Good for your face, too
Vitamin C is a popular ingredient in skin-care products, due to its ability to stimulate collagen production and protect the skin from free radicals. However, most skin products with a high concentration of vitamin C (5 to 20 percent) are expensive, and oxidize very quickly. Once vitamin C oxidizes, it's ineffective. You can make a cheaper, more effective version of a vitamin C serum with only three simple ingredients. Does this Spark an idea?
Ingredients
Although commercial products may have ingredient lists full of unpronounceable names, you only need three simple ingredients to make your own vitamin C serum: 1/4 tsp. powdered vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid; you can find it at most drug or health stores), 1 tsp. pure vegetable glycerin (available at health stores) and 1 tsp. distilled water.
You can play around with this recipe. If your skin is particularly sensitive, reduce the amount of vitamin C to 1/8 tsp. For drier skin, increase the glycerin. For a soothing, scented serum, substitute rose water for the distilled water.
Directions
Dissolve the vitamin C in the water. You may need to use a whisk or a blender if the powder refuses to dissolve. Stir in the glycerin.
Pour the mixture into a small, colored glass bottle (blue or amber glass works wonderfully). Dark glass prevents the vitamin C from oxidizing. If the powder hasn't quite dissolved, simply shake the bottle vigorously until it does.
Application & Storage
Use a cotton ball or your fingers to smooth the serum all over your face. A little tingling sensation is fine, but too much tingling means your skin needs less vitamin C. It's very important to follow this with an application of sunscreen, since vitamin C leaves your skin sensitive to light.
Thankfully, when you make your own vitamin C serum, you have complete control over the serum's shelf life. Instead of whipping up a month's worth of serum and having to throw it out when it begins to oxidize, you can make a few days worth at a time. Try to make a new batch every five days to guarantee that your skin is getting the freshest, most potent treatment. Store your serum in the refrigerator for extra protection against oxidation.
Tags: your skin, your vitamin serum, distilled water, health stores, make your, make your vitamin, simple ingredients