Three DIY Vitamin C Serums Recipes

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Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants for antiaging.

Potentially, vitamin C can benefit skin in two important ways. Firstly, vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, a key structural protein of the skin. Adding vitamin C to a culture of skin cells (fibroblasts) dramatically increases the synthesis of collagen. Secondly, vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help reduce skin damage caused by free radicals. So, when vitamin C is properly delivered into skin cells, there is a good chance to reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture.
 
Vitamin C serum #1

This serum is quite flexible, but you need to make new batches regularly so it stays fresh and potent.
 
Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon l-ascorbic acid powder
• 3½ teaspoon distilled water (bottled water is fine, should be at room temperature)
• 1½ teaspoon propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin or sea kelp bioferment or aloe vera gel 
• 1 amber or dark blue glass bottle

Instructions:

1. Make sure your glass bottle is sterile by boiling it in some hot water. You can also sterilize it with some rubbing alcohol.
2. Wait for the bottle to cool and dry completely.
3. Add the l-ascorbic acid to the bottle.
4. Add the distilled water.
5. Swish around the bottle or use a stirrer until all the l-ascorbic acid is dissolved.
6. Add the propylene glycol or glycerin or others. 
7. Mix well (cap the bottle and keep shaking until everything is blended or use a stirrer) and use up as early as possible.  

Vitamin C serum #2

This vitamin C serum mixes vitamin C with ferulic acid and E. Ferulic acid stabilizes the vitamin C.
  
Ingredients:

• 2 glass shot glasses
• 1 oz. cobalt or amber dropper or pump bottle
• 1 tsp L-Ascorbic Acid
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) Vitamin E (equals 1%)
• .5% of Ferulic Acid (1 good pinch)
• 2 tsp SKB (Sea Kelp Bioferment)
• 3 + 1/2 tsp of distilled water
• 1/2 tsp of vodka (vodka will dissolve the FA so it's not gritty, and it also keeps the ph low enough.)
  

Directions:

1. In first shot glass, put 1 tsp C into the 3 + 1/2 tsp of distilled water. Put on the side, stirring occasionally till FULLY dissolved (This can be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, so have patience.)
2. In 2nd shot glass put in 1/2 tsp vodka, and sprinkle the FA in and mix. When it has dissolved fully, add in the vitamin E + SKB and stir it all up well.
3. When the LAA has fully dissolved in the 1st shot glass, mix the contents of both glasses together, stir very well, and carefully pour into your 1oz bottle.
4. Keeping it in a cool, dry and dark place or the fridge will keep it potent and stable.

Vitamin C Serum #3

This recipe uses Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) which is praised as a much more stable form of vitamin C than ascorbic acid. For this recipe just follow the directions to the one above.

• (50%) 3 1/8 tsp distilled water
• (16%) 1 tsp cold Vodka or Witch Hazel or Vegetable Glycerin
• (16%) 1 tsp Sea Kelp Bioferment
• (16%) 1 tsp MAP
• (2%) 1/8 tsp Ferulic Acid
  

Comments:

• The above recipes are more accurate if measured out by proportion/weight, but for convenience, the amounts are listed in teaspoons.
  
• You want to use a dark bottle because it prevents the l-ascorbic powder from oxidizing. L-ascorbic powder is destabilized when it reacts with light and/or heat, so store your homemade C serum in a cool, dark place.
  
• Mix well and use up the C serum as early as possible because l-ascorbic acid is highly unstable. Make a new batch every few days because as time goes on, the l-ascorbic acid grows less potent.
  
• You can also make this serum with just water. However, without the propylene glycol or glycerin content, it will oxidize very quickly. If you make it with just water, you have to make a new batch every day.
  
• Make sure the l-ascorbic acid you buy is 100% with no additional ingredients. You can buy powder or crystals (from the vitamin section in your local health food store), but I like to use ultrafine powder because it dissolves faster. Sometimes Vitamin C will just list "ascorbic acid" as its ingredient. If this is the case, call the company to see whether or not it's l-ascorbic acid. Also, make sure there are no unnecessary ingredients in the Vitamin C capsules you buy (such as sweeteners, etc).
  
• If you find this percentage of vitamin C to be too irritating, you can always add less l-ascorbic acid. If it's not strong enough, you can add more, but don't go over 20%. 

Where To Buy Ingredients For Your Vitamin C Serum 
 
A few DIY websites are Skin Actives, Lotioncrafter, and Garden of Wisdom.

L-Ascorbic Powder - ultrafine
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP)
Sea Kelp Bioferment or Propylene Glycol or Aloe vera gel or Vegetable Glycerin
Ferulic acid

And remember to get creative! DIY is tons of fun. Use the forum at skinactives if you have any questions about what you should add.

Thanks for reading! What do you think?
 
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