How to Make a Vitamin C Serum at Home

by Sofía / On 15 February, 2024 / In Cosmetics

We have all dreamed about the possibility, however remote it might be, of being able to create our own formulas at home, whether it’s the best culinary recipes, assorted articles, or, in this case, beauty products, especially a specific one, highly recommended by those who are knowledgeable in these matters, that is capable not only of caring for the skin but also of providing an incredible amount of active ingredients with very varied benefits, without compromising its effectiveness in any way.

If we think of a product that has these features, probably the wonder of solution comes to mind, quite recent in commerce but very innovative, which is the serum with Vit C. This is an indispensable element in most beauty and general skin care routines, the area whose dermis usually attracts our attention the most, since it is, to put it in some way, the image we give during the first impression.

The best part of this element, or what interests us in this case, is not only its multiple benefits and properties, but the fact that there are many homemade recipes, using simple and easily acquired ingredients, to which we can resort if, as lovers of natural creations, or beginners in the field of aesthetics, we want to bring to life the idea that not only will we find effectiveness through large companies and mass laboratory manufacturing.

If you do not know everything that this product offers for your skin, we invite you to read in more detail Why use a serum with Vit C?

Reasons to turn to this homemade product

In the first instance, the so-called beauty serum grants both health advantages and an improvement of its image to our skin, that it does not matter if we prefer a professional article (purchased in commercial establishments, beauty salons and stores of this type), or if we are seduced by the idea of a homemade recipe; we will always be able to take advantage of the function and such unique characteristics that this element of cosmetic medicine offers.

It is a mixture designed with the right combination of ingredients, in the case of simple preparations; or made through procedures such as hydrolysis in the case of industrial cosmetic formulas, whose purpose is to be absorbed by the skin almost immediately, taking advantage of the particularity of its low density, which allows it to reach very deep layers of the dermis, where the cells responsible for the overall structure are located.

This allows it not only to moisturize areas where moisturizing creams do not usually reach, but also to carry its large number of active ingredients directly to the cells, where it nourishes, regenerates, and protects them from damages caused by an endless number of factors, both internal and external to our body. In this way, an improvement in the beauty of the dermis is achieved through the increase of its health from different points or through various methods that we will know more about later.

Here, while the basic formula of the serum takes care of moisturizing, providing emollients that help retain and accumulate a greater amount of fluids for a longer time, thus prolonging hydration, the ascorbic acid or any form of vitamin C contained in the formula, contributes from high-range protein antioxidants and stimulants to much more particular components, such as unique fatty acids and hydroxy acids of this particular element.

What should be taken into account when purchasing or making the serum, is that although it hydrates, nourishes and regenerates the skin in depth, it cannot be used as a replacement for moisturizing creams or anti-aging ointments, responsible for providing the same active ingredients but on a much larger scale, among all layers of the dermis and its surface. It is a complementary product, which goes wonderfully with the rest of the daily use.

Why include the Vit C serum in our routine?

Thus, many would think that it is not necessary to use it, since the functions it performs can be replaced by the daily creams we are accustomed to. However, upon closer inspection, we realize that although they may have similar active ingredients, each of the substances work differently, complementing one another.

By acting in depth, being absorbed by the pores to the deepest layers, the serum presents itself as a solution capable of preparing the skin for the incorporation of the rest of the routine, which is why its application at the beginning of the same, just after performing the facial cleansing that will allow these pores to carry the liquid below the hypodermis. This point is important, as obstructions will affect the skin’s ability to absorb the substance.

Since it is a complementary method, whose purpose is to moisturize, nourish, and heal cells, stimulate collagen production, and combat premature aging, it is not necessary that the formula to be used is the most complex in the world. Here is where the possibility of making a good homemade solution comes in, with the right combination of ingredients, with actives and properties that, together with the ascorbic acid provided by vitamin C, will give incredible results to our skin.

