DIY Vitamin C Serum - I Am Impressed!

Image Credit: LukeOK via Morguefile.com


NOTE: There is a glitch with bold text in Blogger. I'm working on finding a solution, but right now it doesn't work.

I have been doing all sorts of things to my body for a long time fighting lupus, parasites and thyroid problems. My skin started to look like lizard skin. Nothing I did seemed to make it better. I tried:

* Coconut Oil
* Cocoa Butter Lotion
* Castor Oil
* Eucerin
* Aquaphor
* a few other lotions I can't remember

I also have very bad melasma, and I want to fade it before my son's wedding. Amazing how much healthier and prettier I am because of this wedding, but trust me, it won't last.

Anyway, I kept hearing how Vitamin C Serum is the greatest thing for your skin since sliced bread, so I thought I should give it a try. Then I looked at the price -- YIKES! Reading more, I discovered that vitamin C serum is unstable so you may spend all that money and have it not work. I started searching online for a homemade version and found one on Makeup Alley. I had to read and read this whole long thread to find the proper way to mix it, and tried several formulas before finding one that worked for me, but well worth it! I do have to take a few minutes to mix it every other day, but trust me, all the ingredients totaled, which will last me more than a year probably, cost less than one bottle of the "good stuff."

This is what you will need:

Ascorbic Acid Crystals - O.K., here's a disclaimer. Everyone who supposedly knows anything about this stuff SWEARS that you need L-Ascorbic Acid, but I read and read (I like to read) and found a scientist who say that they are one and the same, and one doesn't work any better than the other. I bought the plain Ascorbic Acid crystals and it works fine, but if you are one who needs to follow the crowd, buy the more expensive L-Ascorbic Acid. I got the 1 lb. NOW brand for $16.20 with free shipping on Amazon.

Buy NOW Foods Vitamin C Crystals, Ascorbic Acid, 1 Pound on Amazon.com

Vegetable Glycerin - 16 oz. NOW brand on Amazon costs about $7.

Buy NOW Solutions Glycerine Vegetable, 16-Fluid Ounces on Amazon.com


Distilled or Purified Water - DO NOT use Tap water, even if it's filtered. There are too many chemicals in it.

Amber glass bottle with dropper - 2 oz. bottle on Amazon is less than $3, with free shipping. You need this because Vitamin C is light-sensitive. I have also used a dark blue bottle, which seems to work fine. If you only have a clear bottle, I've read about people painting it with dark nail polish or wrapping it in dark paper. Ask your friends if they have an old dark bottle lying around. That's where I got mine.

Buy Amber Glass Bottle 2oz with Dropper on Amazon.com

Small funnel - for pouring the solution into the bottle once it is mixed

These are the formulas, then I will tell you how I mix my base.

5% Serum-1/4 tsp Powder-4 & 3/4 tsp base
10% Serum-1/4 tsp Powder-21/4 tsp base
15% Serum-3/8 tsp Powder-2 1/8 tsp base
20% Serum-1/4 tsp Powder-1 tsp base

The Base

How you mix the base is largely dependent on how greasy you want your skin to be. Those with dry skin will want to add more glycerin, because the serum itself is drying. Also, the strength you use will depend on how fast you want it to work, and the thickness of your skin. My skin is thickened by years of sun damage, so I started out with the 20% solution to achieve results faster, then downgraded to the 5% to keep it going.

You will replace your amount of water with the exact amount of water, for example, this is how I mix the 5% serum:

1/4 tsp. powder
4-1/2 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. glycerin

You want to dissolve the crystals in water before adding the glycerin. I tried 1/2 tsp glycerin, but it was just too greasy. Some people with oily skin only add a few drops of glycerin, but I find this works well for me. Experiment until you find what works best for you.

Optional Ingredients

You can add a few drops of other types of oil if you like. I add 3 drops of vitamin E oil. Some add coconut oil, emu oil or jojoba oil. I have also seen just plain olive oil added, which is very good for your skin, so I hear, but it's too smelly and thick for me.

How To Apply

Most people use this twice a day. If you put a lot of glycerin in it, I would suggest using only at night, because it may make your makeup cake. Some people mix two bathches, one with and one without the glycerin and use the water-only serum under makeup. I don't wear makeup, so I don't know how that works. Again, you'll have to experiment.

Wash your face first and rinse well. I use a Buf Puf for sensitive skin and glycerin soap. I simply put a few drops in my palm and spread it with my fingers onto my face, neck and arms. It's pretty watery. It may sting at first. Since it's so cheap (literally pennies a day), I go a little crazy with it and put it on my elbows, knees and legs too. Some people use cotton balls to apply, but to me, that is wasteful as the cotton ball soaks up so much of it.

How Long Does it Take to See Results?


I felt my skin was smoother after only a couple of days, but remember, I started at at the 20% strength. After 5 days, I saw redness and after 10 days, I dropped back down to the 5% level because my face was getting too red.

Most people start at the 5% level and work their way up to 20%. That's probably safer, but I wanted quick results.

So there you have it. If you have time and want to read the entire thread at Makeup Alley, here is the link. There is some good stuff there, but it's really, really long. Hope this works for you.


Makeup Alley Vit. C Serum Thread