As part of the Ambassador Program I received product samples and compensation from NOW Foods to thank me for my participation, but the product selection and all opinions are genuinely my own. #NOWWellness
DIY Beauty Serum Customized for YOUR Skin Type
I’ve been dropping hints about this project for a while, and now I’m finally ready to spill the beans! You guys know I am not a DIY person, so when I attempt something like this and commit to rigorous multi-month testing, you bet it’s going to be good. Today I wanted to present to you my official fool-proof formula for making your own beauty serum, easily customizable for any skin type.
I got all of my supplies from NOW Foods: the carrier oils, essential oils, and the brand new tinted glass dropper bottles [6-pack is only $9.99!], that will protect your serum from sunlight.
There is a common misconception that people with certain skin types, such as oily, acne-prone, and combination, shouldn’t be using beauty oils. I personally disagree with that statement, I think everyone can benefit from adding natural oils to their daily routine. Our skin is bombarded with stress and harsh conditions daily. Whether it’s smog and air pollution, spending too much time in an air-conditioned room and near industrial heaters, hard water, or harsh chemicals in our household products, our largest organ needs all the help it can get to be able to bounce back with ease. Natural oils help maintain healthy-looking skin in the face of these conditions, and even though they don’t come with a high price tag, using them always feels like a luxury. If you still don’t think you can find room in your routine for one of these affordable treasures, check out my blog post about the best beauty oils for every skin type. It just might change your mind! 🙂
Through trial and error, I determined that there are three main steps to making your own natural beauty serum.
- Balancing carrier oil, or a mix of carrier oils, specific for your skin type.
- Carrier oil, or a mix of carrier oils, that have known beauty benefits.
- [Optional] Essential oils in extremely low concentration, to add fragrance or add specific beauty benefits to the serum*.
What is a balancing carrier oil?
A balancing carrier oil has a unique composition that helps to create even skin tone and texture. I went into much more detail in my earlier blog post about picking the best beauty oil for your skin type, but in short, it’s all about the balance of the two Omega fatty acids. Natural oils rich in Oleic Acid – like Avocado Oil – are great for dry skin, because they are heavier and help the skin retain more water. Oils rich in Linoleic Acid – like Grapeseed Oil – are lighter, which helps improve the appearance of pores. These are recommended for people with oily and acne-prone skin.
Why are essential oils optional*?
Whether or not one should be using essential oils* topically is a controversial subject. Due to their extreme potency, essential oils can be very sensitizing and must never be applied to the skin undiluted; some are just plain not safe for topical application in any form. I will go into more detail on why I chose the two essential oils for my version of the serum, but keep in mind that this step is completely optional.
New 1 oz NOW Amber Glass Bottles made the perfect containers for my experiment. I made three versions of the serum, and tested each one for a month. In the end, I determined that the third one was by far the best, so that’s the recipe and oil ratios I’d like to share with you today.
STEP 1: BALANCING OIL
As previously mentioned, a balancing oil will provide oil-balancing benefits for your specific skin type. For my combination skin I used equal amounts of Grapeseed Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, and Argan Oil, and filled the first 2/3 of the bottle with this mix. If you want to find out which balancing oil will help keep your skin in tip-top shape, check out this blog post. I know I mentioned it like 3 times throughout this article, but it’s worth a read, trust me. 🙂
STEP 2: OIL FOR AGING SKIN
Rose Hip Seed Oil* and Evening Primrose Oil are both known for their nourishing benefits. Rosehip oil* contains vitamins E, C, D, F, B-carotene, and a form of Vitamin A, which is a mild plant-based retinoid. Evening Primrose Oil is often sold as a dietary supplement, but it has beauty benefits when applied topically, too. Studies show that it helps promote skin elasticity and firmness, while soothing irritation, redness, and oxidative stress. For my serum, I combined equal amounts of each oil, and filled the remaining 1/3 of the bottle. At this point you can gently shake the bottle to combine all of the oils together, and the serum is ready for use.
(OPTIONAL) STEP 3: ESSENTIAL OILS*:
Adding essential oils to the serum is completely optional. In higher concentrations they can be very sensitizing, and may even cause serious irritations. For my serum I chose two NOW essential oils that have been pre-diluted: I added 1 drop of NOW Helichrysum Oil Blend* and 1 drop of NOW Jasmine Absolute Oil Blend*.
Helichrysum oil, also known as Immortelle oil, is a highly potent essential oil that works really well for combination skin when diluted appropriately for topical use. Immortelle oil is known for its rejuvenating and restorative properties. In the past I used products with Immortelle to soothe the irritation of breakouts.
I added Jasmine absolute oil blend to my serum purely for the scent, but jasmine oil has a surprising beauty benefit, too. In addition to being a good cleanser, the oil can improve the appearance of scars! Of course it goes without saying, but it needs to be properly diluted first.