Best recipes to make

The first thing that catches our attention when we know these preparations is the simplicity of their elaboration, as they do not require any complicated procedure, such as boiling to condense some liquid, reducing the density of these to increase their absorption capacity or reducing some solid to water-soluble particles. It only requires understanding the order of the ingredients, mixing them together, and packaging them correctly.

What we must mention from now on is that not all the components used here are, as the most staunch naturalism lovers would like, 100% natural, since some are acquired after being synthesized. This does not mean that we will find among them chemicals or allergenic substances, as the processes performed with them are rather to purify them, making them suitable for contact with the skin and subsequent absorption.

Another important fact is that, as we already said, this is a product for general care that offers a wide range of very varied benefits within its base formula, so we should not expect to find solutions of a different nature, such as anti-wrinkle, anti-aging, depigmenting, decongesting, and others. Each recipe is different because of the properties it contributes, but all fulfill their purpose as a moisturizer, protector, regenerator, and topical nutrition.

The base of this product and its elaboration

20 ml of distilled or demineralized water
10 gr of ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder for cosmetic use)
20 ml of vegetable glycerin
5 gr of natural liquid preservative
A small glass container with dispenser, which can be a dropper or atomizer (also called spray or sprayer).

This simple preparation can serve as a recipe in itself, as with it we can obtain all the benefits of vitamin C on our skin; however, as a moisturizer it falls a bit short, so it is not advisable for its use. It is mentioned here, as it is the beginning of any preparation of any type of serum with this nutrient, so here we will describe the steps to follow to make those more complex.

The first thing is to dilute the ascorbic acid, which is in a solid state as powder particles; for this, we heat the distilled water in a bain-marie, raising the temperature slightly without it reaching boiling, as it will begin to evaporate. Once hot, we pour the ascorbic acid and stir it until it dissolves completely; here, in case of using glycerin wax and not in its liquid version, we also pour it to melt.

Finally, we let it cool and package it in a small glass bottle, which as we indicated, must have a low-quantity dispenser, as the substance should be applied little by little. At this point, we can integrate a natural preservative, along with the rest of the ingredients of each individual recipe; this can be vitamin C, which we extract from the capsules to ingest, or also the popular Geogard or Leucidal Liquid, widely used in cosmetics.

Enhancing the depigmenting and lightening capacity

Previous elaboration base.
7 ml of hydrolat with hydroxy acid.
50 ml of rose water.
3 drops of carrot extract.
5 ml of geranium essential oil.
3 drops of argan essential oil.

When it comes to its own actives, one of the most important that Vit C offers us is the depigmenting property, which not only levels the natural tone of the skin but is also capable of lightening any natural-origin spots, caused, for example, by the degradation of melanin in the tissue. This, of course, can be boosted by including other ingredients with similar capacities, which act through different interactions with the tissue to increase the results.

You can learn about another more appropriate element to remove stains by reading When to use an anti-stain serum

Double utility for collagen

Previous elaboration base.
5 drops of aloe vera extract.
10 ml of topical use collagen supplement.

Some people suffer from certain pathogens that inhibit the natural production of collagen, or genetic conditions that make their immune system detect such protein as an external agent and eliminate it. To combat this problem, nothing better than a formula focused directly on the increase of its levels within the connective tissue, which connects directly to the deepest layers of the dermis.

Enhancing cell regeneration

Previous elaboration base.
10 ml of cosmetic use hyaluronic acid.
5 drops of grape seed essential oil.
2 drops of grapefruit extract.

One thing to keep in mind is that the lack of facial care, exposure to environmental pollution, ultraviolet rays, or simply having oily skin type, makes us prone to cellular-level damages, which require antioxidants, nutrients, and other properties that we can obtain from this easy-to-make formula, with ingredients that we can acquire in esthetic shops and health food stores.

Moisturizing recipe with anti-wrinkle properties

Previous elaboration base.
Half a teaspoon of fresh crushed aloe vera gel.
10 ml of purified rose water.
10 ml of rosehip essential oil.
2 drops of cucumber extract.

