I don't get any irritation with Kassy's C,E and Ferulic recipe, that's why I continue to use it (LAA) as my dermarolling C. As Kassy says it works way better than any other C out there. But I don't put it on directly post roll. I've read it takes only a short time for the holes to close after rolling anyway. I use the retin a that evening, as retin a is affected by light and must be used before retiring, then the C,E and Ferulic in the morning.
Sorry for taking this off topic guys. Angel

Just want to clarify that I said, "as good as".. Laughing

(It's up to others who can compare to retail products for the "way better than".... Very Happy

)

Sorry I need to clarify. Laughing

I meant LAA being better than any other C out there, rather than comparing Kassy's recipe to commercial ones.
By the way I've never tried any commercial C serums. I've only ever used the C,E and Ferulic or just LAA and distilled water made weekly.

Wed May 06, 2009 2:35 am

Hiya Kassie

I recently made your lovely vitamin C+E+ferulic serum...which i thought turned out lovely....feels great on my skin and leaves it feeling tight. Bonus!!

I have kept the serum in a blue glass bottle in the fridge, the bottle has a pump dispenser as i thought that would be preferable to tipping out the serum each day to use. I happened to get a blockage in the pump dispenser so have taken it out of the bottle and I found that around the plastic tubing the serum had formed almost jelly like and turned orange......the serum had only half filled the bottle and this jelly had formed above the serum. Soooo have i messed up somewhere? Sad

the serum also was slighlty more runny than when I first made it.

Other than that it feels lovely.
oops im using a spray bottle and not a pump dispenser...would that make a difference?

thank you

free skin care · Wed May 06, 2009 6:41 am

I use a cobalt bottle with a dropper and this seems to work out okay. Let's see what Kassy says.

free skin care · Wed May 06, 2009 6:57 am

sister I would go with the eye dropper type of dispenser. Even though it is runny I think it might be too thick for a pump.
I find on my bottle a little accumulates in the dropper cap, due to shaking, will crystallize around the rim of the jar and it is yellow.
Remember to shake the life out of it before each use.

free skin care · Wed May 06, 2009 11:22 am

misspointy wrote:

Hiya Kassie

I recently made your lovely vitamin C+E+ferulic serum...which i thought turned out lovely....feels great on my skin and leaves it feeling tight. Bonus!!

I have kept the serum in a blue glass bottle in the fridge, the bottle has a pump dispenser as i thought that would be preferable to tipping out the serum each day to use. I happened to get a blockage in the pump dispenser so have taken it out of the bottle and I found that around the plastic tubing the serum had formed almost jelly like and turned orange......the serum had only half filled the bottle and this jelly had formed above the serum. Soooo have i messed up somewhere? Sad

the serum also was slighlty more runny than when I first made it.

Other than that it feels lovely.
oops im using a spray bottle and not a pump dispenser...would that make a difference?

thank you

Sounds like you used too much HA to me, and/or didn't dissolve things in 2 glasses.. I can't imagine why it would seperate otherwise..

My advice is to pitch out this serum and start over with the very last recipe I posted.. (The one that contains vodka and just .3 ml of HA)

Please try it again, exactly according to the way I wrote out the 2 phases, which I believe will help you get it perfect.

You also need to store it in a pump or eye dropper bottle, because 'serum' can't be dispensed in a 'spray' bottle.

HTH, and please let me know how it goes..

free skin care · Wed May 06, 2009 11:36 am

Just an FYI for all; A little crystallization on the neck of the bottle is common for any C serum that doesn't contain (hidden preservatives or the addition of a true emulsifying ingredient).

It can also happen if the 2 phases of formulating were rushed, and then combined together before everything dissolved fully and completely..

In my own experience I was guilty of rushing things along when I first started DIY, but have since learned a thing or two. I also had no clue about separating it into 'phases', and wondered why I wound up with spackle, when I just threw it all together in one phase..

Please try to follow along next time, as I wrote things out in the latest C recipe.. It really will make a very big difference to your serum. Also keep in mind that I am also learning as I go along, and I'm more than happy to have you learn from my mistakes (and blunders.. Laughing

)

Wed May 06, 2009 2:48 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

misspointy wrote:

Hiya Kassie

I recently made your lovely vitamin C+E+ferulic serum...which i thought turned out lovely....feels great on my skin and leaves it feeling tight. Bonus!!

I have kept the serum in a blue glass bottle in the fridge, the bottle has a pump dispenser as i thought that would be preferable to tipping out the serum each day to use. I happened to get a blockage in the pump dispenser so have taken it out of the bottle and I found that around the plastic tubing the serum had formed almost jelly like and turned orange......the serum had only half filled the bottle and this jelly had formed above the serum. Soooo have i messed up somewhere? Sad

the serum also was slighlty more runny than when I first made it.

Other than that it feels lovely.
oops im using a spray bottle and not a pump dispenser...would that make a difference?

thank you

Sounds like you used too much HA to me, and/or didn't dissolve things in 2 glasses.. I can't imagine why it would seperate otherwise..

My advice is to pitch out this serum and start over with the very last recipe I posted.. (The one that contains vodka and just .3 ml of HA)

Please try it again, exactly according to the way I wrote out the 2 phases, which I believe will help you get it perfect.

You also need to store it in a pump or eye dropper bottle, because 'serum' can't be dispensed in a 'spray' bottle.

HTH, and please let me know how it goes..

Ok thanks, once again your a star!!

I made the c serum without the HA....I made the older recipe with l ascorbic acid, vit E, ferulic acid and SKB 15%.