RESULT:
I never thought I’d be into the whole beauty DIY thing, but I am seriously in love with my creation. This blend was tailored for my specific skin type and needs, and it provides so many benefits! I’ve been using the serum on its own as a nighttime treatment, and also adding a few drops to my daytime moisturizer for extra nourishment.
You can find all of the ingredients for making your own beauty serum at NOW Foods.
Have you ever attempted a beauty DIY project? Do you use a beauty oil in your skincare routine? Let me know in the comments below!
*NOW® Essential Oils are highly concentrated and can be irritating to the skin. Avoid direct contact with skin and always dilute essential oils before topical use. Discontinue if rash appears after skin contact. Not for internal use. Avoid contact with eyes.
I just bought avocado oil for cooking. Can I use that as a carrier oil?? I’ve read several of your reviews of NOW products, and they seem to be terrific. I am looking for a lemon eucalyptus oil to repel mosquitoes and ticks. I will go to the NOW website, and see if they have a pre-made version or if they have instructions on mixing your own.
Without knowing which oil it is and how it was manufactured I can’t tell you for sure, but usually if it’s a natural carrier oil (which avocado oil is) and it’s food grade, then it can be used topically, too. But you should totally check out NOW website, they have so many oils and oil blends to choose from!
What an interesting company. I know you’ve worked with them for a while and I trust your skincare knowledge. I’d be interested as long as I could find out the fragrances of these oils first. I probably wouldn’t add the essential oils though.
Personally, to my nose none of the carrier oils have a strong scent, or any scent really. They just have this soft nutty aroma, like any oil (except olive oil I guess). If you have dry skin, you will probably want to add Avocado oil to the mix. That one doesn’t smell like anything at all.
This is an interesting concept. I’m not sure if it’s something I would consider since I’ve dialed in my current skincare routine.
Having a routine that you are happy with is very important, I’m glad you’ve found yours!
Hmmm, this is really cool & I know one of my sisters love EOs. She can totally hook me up! I’ve been wanting to try serums for a while and never know where to even start.
Making your own customized oil is easier than it sounds, you just need to find the right carrier oils for your skin type. Let me know if you need any help!
How smart is this! Thank you so much for the inspiration!
You’re very welcome!
Thank you so much for taking the time to educate us on this. I’d love to try this myself now!
You’re welcome! Let me know if you have any questions, or need help figuring out the best oils for your skin type. I’m no pro, but I read a ton about this topic recently haha, so it’s still very fresh in my memory 🙂
I love using Rose Hip oil!
Me too! It’s a lovely source of plant-based Vitamin A 🙂
Thank you for educating us! This was so helpful!
You’re welcome!
This seems like such a great idea! Since I started using an oil a few months ago I don’t think I’ll ever go without again – but I also wasn’t 100% happy with it. This seems like the way to go to create your perfect oil. I’ll probably be a bit costly at first to stock up on all those oils but once you have a bottle of each, it’ll probably last years 🙂
NOW oils come in various sizes, so if you pick up the small bottles the total shouldn’t be that expensive. I’ve always wanted to make my own beauty oil, because even the best store bought ones had ingredients that werent perfect for my skin.
Whoa! This is a cool concept! I don’t have an oil for my skin, but maybe I should look into it? I do use a moisturizer with oils though
I feel like every skin can benefit from a beauty oil, and there’s definitely an oil for every skin type, even oily.
This is a great concept!
Thank you!
I love that it’s customized for you! That’s such an amazing concept
Happy to share! Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
This sounds like fun and very useful too
I’m a believer when it comes to beauty oils. It took me a while to try them because I have combination skin, but once you find the right ones, you’ll never go back 🙂
Wow!!! I love the customized idea!!! A one all treatment sounds perfect!
Right? And it’s all-natural, too!
I definitely like the idea of customizing it – seems like a great way to spend your money!
For sure! Beauty oils can cost a lot, and they are definitely not customized for every person’s individual needs. This way you can get your own serum that is more effective than store bought ones 🙂
What a cool idea!! I love that you can COMPLETELY customize it!
I know, right? Customized skincare is the best!
I’ve created a facial oil, too! I’ve been hesitant to use essential oils for the reasons you laid out but clearly, it’s safe when properly diluted. I created one for my daughter’s acne and scarring, using hemp oil, tamanu oil, rosehip oil and argan oil. I recently picked up pomegranate oil, aloe vera juice and glycerin.
Pomegranate is amazing for topical applications! Once I use up this custom serum (which I love!) I will make another one with added pomegranate, too. It’s so good for summer, since pomegranate is proven to enhance skin’s resistance to sunburn when applied topically.
What a neat idea! I’ve tried facial oils before and they have caused me to break out, so I was probably not using the right ones. I could also see using this to create the perfect cuticle oil!