For Vitamin C Serum DIYers
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free skin care · Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:11 pm

I think distilled H2O and LAA as a toner is great idea for you. C-serum is preventative so personally you can never start to early to fight mother nature.
As for the eye area again I don't think the c-toner you are talking about will do any harm only good in the long haul.
Just remember your sunscreen and you will look 27 forever!!! Wink

Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:37 pm

Hi
I've just started using a distilled water/vit C toner and I really like mixing it up daily (that way I know it's fresh!) I'm wondering though if it's possible to have the best of both worlds re the CE Ferulic combo, by creating a base of distilled water/ferulic/vit E, and adding a touch of the base to vit c powder each day. Does that sound like an idea that would work? Would SKB be a sufficient solvent?

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:15 am

What do you refrigerate and what can you keep out in the open?

I just got my first batch of items from skinactives (SUPER FAST SHIPPING!)

Im guessing these have to be refrigerated:
Vitamin E Oil
Hyaluronic Acid
SKB

And the final Vit C product. Am I right?

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:26 am

tortoiseshell wrote:

Hi
I've just started using a distilled water/vit C toner and I really like mixing it up daily (that way I know it's fresh!) I'm wondering though if it's possible to have the best of both worlds re the CE Ferulic combo, by creating a base of distilled water/ferulic/vit E, and adding a touch of the base to vit c powder each day. Does that sound like an idea that would work? Would SKB be a sufficient solvent?

I think you will need a touch of vodka in the distilled water to dissolve the FA but just a drop or two. I would give it a try the worst that can happen is it might seem a bit gritty if the LAA doesn't dissolve completely.
You could add a tsp of SKB to the base to make it a little thicker.
ps you might want to check the PH of your 1st batch to make sure you are in the range. (Can't remember what that is off the top of my head right now Confused

but it is in this thread somewhere)

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:08 am

Kassy_A wrote:

Here's my favotite C Serum (latest + greatest!)

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

What does 1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Vitamin E Oil mean?

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:24 am

funkydory wrote:

Kassy_A wrote:

Here's my favotite C Serum (latest + greatest!)

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

What does 1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Vitamin E Oil mean?

funkydory go to your local drugstore pharmacy counter and ask for a 1 ml syringe (you don't need the needle) units in 10x's (numbers 1-10 on it). They will give you a little syringe and add the vitamin E and HA to the 3 on the syringe. That equals .3 of a ml/cc.

Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:00 pm

Alley wrote:

tortoiseshell wrote:

Hi
I've just started using a distilled water/vit C toner and I really like mixing it up daily (that way I know it's fresh!) I'm wondering though if it's possible to have the best of both worlds re the CE Ferulic combo, by creating a base of distilled water/ferulic/vit E, and adding a touch of the base to vit c powder each day. Does that sound like an idea that would work? Would SKB be a sufficient solvent?

I think you will need a touch of vodka in the distilled water to dissolve the FA but just a drop or two. I would give it a try the worst that can happen is it might seem a bit gritty if the LAA doesn't dissolve completely.
You could add a tsp of SKB to the base to make it a little thicker.
ps you might want to check the PH of your 1st batch to make sure you are in the range. (Can't remember what that is off the top of my head right now Confused

but it is in this thread somewhere)

thanks - would the alcohol emulsify the vitamin E too? or will I need something else for that?

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:08 pm

tortoiseshell the vitamin E will mix into the water just fine.
You could replace 1 tsp of H2O with vodka and then add the ferulic acid, in a couple of seconds, mix right into the water with LAA. I am pretty new to DIY but all the recipes from Kassy recommend adding the vodka to help dissolved the ferulic and LAA either together or separately.

HTH

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:06 pm

Alley wrote:

funkydory wrote:

Kassy_A wrote:

Here's my favotite C Serum (latest + greatest!)

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

What does 1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Vitamin E Oil mean?

funkydory go to your local drugstore pharmacy counter and ask for a 1 ml syringe (you don't need the needle) units in 10x's (numbers 1-10 on it). They will give you a little syringe and add the vitamin E and HA to the 3 on the syringe. That equals .3 of a ml/cc.

Thanks Alley!

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:44 am

funkydory wrote:

What does 1/3 cc/ml (.3) of Vitamin E Oil mean?

