Are you suffering from dry skin and need a serum that won't break the bank? If so, then a DIY hydrating serum might be what you need!
Keeping your skin moisturized throughout the day is an excellent anti-ageing strategy.
In this article:
- How to make a hydrating serum at home
- The importance of each hydrating ingredient
- FAQ’s about homemade serums
- And more!
Serums can include many hydrating ingredients. They are usually vitamins A and E, honey, and antioxidants.
These ingredients are amazing at keeping your skin soft and supple while protecting it from damage.
How to make a hydrating serum at home
Combine aloe vera gel, glycerin, jojoba oil, a vitamin E capsule, and an essential oil of your choice in a pump bottle and shake vigorously. Use daily for best results.
Hydrating Serum Ingredients
Here is a list of the equipment you will need for your hydrating serum:
- A liquid dropper
- A pump bottle (glass or plastic)
The following is the list of ingredients required for your hydrating serum:
- 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
- 2 tablespoons glycerin
- 1 teaspoon jojoba oil
- 1 vitamin E capsule
- 2–4 drops of essential oil like lavender or chamomile.
Steps to create your serum:
- Step 1: Fill your pump bottle with essential oil and aloe vera gel. Shake vigorously to remove any lumps.
- Step 2: Cut the vitamin E capsule in and add it to the mixture. After that, add glycerin and shake the mixture.
- Step 3: Congratulations! Your serum is ready. For the best results, use daily. Don’t forget to shake well before every use!
Pro Tip: Refrigerate!
To use the most of your homemade hydrating serum, be sure to refrigerate it after each use. If kept in the refrigerator, this will keep indefinitely.
You can also apply it at night to clean skin for a gentle overnight moisturizer.
Related: How to Stop Sun Cream Stinging Your Eyes?
The Importance of Each Hydrating Ingredient:
This list of ingredients seem a bit overwhelming but I got your back - let’s break down why each ingredient is listed and how it helps our skin:
Why Aloe Vera?
Aloe vera is scientifically proven to moisturize your skin and protect it from water loss! Aloe vera has been found to almost double the production of Hyaluronic Acid.
Research also shows that it can decrease wrinkles by doubling collagen formation.
The vitamins and other natural chemicals in aloe vera act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They help to protect the skin from damage caused by the harsh environment outside.
What’s so special about Hyaluronic Acid (HA)?
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a key ingredient for moisturizing skin.
Fun fact, HA is naturally present in the skin. It helps keep the skin’s elasticity by retaining moisture, which may soften the appearance of wrinkles.
HA is hydrophilic (which means that it loves water!) and binds to it, giving it a thick, gel-like texture.
HA is found in every cell of the body and performs a variety of activities. It helps to lubricate multiple parts of the body like joints, connective tissues, cartilage, and muscles, among other things.
Our body's ability to manufacture HA declines as we get older.
This is why the use of a hydrating serum with ingredients that promote HA production is really important!
Why Jojoba Oil?
Jojoba oil is an oil high in vital fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. It occurs naturally, is anti-bacterial and functions as a protective barrier to keep the skin moist.
This means that jojoba oil can help your skin fight against the bad results produced by pollution and other contaminants.
Did you know? Jojoba Oil is really similar to your skin!
Jojoba oil regulates sebum production since it is so close to the sebum produced by your body naturally.
When you apply jojoba oil to your skin, it soothes and moisturizes it. This tells your hair and sweat follicles that your skin does not require additional sebum for moisture.
This keeps skin from seeming oily and aids in the prevention of acne caused by clogged pores.
Why add Glycerin?
Glycerin is a natural humectant, which means it absorbs moisture from the air and acts as a moisturizer. This may help prevent the formation of bacterial infections, acne, and dandruff.
It's also an emollient, meaning it can soften skin. This is ideal if you have rough or dry spots due to eczema or psoriasis.
Glycerin also has antibacterial qualities, which means it can protect the skin from bacteria!
Why Vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that functions as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells throughout your body from damage.
It can be found in our sebum (skin oil), which creates a natural barrier to maintain moisture in our skin. As a result, oilier skin surfaces, such as the face, have higher levels of vitamin E.
People with oily skin have more vitamin E on their skin because they produce more sebum.
Sebum production and vitamin E levels naturally decrease with aging.
Why essential oils?
Essential oils such as lavender and chamomile assist in balancing out moisture levels in your skin. It's an anti-inflammatory that helps reduce redness and a natural hydrator that can restore dry skin without leaving it oily.
FAQs About Homemade Serums
What’s the deal with keeping serums in a dark amber bottle?
Dark amber bottles block out all UV and visible light, reducing the decay caused due to light.
This essentially reduces the effectiveness of your ingredients and oils.
This is not the case with transparent or light-colored bottles (white, yellow, red, green, blue, and so on). Such bottles always allow some light of various wavelengths to pass through.
But, if you keep your serum in the fridge, you don't have to use an amber bottle. A clear bottle will do just fine in this scenario.
Is it necessary to keep this in the refrigerator?
Unless you use a preservative, you should keep your serum in the refrigerator if you use fresh aloe.
If you use a preservative that works on a wide range of bacteria i.e, full spectrum, your homemade products will be fine at room temperature.
Can I completely cut out the aloe vera?
Sure! But, you may need to tweak the remaining components until you achieve the desired consistency.
Is glycerin required?
No, you are not required to. But, we've discussed above that the glycerin moisturizes your skin without feeling greasy, as oil-based serums do.
Add Siiona’s Hydration Complex Serum to your cart, and enjoy 10% off on your first purchase.
