Ever wanted to make your own skincare? I started making my own skincare products last fall and it has been so much fun! I love the process of finding helpful herbs and oils, of discovering and tweaking recipes.
A DIY Serum is a great way to try your hand at making your own skincare – it is a pretty easy process and can be fairly inexpensive.
What you need:
Oil – preferably organic, because this will go directly on your skin. Avocado, Jojoba and Olive are some of my favorites. You can read more about oils here.
Herbs – this is optional, but I love to infuse herbs into oils! The process is crazy simple and adds plant properties to the oil. Some of my favorites are lavender, calendula, mint, and sunflower petals. Be sure to use dried herbs as this helps to prevent the growth of mold. It is also preferable to use organic or wild crafted herbs to reduce your skin’s exposure to pesticides. Some great places to get dried herbs include Mountain Rose Herbs and Frontier Co-op.
Essential oils – quality essential oils can be added to your serum to increase the skin benefits. Some great oils to add include lavender, cedar wood, or frankincense.
Containers – a jar for infusing, and small dropper bottles for your finished serum. You can find these through Specialty Bottle and Bulk Apothecary, among others.
How to:
If you are infusing your oil with herbs, put 1 part herb in a jar and fill with 2 parts oil. For example, I’ve done 1/2 cup calendula and 1 cup oil. Close the jar and shake until the herb is well covered with oil. Let infuse for 4-6 weeks in a cool, dark, dry place. Shake daily. After 4-6 weeks, strain out the herbs and you can now use the oil.
Add essential oils to your infused oil and then pour into serum bottles. Roller and swirl the bottle to combine the essential oils into the carrier oil. Be sure to follow proper dilution rates and label your finished serum with the ingredients and date made.
Have you made a serum before? What ingredients did you use?
Everyday with Ashley 