You may go to eBay, Amazon .......to purchase a set of Nypro Mini Measuring Spoon.

1 pinch = 1/16 tsp = 0.31 cc/ml

Tad 1/4 tsp., dash 1/8 tsp., pinch 1/16 tsp., smidgen 1/32 tsp. And drop 1/64 tsp.

http://www.norpro.com/store/products/mini-measuring-spoons-5-pc-set

I got mine from eBay @ $5/set

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:53 am

Hi Kassy,

I followed your latest recipe and made a 30ml of Vit C last Thu. Loving it...the first benefit I saw was that it lightened my skin.

After all, I feel it a bit dry. What can I do right now?

I have normal skin.

My guess is that the amount of Vit E & H.A. I put was a bit less than what you stated in the recipe. Is it the reason? I wanted to follow your recipe but the mini measuring spoon had not arrived when I did the DIY.

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:41 am

summer2004 wrote:

Hi Kassy,

I followed your latest recipe and made a 30ml of Vit C last Thu. Loving it...the first benefit I saw was that it lightened my skin.

After all, I feel it a bit dry. What can I do right now?

I have normal skin.

My guess is that the amount of Vit E & H.A. I put was a bit less than what you stated in the recipe. Is it the reason? I wanted to follow your recipe but the mini measuring spoon had not arrived when I did the DIY.

Yes, putting less of either of those ingredients will definitely leave you drier.

If your skin is on the dry side normally, you can always reduce the H2O by 1/4 tsp, and replace that with 1/4 tsp of glycerin..

If you have glycerin on hand, just put 1/4 tsp in your serum, and it will make a big difference. (You can get a little bottle of pure glycerin in any drugstore, and it's cheap!)

Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:23 pm

I have a digital scale that measures down to 0.001g - but how does that translate into cc/ml for small measurements?

Thanks

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:37 pm

tortoiseshell wrote:

I have a digital scale that measures down to 0.001g - but how does that translate into cc/ml for small measurements?

Thanks

wow that is awesome - my understanding is if you have a scale like that you can do all your measurements in weight - will require math to figure out proper percentage but your formulas will be super accurate.

My math skills are brutal but here is how I think this should work (going to make a huge horses behind of myself here)
- you need to find out the weight of your base (SKB, H2O) say 100 grams
- then you figure out the % of actives according to weight for example LAA - 10% therefore 10gms

Does this make any sense Confused

Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:50 pm

Yes... is once cc the same as one ml? Is one ml the same as one gram? Okay I feel like an idiot but gotta ask...

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:18 pm

No grams are weight and cc/ml are the same but that is liquid volume (I think). Confused

Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:50 pm

I wanted to try to make my own c-serum using LAA but am hesitant after reading from another skincare forum. It said that LAA is so acidic that it exfoliates. If this is true that would mean if used daily it would be like exfoliating daily which is a no-no. This will accelerate aging in the longterm. I read somewhere on page 2 of this thread that someone experienced seeing more fine lines after using LAA and was wondering if she was using it too much. I hear that magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) appears to have the same potential as vitamin c to boost collagen synthesis but is effective in significantly lower concentrations and appears to be a better choice than vitamin c for people with sensitive skin and those wishing to avoid any concomitant exfoliating effects.

free skin care · Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:14 am

Kassy_A wrote:

...If you have glycerin on hand, just put 1/4 tsp in your serum, and it will make a big difference. (You can get a little bottle of pure glycerin in any drugstore, and it's cheap!)

Hi Kassy,

I don't have glycerin now.

Can I add H.A. and/or SKB mixed with Vit E to my existing serum? If yes, how much should I add?

free skin care · Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:28 am

aubria wrote:

I wanted to try to make my own c-serum using LAA but am hesitant after reading from another skincare forum. It said that LAA is so acidic that it exfoliates. If this is true that would mean if used daily it would be like exfoliating daily which is a no-no. This will accelerate aging in the longterm. I read somewhere on page 2 of this thread that someone experienced seeing more fine lines after using LAA and was wondering if she was using it too much. I hear that magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) appears to have the same potential as vitamin c to boost collagen synthesis but is effective in significantly lower concentrations and appears to be a better choice than vitamin c for people with sensitive skin and those wishing to avoid any concomitant exfoliating effects.