Skin dryness is one of the main factors, if not the most important, within the causes of wrinkles and imperfections of the skin structure, such as sagging and expression lines. To combat this problem, nothing better than a mixture that enhances skin hydration, with ingredients like essential oil and rose water, which provide emollients, as well as aloe vera, to increase moisture retention.

For the care, cleansing, and decongestion of the pores

Previous elaboration base.
A teaspoon of aloe vera gel.
3 gr of baking soda.
3 drops of Atlas cedar essential oil.

One of the factors that deteriorate skin health, which we almost never take into account during beauty routines and treatments, is that dirt and pollution, as well as sebum, makeup, and impurities, tend to lodge in the hair follicles and obstruct them. This prevents the dermis from absorbing the moisture and the active ingredients of the creams we apply, so it must be solved with a nourishing and micro-exfoliating serum, which we can obtain by making this recipe.

Mix with anti-aging properties

Previous elaboration base.
5 ml of cosmetic use hyaluronic acid.
5 ml of cosmetic ferulic acid.
5 ml of topical collagen supplement.
2 drops of frankincense essential oil.

As we hinted at earlier, the serum with vitamin C can be considered an all-in-one, which provides great general benefits, just like hyaluronic acid and ferulic acid, which combined with frankincense oil and collagen, result in a mix capable of effectively combating each and every one of the factors that cause premature aging of our skin.

Benefits of the serum with vitamin C and its natural ingredients

The first thing we need to know is that every single one of the essential oils used, mixed among themselves according to their properties, are low-density moisturizing elements, so they will not only hydrate and provide emollients like an industrial serum but will also be absorbed just as efficiently, without leaving many traces on the skin or the oily sensation. The big difference here is the need for a subsequent rinsing or washing.

Perhaps it is unnecessary to mention it, but being a mix that can offer a certain degree of everything, functioning as a depigmenting, anti-aging, topical nutrient, cell protector and regenerator, among others, it is the rest of the ingredients that provide the potency of each property, as well as other advantages such as the reduction of imperfections, micro-exfoliation or the dilation of the pores; therefore, we should not think of each recipe as a specific product for these tasks.

What this nutrient offers us

As we have seen, if we talk about a special vitamin C presentation for cosmetic use, ascorbic acid presents itself as the best option due to all its characteristics, since not only does it dissolve completely, leaving no residues for pores to absorb, but it also maintains all its actives and properties within the mix, as the molecules that make it up are soluble and combine perfectly with the liquid medium of the formula.

In this way, we can take advantage of all the benefits that its integration with the skin offers us, among which mainly stands out the stimulation of collagen production, a protein fiber responsible, in turn, for producing the elastin that manages the cohesion of the tissues. This interacts with the skin at a molecular level, granting the superficial organ greater quality in terms of elasticity, tonicity, overall resistance, and firmness.

A unique advantage that only this nutrient offers is its natural content of hydroxy acids, a unique depigmenting compound, which comes into contact with darkened pigments due to melanin, thereby eliminating the oxidation of this molecule. It is the hydroxy acid that is responsible for reducing the darkening of spots and dark circles, for giving a natural shine to the complexion and providing luminosity and beauty to the skin.

Speaking of oxidation, this can also attack cells, although of course, we are not referring to the same type that appears on metal. Caused by super oxidation agents called free radicals, this leads to aging and the appearance of internal cellular damage, which are fought by other components of vitamin C within our serum formulas.

If you want to increase the care you give to your cells, you may be interested in reading about Why use an antioxidant serum

Another type of aging that we can combat is the so-called photoaging, or the premature aging of the superficial tissue, causing various imperfections such as wrinkles, spots, sagging, and expression lines, which appear due to damage caused by ultraviolet rays. At this point comes the ability of Vit C to protect the cells and tissues from those same UV rays, reducing, eliminating, and preventing the appearance of blemishes.