The serum is still a milky white colour so it must be crystallization around the pump....TBH I hadnt even thought of that....maybe Ill use it for my body and start out with a new one....I was patient waiting for the L ascorbic acid to dissolve...lol...it took around 45 mins.

Ill also get a different pump for the bottle.

thankyou

free skin care · Sat May 09, 2009 1:34 pm

Kassy:

I have been making the C serum for few months with your recipes. The one with Ferulic, and Viterol A. It really saves me a lot of money. Thank you.

Suk Han

Smile

free skin care · Sat May 09, 2009 2:46 pm

Suk Han wrote:

Kassy:

I have been making the C serum for few months with your recipes. The one with Ferulic, and Viterol A. It really saves me a lot of money. Thank you.

Suk Han

Smile

Glad it's working out for you!

When you're done with that one, try the latest, it's the best to date!

free skin care · Sat May 09, 2009 7:00 pm

Kassy:

Is the following the later one you mean?
1 tsp LAA
½ tsp MAP
¼ tsp Ferulic Acid
¼ tsp Vitamin E oil (or whatever other oil you use with high E content)
3 tsp H20 (distilled)
1 tsp SKB
½ tsp Glycerin
½ tsp Hyaluronic Acid
5 gtts Kukui Oil (optional, but supposedly it helps with melasma + hyperpigmentation)

By the way, I am planning to use Retin A. What is good to put on after the Retin A beside emu oil?

Thank you.

Suk Han

free skin care · Sat May 09, 2009 8:49 pm

Hello suk Han,
The one Kassy is talking about is this one:

*****

15% C, E + Ferulic Acid Serum, 1oz

1 tsp L-Ascorbic Acid
1/4 tsp Ferulic Acid
1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Vitamin E Oil
1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Hyaluronic Acid
1 tsp SKB
1 tsp vodka
3 1/2 tsp H2O

To prepare use 2 shot glasses. In glass #1 put the H2O, Vodka, LAA + Ferulic Acid.. Stir frequently. It can take up to 30 minutes to *fully* dissolve. Mix the remaining ingredients in glass #2. When the contents of glass #1 have fully dissolved, combine both, stir well and put in your 1oz bottle.. Give it a good shake, and store in fridge or in a cool, dark place.. Shake a bit before use.

She says to get a 1cc medicine dropper and fill it to the .3 mark for the ferulic and E.

****At least I THINK it's the the one she's referring to.

free skin care · Sat May 09, 2009 9:35 pm

Thanks Sisoreno you are quite right on all counts.. Very Happy

Happy Mother's Day one and all, and have a glorious day!

Sun May 10, 2009 12:38 am

Does anyone have problems with using HA? Im just asking as its one of the active ingredients in loreals derma genesis range, and those products irritate my skin like mad. My skin ended up red, puffy and really itchy. Id like to try kassies above recipe Very Happy

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 7:41 am

Thank you Sister Sweet and Kassy.

How do I fill the dropper with ferulic which is in powder???!!!! Confused

I did the C Serum with Kassy's recipe before with ferulic but without HA. I did not measure in a dropper.

Suk Han

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 10:41 am

Suk Han wrote:

Thank you Sister Sweet and Kassy.

How do I fill the dropper with ferulic which is in powder???!!!! Confused

I did the C Serum with Kassy's recipe before with ferulic but without HA. I did not measure in a dropper.

Suk Han

Oh dear, my little Chikadee, I think you need help with the 'putting it all together' part..

You need to use the 2 seperate glasses, and mix each ingredient in according to how I wrote it out.. (You can't just add FA into a finished serum.)

I'd suggest you start over from scratch and have the recipe beside you to follow along.. (The bright side is each *blunder* will cost less than a buck.. Very Happy

)

Please re read the entire recipe, and ask me anything that isn't clear to you before you do it..

On another note, someone we all know and love asked me if I'd make a video putting a C serum all together (on another forum), and I'm seriously considering it..

The problem is I don't have a clue how to do it.. Sad

. I have a 'webcam' on my new laptop, so if anybody can give me video 101, I'm all ears..

Oh yeah, and tell me like I'm a 6 year old .. Confused

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 11:32 am

Kassy:

Thank you for your prompt reply. I followed your instruction precisely. I read your recipe again, then I realized that it fills with HA using the dropper but not the ferulic. Brick wall

Thanks again!!

Suk Han

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 2:01 pm

Hi Kassy,
Thank you so much for all your recipes! I am currently using an old C formula of yours and am loving it Very Happy

I have a quick question about another one of your recipes, specifically the one with HA-- My understanding is that pure HA comes in a powder form, but since you're starting with liquid HA, what is the percentage of the solution that you use? I'm wondering if I can just substitute with the PSF HA serum, or if I should buy the liquid HA from wherever you do...? TIA!

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 3:54 pm

Geez Swan, I've never had the powdered form, so I'm not sure how to advise you.. What I would suggest is popping off an email to wherever you purchased it, and asking precisely how much you need to use to have a 1% concentration in a 1oz formulation..

I'm still working on a 4oz bottle I got from TPF about 14 months ago.. In fact I'll probably pitch it out soon and get a fresh one..

Oh, BTW, if you purchased it from skinactives, they always send a direction sheet for use with the products. Perhaps someone who has the same HA could chime in to help you out..

free skin care · Sun May 10, 2009 6:43 pm

Can't wait to give this new recipe a go. Sorry Suk Han for any confusion I caused with the C & E directions...

Hope y'all had a great day - Mother's everywhere!
Sis (Sisoreno Laughing

- and hey Kassy if you do a video for another forum can you pm where??? Thanks

)

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