Hi Aubria,

I have sensitive skin also and make my vit c serum with l-ascorbic acid at a 15% strength. I have not experienced increased lines or peeling after about a year of use:-) My skin does turn pink for a bit after application however the pinkness abates shortly. I suspect it is because of the vodka addition. Guess I could confirm by using straight vodka but I would rather save any extra vodka for my oj! Kidding.

free skin care · Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:17 pm

summer2004 wrote:

Kassy_A wrote:

...If you have glycerin on hand, just put 1/4 tsp in your serum, and it will make a big difference. (You can get a little bottle of pure glycerin in any drugstore, and it's cheap!)

Hi Kassy,

I don't have glycerin now.

Can I add H.A. and/or SKB mixed with Vit E to my existing serum? If yes, how much should I add?

Now that you have everything you need, it would be wiser to just start from scratch again, and go by the recipe.. Very Happy

To add it to your existing serum, just pour what you made into a little glass, add and stir the HA into that, mix the vitamin E into the SKB separately, and then add the 2 phases togegher slowly with continued stirring..

Much easier to start over.. Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:22 pm

batwhirl wrote:

aubria wrote:

I wanted to try to make my own c-serum using LAA but am hesitant after reading from another skincare forum. It said that LAA is so acidic that it exfoliates. If this is true that would mean if used daily it would be like exfoliating daily which is a no-no. This will accelerate aging in the longterm. I read somewhere on page 2 of this thread that someone experienced seeing more fine lines after using LAA and was wondering if she was using it too much. I hear that magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) appears to have the same potential as vitamin c to boost collagen synthesis but is effective in significantly lower concentrations and appears to be a better choice than vitamin c for people with sensitive skin and those wishing to avoid any concomitant exfoliating effects.

Hi Aubria,

I have sensitive skin also and make my vit c serum with l-ascorbic acid at a 15% strength. I have not experienced increased lines or peeling after about a year of use:-) My skin does turn pink for a bit after application however the pinkness abates shortly. I suspect it is because of the vodka addition. Guess I could confirm by using straight vodka but I would rather save any extra vodka for my oj! Kidding.

Just a heads up regarding the vodka.. Technically only several drops are needed to dissolve the FA.. I used a tsp in the recipe, to make things easier for beginning DIYers..

Leaves more for the *cook* to enjoy with their OJ.. Laughing

Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:09 pm

Ok. I probably went a little overboard but here is the recipe for my first serum after a lot research and lurking around this forum.

1 tsp LAA (lotioncrafters)
3 1/2 tsp Marine nutrient serum with SKB (skinactives)
1/2 tsp THDA (lotincrafters)
1/4 tsp ferulic acid (skinactives)
1/4 tsp Vit E oil (whole foods)
1/2 tsp Wrinkle defense complex (Argireline and Matryxl 3000, from lotioncrafters)

Add LAA to MNS (it did dissolve! But I added it 1/4 tsp at a time with a lot of stirring). Add ferulic acid to this.
In separate shot glass, mix Vit E and THDA. Combine the two glasses and stir vigorously. Add the Wrinkle Defense at the end.

It looks like a pale yellow, milky serum. The yellow is from the Vit E oil. Neutral smell--not great, but not stinky either. Left my face feeling soft--not moist, not sticky, but not dry either. I'm using a moisturizer on top of it. It's actually nice to not have that silicone-y feeling for once like so many store brands.

I just couldn't do a simple serum--got the DIY bug really bad. Will let you know how this works. I wanted a nice effective double-whammy vit c serum with a "kick" --the MNS has some coconut endosperm, nutrients, and peptides, and the Wrinkle defense gave it a little extra oomph.

Enjoy! Very Happy

Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:14 pm

Thanks Kassy and everyone else!! I am a lurker and coming out to thanks everyone for all the wonderful help and information!!

I just ordered Ferulic Acid, Sea Kelp Bioferment, and Ascorbic Acid from Skinactive. I have some grapeseed oil and may skip the Remergent DNA cream and MSM supplement, if you think that would be ok? I need to pick up the ph test strips but think that won't be to hard to find around town. I can't wait till the order gets here!!

Thanks again everyone!

free skin care · Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:22 pm

Welcome KiraB and good luck with your DIY - don't hesitate to ask away.

free skin care · Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:50 am

Where did you guys buy your distilled water from? Is it the same as the distilled water for drinking?

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