How to make serum for oily skin at home

by Sofía / On 15 February, 2024 / In Cosmetics

Whenever we see advertisements on television, or any kind of advertising about cosmetic products, which tell us about the necessary processes in any facial beauty and skin care routine, we often ignore a very important part of it, to which we must pay close attention due to its vitality. We are referring to cleaning, which should be the first step to follow, before applying any type of cream or topical ointment.

The importance of this action increases in people with oily skin, who often have problems due to the shine of their face when reflecting light and the unpleasant and almost oily sensation it leaves to the touch. There are many factors that intervene in these characteristics, which can be avoided not only by cleaning the complexion properly, but also by using a serum suitable for this skin category or classification.

However, sometimes we cannot acquire the necessary product or we do not find a good serum, which contains all the actives to take care of the skin of this type, which leads us to think that perhaps we should omit this part. This is where simple, economical and very effective recipes come into play, which we can make ourselves at home, following the appropriate instructions and knowing, as we will see on this occasion, the ingredients and appropriate concentrations.

Among the many presentations of this product, one stands out for its great effectiveness. If you want to know about it, we invite you to read What is hyaluronic acid serum for?

Characteristics of oily skin types

All the problems we identify when talking about this type of skin, which sometimes turn out to be unpleasant and unaesthetic, although should never be associated with a lack of hygiene or attention in care, can be reduced to a simple issue, hydration or moisture retention at the topical level. An oily complexion, unlike the one known as dry, is characterized by an exaggerated hydration on the surface of this large organ.

This may be caused by two opposite factors but with clearly similar consequences, it may be that our hypodermis is unable to absorb the fat and moisture properly, retaining them in liquid state, or on the contrary, it absorbs and retains such quantity (which can come from the environment or from the contact with water when bathing or washing the face), that part of it stays on the surface without being processed.

At this point, since the face is covered by an almost imperceptible moist layer, the sebum that the skin pores release and the impurities from the outside, such as dust, dirt, and environmental pollution, remain adhered to our face, thus creating that shiny film (when reflecting light) and oily touch that they describe, being the identity or the image of the skin of this classification.

The real problem is that often we allow these impurities to accumulate on the surface, since they cannot be removed with methods as simple as wiping a piece of cloth over the face. At this point is when these agents enter the pores, clogging them and thus preventing the release of moisture, which causes a notable increase in the previously mentioned characteristics, as well as a reduction in the health of the skin.

The care it requires

Since they are elements that are adhered to the surface of this organ, the simplest way to remove them is by resorting to facial cleansers, such as cleansing milks, non-ionized make-up removers, micellar water, or any other presentation. These, according to their formula and function, remove dirt, impurities and sebum that more than being stuck to the skin, float in the almost imperceptible moisture layer that covers it.

Even so, sometimes this step is not enough, as we find that sebum and fat continue to appear on our face, due to the clogs housed in the pores. Here is when exfoliation becomes necessary, a method that uses very small particles carried by a slippery liquid medium, which can be oil or a surfactant solution, to clean the inside of the pores and thus remove the obstructions.

Another simple way to treat an oily complexion is, although it seems counterproductive, to provide it with a deeper level of moisture, at a cellular scale, using various methods, like the application of the specific serum for this skin type. This allows that, in case the problem is due to an exaggerated hydration, the tissue itself regulates the amount of liquid required, allowing the release of the hypodermis and the dilation of the pores.

Function of the serum and its natural ingredients

As we can imagine after the aforementioned, the functionality of this serum lies in the fact that, unlike other products such as tonics or creams, it has such a low density that it barely interacts with the surface of the skin, being absorbed before at really deep levels, where it contributes all its actives and properties to work in conjunction with the activity of the cells of this tissue.

