Cheap and effective: Make your own Vitamin C serum or cream
Vitamin C is one of the most effective topical skin lighteners out there. However, commercial and store-bought Vitamin C-based skin lighteners usually contain very small amounts of this ingredient. If you find that your Vitamin C skin cream isn’t working as it claims, there’s a good chance you’re not actually getting enough of it to make a difference.
On top of the potentially small amounts of Vitamin C added by the manufacturer, Vitamin C is also not a shelf-stable ingredient—meaning it breaks down easily over time. Most creams nowadays are imported and shipped over long distances, and it’s not unusual to purchase something that was made several months ago.
Add to that several uncertainties that are beyond our control, such as the temperature the products were stored, handled and transported (Vitamin C also breaks down in heat and sunlight), and it’s no wonder why some Vitamin C creams work less effectively than advertised, or not at all.
If you want to use a Vitamin C cream on your skin, you’ll get the most value and efficacy by simply making it yourself.
Save money by making your own Vitamin C serum
This is relatively cheap, uses few ingredients and is very simple to do.
How to make your own Vitamin C serum
- Purchase some good Vitamin C powder [look for L-Ascorbic Acid or Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate]
- Add a small amount of the powder to some cool water. You can use a small bottle (such as a travel-sized plastic bottle).
- Shake this mixture well.
- Dab this mixture (or serum) over the areas you want to treat.
- Keep the remaining mixture refrigerated and use up within a week at the most. If you’re not able to refrigerate the serum, keep it in a tightly closed bottle in a cool, dark place (eg in a drawer or cupboard).
If kept well, this serum should stay largely clear and may develop a slight yellowish tinge after a few days. When it starts looking distinctly yellow, it’s time to discard it and make a fresh serum to use. Because of this, it’s better to make the serum in small batches. Use a small bottle to make your serum instead of a large one.
Alternatively, you can also make your own Vitamin C face cream or body lotion by mixing the powder with one of your favorite unscented creams or lotions. It’s best to use a cream that has as few chemicals and perfumes as possible (such as a simple cold cream or a natural shea butter cream) to maintain the integrity of the Vitamin C.
A DIY (do-it-yourself) Vitamin C cream or lotion should last longer than a DIY water-based serum, but you should still discard it when the cream turns yellow. It will not be harmful, just ineffective, as the yellowness indicates that the Vitamin C has oxidized.
How much Vitamin C powder to use?
The best ratio of Vitamin C powder to water will vary depending on your skin sensitivity. Also, the skin on your face is much more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body. So you can adjust the amount depending on where you plan to apply the serum.
Start out by adding a small amount of Vitamin C powder first. Add a little more if needed. Experiment and you’ll find the best ratio for your skin.
In general, the mixture should not be so strong as to cause excessive stinging or redness when applied (a little stinging is okay and might actually help increase cell turnover and absorption).
Avoid sun exposure soon after application (try to use it in the evenings)
It’s very important to avoid sun exposure soon after applying any Vitamin C serum, as your skin will be more sun-sensitive and vulnerable to re-darkening and hyperpigmentation then. To eliminate this risk, apply the serum only in the evenings or before going to bed at night.
Where to get Vitamin C powder
You might be able to find pure Vitamin C powder from your local pharmacy or health food store. Compare prices. Vitamin C powder is relatively cheap in general.
You can also find pure Vitamin C powder online.
Aside from the vitamin C serum, I have two questions.
Would a mixture of honey and yogurt be effective in skin lightening?
Also, would tomatoes help skin lightening?
While doing some research on these, I came across this website and I find it to be amazing because of all the research and sources provided for each claim.
I love all the advises here, but I wanted to ask If you could make a page on these 2 home remedies or post me an informative reply. I’m really curious as to find out if these three ingredients could also play a role in effective skin whitening as well.
hope to hear back soon, please keep up the great work!
i can’t found vitamin c powder can i use vitamin c tablets ?
secondly i m 30 . i have dark circle, can vitamin c is effective for dark circle or not?
thanks
Giving this self made serum a shot, developed dark circles and some puffiness under the eyes in the last year or so, never had a prob before I’m 48 and most still guess I’m around 38-39 so the dark eyes are not aging me but always a bit consious of them playing in a band and all. I’ll report back in a few days on any positive results, just made my first serum batch and applied.
Thank you for the info and great idea!
Dark circles under the eyes are usually a sign of toxicity in the bowels. Try doing a cleanse, and a series of high colonics. (Oh and throw out that microwave! They “plasticize” our food making it stick to the bowel walls and not eliminate properly. It stays inside and putrefies, toxifying the system further.) Sorry if this was T.M.I.
tell me the solution……..what should i apply on my under eyes circles thanks
can you tell me what to do with dark circles under eyes.aslo spot from
the sun. thanks
Isn’t it true our skin resist to absorb water soluble vitamins. How this water dissolved vitamin C will be absorbed by our skin??
if vit c powder is not available, it is possible to crush vit c and use that to make the serum?
I have been looking for a good Vitamin C serum for YEARS now. My friend recommended the Three Berry face Serum, from Made from Earth skincare, and I didnt know the Three Berry Face Serum was a Vitamin C serum, but it is – and has alot of vitamin c!!
Wow, I did NOT expect this stuff to work so fast, so well and for all day! As soon as I apply just a tiny bit, my dry, over-40 skin looks GREAT! It’s VERY supple and hydrated. My skin looks more elastic, younger and brighter. I’ll be buying more when I’m finished. My husband also likes it and says he’s noticed his 40-yr old skin looks fresher and younger.
Is there any way that I could get a recipe for the Three Berry Face Serum?It sounds great!AnAnd I could really use the help.ThNKYOU
hi it sound good .can u plz tell me the recepie of three berrys face serum. thanks
i hav vit.c tablets cn i use them
First of all ascorbic acid IS NOT A VITAMIN C!!!
And second – real vitamin C brakes down very quick.
So, make it every time fresh.
I tried using a concentrated juice from the acerola berry which supposedly contains one of the highest ratios of vitamin C of all fruits, I used it at night , it works great for the puffy under-eye area and also works very well to even the skin tone and supleness, I recomend it to anybody who has access to acerola berries
what about fair n white exclusive with vitamin c and the serum. Can i use that
Can pure ascorbic acid be used
I use Abscorbic C powder mixed in a little warm water and Sorbolene cream.
1 teaspoon of powder-3 teaspoons of warm water(not hot) and 4 teaspoons of Sorbolene. It works
wery well for me.
Best place to purchase Vitamin C aka L-Ascorbic acid is:
http://www.maryclinic.com/products.html
$34.95 plus tax for a 1 lb. container of fine powder (not crystal) Vitamin C.
Ooops – that’s $34.95 plus S&H
You can purchase L-asorbic acid crystals from Whole foods. Otherwise online in the fine form from several places for less than ten dollars.
Makingcosmetics.com
bulkactives.com
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