DIY Jo: Lucking into a Vitamin C Serum

We tend to take a vitamin C capsule when we want to boost our immune system, but if you want to boost your skin's glow a bit of this vitamin does the trick too.

I am always looking for a new way to improve my skin. However, I had never explored the vitamin C on the skin route, and if I am to be honest, I did not really know about it. It was not until one of my friends told me about it on our routine walk to my favourite store to get beauty supplies and I was complaining about it. I was not too convinced that vitamin C was great for the skin and she told me to try it.

Upon research, I found that she was right, with countless websites listing the benefits of vitamin C, including collagen promotion, skin tightening and evening of the skin tone, just to name a few.

Initially, I went to what I knew - the citrus oil, which I did know was good for the skin. I saw some difference but did not quite stick to it. Fast-forward to several months later and wanting to do something new and going into Earth Elements and finding actual vitamin C powder. I heard her voice in my head saying get it. I grabbed it.

I had already had a facial moisturiser recipe that was working well and giving me the balance that I needed for my combination skin. So I decided to experiment with this newly found powder which looked like grounded crystals. I wanted to use the same aloe base because I still did not want the moisturiser too oily. I used one tablespoon aloe vera gel and a teaspoon of argan oil, 5 drops of lavender oil and a pinch of vitamin C powder. I did not want to use too many ingredients as I was uncertain how my skin would react to the new addition and I did not want to risk having to dispose of my products. I added another small pinch and then proceeded to stir.

I had expected the formula to get cloudy and gel-like, having a similar consistency to my other moisturiser. But it completely liquefied. I was so shocked. Thankfully, I always have a clean dropper bottle ready and waiting. It is important to use a dark bottle because excess light can break down the ingredients. I placed it in the dropper bottle and left it for the day and then started using it the following night.

I started using it every other day and only a few drops are neede. I go nose forehead cheeks and chin, then massage. I am not saying that this is a miracle serum that takes care of all my dark spots because I do still have a few. But being that I am not disciplined I cannot blame it either. What I can say is that no new scars have been found and the ones that were most recent faded. I am working on remembering to use it every other night just to ensure that I get the full benefit. But all in all, it is a good serum to use at nights. I recommend using your moisturiser in the morning.

Ingredients:

1 part aloe gel

1/2 part carrier oil (argan, olive or rosehip oil. Preferably rosehip because it has a natural source of vitamin C itself)

5 drops lavender oil

2 small pinches of vitamin C powder

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together and pour and store in a dark dropper bottle.

If you want the benefits of the vitamin C but do not want to try the powder, ensure that you use rosehip oil as your carrier oil and use 7 drops of any citrus oil instead of lavender oil and follow the above recipe omitting the vitamin C powder. The mixture will get cloudy and keep the gel-like consistency so put it in a small tub-like container instead of a dropper bottle.