Therefore, when we think of a homemade and simple formula, we must bear in mind that, if we seek to resort to natural components, these must have the same density lower than water, so that they are absorbed as if they had been processed for this purpose. In this way, we will be able to moisturize the deepest layers of the skin, below the hypodermis, which will not only give health to our skin but will also reduce the natural effects of its classification as oily.

However, a serum recipe for oily skin is not just a simple moisturizer, since it has more properties that take care of the skin in different ways. Among them, the most important is micro exfoliation, which is why most recipes require water-soluble components that have the ability to exfoliate the skin, although these cannot be used in daily routines of day and night, as they can cause damage to the tissue due to their prolonged use.

Other properties depend on the elaboration we choose, as it is not possible to simply combine all the ingredients in a loaded mixture and apply it on the skin, since the tension of their density would create a solution whose components do not harmonize and would not be effective. Therefore, we must pay attention to the needs of our skin, whether they are nutrition, cell regeneration, combat of imperfections, reduction of spots or any other.

Lastly, it is worth noting that the use of this substance should always be one of the first steps in the facial care routine, just after deep cleaning, since hydration and nutrition of cells, as well as decongestion of the pores, will cause the tissue to absorb much better the rest of the products, such as creams, tonics, and ointments, that we will proceed to spread on the face and let them act subsequently.

You can learn about another excellent option to prepare at home by reading about How to make serum with hyaluronic acid at home

Homemade preparations versus industrial manufacturing

The greatest fear of anyone who identifies as new to the topic of homemade preparation, whether of these cosmetic products or any other nature, is not to achieve the optimal levels of effectiveness in its preparation, which are given according to the capabilities that said recipe has, thanks to the combination of its ingredients, if we compare it with the mixtures, substances, and solutions offered by the modern aesthetic industry.

In the case of serum for oily skin, the function it must fulfill is quite open, so the solution is very malleable, making there hundreds of ways to reach the desired results. However, this means that we must know our skin, not only its type but also the characteristics derived from it, such as the ability to retain moisture, the amount of sebum it releases and, above all, the reactions to certain components and their interaction.

Thus, although we must accept that professional products are difficult to exceed by homemade mixtures, since in them we can find specialized methods to enhance their function (such as the hydrolysis performed on the serum so that it is absorbed more immediately, thanks to the reduction of its molecular density), we will be able to find a recipe that can compete in terms of effectiveness and quality against price ratio.

From there we will obtain the advantages of using these homemade preparations, such as the ease of their acquisition, the quality of their ingredients, the effectiveness of their action and, above all, the fact of knowing firsthand all their components and their function, which leads us to know, since we have acquired them ourselves, that they do not contain any allergenic, irritating elements or that can cause us adverse effects.

Homemade recipes for this product

Now well, any effective recipe or preparation requires compliance with two rules; the first and most important being to respect the ingredients and the quantities established for the preparation, since the appropriate concentration of properties and actives depend on all the factors of its function, such as hydration and the rest of the tasks that it must fulfill. For this reason, the instructions always indicate how much we should add of each thing.

Secondly, although many do not believe it, the order in which each of the components is combined can affect the result, since if we add powder elements or dense texture, these must first be diluted, preferably by increasing the temperature. In the case of a substance that must be absorbed by the dermis almost immediately, it is important that all solid components be completely soluble and mix with the liquids that function as carriers of these.

Rebalancing mixture for oily dermis

30 ml of jojoba oil.
15 ml of grape seed oil.
15 ml of apricot oil.
6 drops of vitamin E oil.
10 drops of lavender essential oil.
5 drops of tea tree essential oil.
5 drops of patchouli essential oil.

What is sought with this recipe is to balance the levels of sebum that our skin pores release, using soothing ingredients, decongestants and with a very particular property, known as seboregulator. In this way, we will be able to take advantage of the moisturizing actives of the rest of the components of the mixture, without the excess moisture becoming that sebum or fat that remains on the surface of the skin, which in turn reduces the amount of impurities and environmental dirt that adheres to our complexion.

