Recipes from the Web

Vitamin C Serum - DIY

¾ - about 1 teaspoon of L- ascorbic acid powder
1 Teaspoon of distilled rose water (or regular distilled water) (Note that I found that the L-ascorbic acid dissolved best in hot distilled water-Lisa)
1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin
1 plastic or wooden spoon
1 glass container to mix the ingredients
1 small dark glass or plastic bottle or vial (must be light resistant)
mortar and pestle to grind the ascorbic acid into a very fine powder. (optional)

Make sure that the L-Ascorbic acid is a finely ground powder. The more coarse the powder, the longer it will take to mix with the liquid. Before mixing the ingredients it works best to grind the L-ascorbic acid into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Take the powder and mix it and the water together, stirring it constantly with your spoon to make sure that the crystals dissolve into the water. Add the vegetable glycerin. Pour the contents into your light resistant container. Once everything is properly mixed, you can apply the mixture to your skin. Dab the serum onto your face and neck, but be careful not to get any in your eyes. If you do, wash it out immediately with water. You can apply the serum once a day, the best time is first thing in the morning because the serum can help protect your skin against sun exposure.

Things To Remember:

I would recommend using a plastic or wooden spoon when mixing. The Vitamin C crystals can degrade very easily, and using metal spoons can speed up the oxidization process.

Distilled water is very important for this serum, it’s free from chemicals and minerals, but it’s also free from oxygen. The vitamin C will lose it’s effectiveness over time, but oxygen and sunlight will speed up this process, so water directly from the tap should be avoided if possible.
I would suggest that the first time you try this serum, test it out first in a small area. It is normal for the vitamin C to cause a slight tingling sensation, but it shouldn’t last for very long. If it does last too long, or if the pain is more intense, you should reduce the amount of L-ascorbic acid that you put in your serum. If you want, you can also add more Ascorbic acid to the mixture if you don’t feel that it’s strong enough. On some people the serum might also have a drying effect, if this happens you might consider applying a moisturizer on after applying the serum. 

Storing The Serum

Due to the unstable nature of L-Ascorbic acid, once the serum is made, it will not last long. Consider using it for a few weeks at most. The L-Ascorbic acid will begin to deteriorate very quickly once it’s mixed with water, which is why it’s a good idea to make a small amount of the serum so you don’t waste anything. If you notice any discoloration or a strange smell from the serum, throw it away, it means that the serum has oxidized and the vitamin c is no longer effective. Sunlight can also deteriorate the vitamin so it is recommended that you store your serum in a dark glass container so that less light can pass through and destroy the vitamins. I didn’t have a glass container, however I was able to obtain a light resistant plastic container from my local pharmacist.