Vitamin C serum w/glycerin - causing cysts?
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free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:33 am

I've been using Vitamin C serum that I made myself, with LAA, water and glycerin. I guess I've been using it for a couple of weeks now.

I've developed 2 very deep-down pimples, one on my eyebrow and one at the edge of my face, near the ear. You know the kind; it's like they are starting under my skin.

I've also been using red LED for a month, but I don't think that's the cause.

Could it be the glycerin in the Vitamin C serum? Has anyone else using this experienced these deep pimples?

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 7:09 am

I heard some birds singing the following.

Quote:

''the vast majority of ascorbic acid supplements & powders are manufactured using GMO corn''.

I dont know if they are wrong or right.

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 7:15 am

That may be so. Since I feel about 1000% better taking supplements, I feel it would be worth the risk if what you say is true.

I've been looking at Earth Clinic site, and am going to the store to buy some apple cider vinegar, something I've been meaning to start. A lot of testimonials of it working very well for cystic acne. We shall see...

In the meantime, I'm stopping the glycerin, since I really don't like the sticky feeling. I'll just use plain water until I work out something else. Maybe sub propylene glycol?

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:16 pm

It might be that pH is too low or there's just too much L-ascorbic acid in your mix, both things aren't good for skin.
And for some people there's just a period of worse-before-it-gets-better with vitamin C, after 2-3 weeks it should resolve itself. That is, if you ever experienced short-term purging with other stuff (retinoids, acids) then that might be the case with vitamin C as well for you.
I once or twice tried simply mixing vit C with water in my hand on someone's suggestion and ended up with roughly 30% concentration with pH waaay below 3. Wrecked my skin for a day or two. It's very russian roulette that way. Laughing

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:09 pm

Hmmmm...maybe I'll start washing the serum off before I go to sleep. I really don't want to stop using it because other than the two big zits, it really has helped my skin.

I've been using my Sirius Aurora blue light on them for 2 days now. Hopefully they will be much better tomorrow.

It's not fair - one of the few good things about getting older is that you don't have to deal with pimples anymore. HA!

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:32 pm

I don't believe washing it off will make much difference, vit C dissolved in water absorbs within minutes.
Maybe try something different. Give skin a break for a week or so, and then reintroduce 10% vit C?

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:28 pm

I've been using a 10% serum already. I'll lay off it for a week, and the LED too.

The one on my eyebrow is damned painful! Sad

Not to mention exceedingly unattractive...

ETA - I'm pretty sure that it is the glycerin. I hope it is, then the solution will be simple - leave it out next time. Maybe my skin just doesn't like it, who knows? After this mess clears up, I'm going to order some PG and use that instead.

free skin care · Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:44 pm

Immacolata wrote:

I've been using a 10% serum already. I'll lay off it for a week, and the LED too.

The one on my eyebrow is damned painful! Sad

Not to mention exceedingly unattractive...

ETA - I'm pretty sure that it is the glycerin. I hope it is, then the solution will be simple - leave it out next time. Maybe my skin just doesn't like it, who knows? After this mess clears up, I'm going to order some PG and use that instead.

It definitely could be the Glycerin. For me it is a huge no-no, causing painful cysts and bumpy, oily skin. I have no issue with PG though so if I were you I would give PG a try with your next serum.

free skin care · Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:20 am

doodles wrote:

It definitely could be the Glycerin. For me it is a huge no-no, causing painful cysts and bumpy, oily skin. I have no issue with PG though so if I were you I would give PG a try with your next serum.

Thank you doodles! I just put in my order at Lotioncrafters. I got 16 oz of PG, it was so cheap. Also got some little beakers, a couple funnels and a syringe for filling bottles. Smile

I'm starting to get into this DIY stuff!

free skin care · Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:39 am

Yay! My PG came in the mail yesterday and I just prepared and used a new batch of serum. I like this much better. It isn't at all sticky and has apparently completely absorbed in about 20 minutes.

I started quadruple-dosing on grapefruit seed extract, and using a dot of Oxy10 on the huge zit on my eyebrow, and am happy to report that it's gone down and is not as sore and angry as before. What a nightmare that was! Even when I was a teenager, I never had such a pimple. I hate using benzoil peroxide but it was an emergency. I'll continue using it today and then just let it heal on its own.

Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:19 am

My very breakout-prone skin did not like glycerin too, and so I am also skipping it in my Vitamin C serum.

It is baffling that such an innocent looking ingredient can wreak havoc on the skin Shock

free skin care · Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:15 pm

The huge cyst on my eyebrow is finally gone, pretty much, but there is a scab left behind that will no doubt leave a mark. I'll be using the green light on it for sure.

I really like the serum made with PG. Much nicer on the skin, dries quickly and isn't all sticky like glycerin.

Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:53 am

Immacolata wrote:

The huge cyst on my eyebrow is finally gone, pretty much, but there is a scab left behind that will no doubt leave a mark. I'll be using the green light on it for sure.

I really like the serum made with PG. Much nicer on the skin, dries quickly and isn't all sticky like glycerin.

Good to know the PG works well for texture! Please do keep us posted to see if it is safe for breakout-prone types.

I am also recovering from some pretty spectacular cysts on my cheekbones and jaw, and I suspect it is partly from the Vitamin E oil that I newly added to the CE Ferulic serum.

I like the texture of my serum too, that relies on the vodka/Ferulic Acid/oils emulsion for thickening (based on one of the popular recipes being shared on this forum) It finally works quite well once I substituted or eliminated the comedogenic ingredients - jojoba oil, Vitamin E and glycerin

Smile

free skin care · Wed Dec 18, 2013 1:19 pm

If I were you, I would add the E back into the serum - I think the vitamin E is meant to be a big part of it.

I can say with some assurance that it's the glycerin causing the cysts. I've used straight oils on my skin with no issues at all. Just the glycerin started these cysts.

Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:28 pm

Immacolata wrote:

If I were you, I would add the E back into the serum - I think the vitamin E is meant to be a big part of it.

I can say with some assurance that it's the glycerin causing the cysts. I've used straight oils on my skin with no issues at all. Just the glycerin started these cysts.

Thanks for the reminder that the E is very important.

Actually I had eliminated glycerin right after the very first batch, when I saw my skin reacting to it. That is before I acquired Vitamin E. So I went through several batches without glycerin or E, and my skin was fine with it (I used squalane).

Reading about the importance of Vitamin E, I finally got a bottle recently, one with a super high concentration. That was when I broke into those ugly cysts... I even unsuspectedly applied straight E oil on them, and those babies grew overnight, multiplied and would not go away Sad

That was about a month ago, and after my skin finally calmed down, I made a new batch and added the tiniest dot of E oil with a toothpick. I understand it works at a preservative.

So far it's been a few days and my finicky skin looks fine. Is there a chance the E concentration was too high for my skin?

free skin care · Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:41 pm

Hmmm, I'm certainly no expert. If what you're using now is doing the trick without breaking you out, that's what I would staY with.

When I go to the CEF serum, I'll keep your experience in mind and test it for a week or so to make sure it doesn't cause the cysts.

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