Moisture regulating serum

20 ml of hazelnut oil.
20 ml of jojoba oil.
20 ml of desert date oil.
10 drops of geranium rosat essential oil.
5 drops of tea tree essential oil.
5 drops of oregano essential oil.

If the dermis has an exaggerated absorbent capacity, this can be regulated with soothing, moisturizing, repairing, and nourishing components, which take very good advantage of the ability of desert date oil to adhere to the tissue and remain temporarily, as a small and thin protective film, that helps the pores to correctly regulate the amount of liquid they absorb from the environment or the water that comes into direct contact with this organ.

Hydrating and nourishing solution

20 ml of avocado oil.
20 ml of grape seed oil.
5 drops of cypress essential oil.
5 drops of peppermint essential oil.
5 drops of rosemary essential oil.

Many times, we find that, even having this unpleasant greasy layer on the surface of the face, the dermis is actually not retaining liquids correctly, so it does not receive the appropriate moisture and nutrients to maintain the cellular activity that regulates its structure. This can cause different problems in dermal health, resulting in the appearance of imperfections, so it is necessary to nourish and moisturize more deeply.

For a deep facial cleansing

1 tablespoon of jojoba oil.
1 tablespoon of grape seed oil.
5 drops of lavender essential oil.
4 drops of patchouli essential oil.
4 drops of ylang ylang essential oil.

Sometimes we cannot opt for the best facial cleansers, although these are really necessary to maintain the hygiene of oily skin, so we must do something about it. That can be solved very easily, by applying to the tissue a serum with cleansing properties, which decongests and removes impurities from the pores, so you can maintain your skin clean with more conventional methods, such as the use of water and soap.

Topical refreshing and moisturizing recipe

Jojoba vegetable oil.
Rosehip vegetable oil.
Hazelnut vegetable oil.
Lavender essential oil.
Tea tree essential oil.
Neroli essential oil.

As we have said, these types of formulas, in addition to moisturizing (being this their main function), can provide other benefits of different kinds, ranging from cell regeneration and elimination of oxidation, to the regulation of tissue’s own qualities, such as the stimulation of collagen production, the depigmentation of melanin, or the elimination of free radicals.

However, many times all it takes to give the dermis that sense of beauty and health is a bit of freshness and toning. In this way, even though we are in situations where the warm climate or the sun’s rays overwhelm us, we can always feel the skin fresh and clean, which in turn is related to the good health of this tissue.

Revitalizing skin serum

3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel.
3 teaspoons of rose water.
7 drops of sage essential oil.
7 drops of tea tree essential oil.

If we have paid attention to the consequences of the lack of cleanliness and skin care, we will know that these problems can cause damage at the cellular level, which results in the loss of health and the topical structure and its properties. As long as such damage is not permanent, they can be reduced and alleviated with a mixture of revitalizing actives, with antioxidants and astringents that help heal the fibers, proteins, and cells that make up the superficial tissue.

To eliminate acne and excess oil

30 ml of purified water.
10 drops of organic apple cider vinegar.
10 drops of tea tree essential oil.
Green tea bag.
A leaf of aloe vera.
A capsule of vitamin E.

One of the most noticeable consequences of the accumulation of sebum, fat, and impurities that clog and obstruct the pores, is that they cause localized inflammation of the skin, which gradually turns into pimples that lead to the known and annoying problem of acne, although in many cases they simply cause the appearance of unsightly pimples and blackheads.

If you do not believe in the moisturizing capabilities of the serum, you may be interested in reading Can serum replace moisturizing cream?

To solve this problem, a unique formula is necessary, one that not only can clean, deeply exfoliate (known as micro exfoliation), and eliminate excess oil and sebum, but can also take advantage of the properties of its ingredients to dilate and decongest the pores. In addition, the recipe must provide antibacterial, astringent, analgesic, and antibiotic actives, which prevent infections, allergies, and other more serious damages, such as permanent acne scars.