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It’s time to share a recipe I’ve been secretly hiding in my bathroom, holding back from sharing here at Live Simply.
Not in a mean holding back kind of way. Oh no, I would never do that! More like “It’s finally time to face the reality of aging” holding back.
Growing up, I remember listening to the wiser (older) ladies in my life discuss aging topics–wrinkles, mature skin, and changing hormones. As a preteen with perfect skin and size 0 jeans, the discussions always intrigued me, but the reality never sank in that one day I might be sharing in the very same concerns. “I won’t ever need fancy creams, serums, or running shoes. Nope, not me.”
Fast forward a good eighteen years and a few swallowed words. Words that gracefully went down with a big aging gulp.
In 2014, my vocabulary expanded along with my age. Creams, ultra-moisturizing lotion, facial masks, serums, and collagen (not the injection stuff, this one is natural and added to water when I don’t have a cup of homemade bone broth available) became part of my regular vocabulary.
Defeating the aging process certainly isn’t my goal. In fact, I look forward to the gray hair and well-earned wrinkles. Both are beautiful tokens of wisdom and a life well lived. While I fully embrace the aging process (and yes, I’m still incredibly young), each new season of life brings changes, and learning to adapt to those changes is important.
With aging skin in my future (okay, maybe my present too), I have focused on creating simple homemade products that benefit and nourish my skin. Homemade moisturizing lotion is still my go-to lotion on a daily basis. During the day, I love my homemade foundation powder, a bit of blush, and mascara (a product I don’t make at home, yet). At night, I cleanse my face with oil and then moisturize with ultra-moisturizing lotion. Twice a week, I treat myself to a homemade clay mask and serum treatment.
I’ve shared all my favorite beauty recipes with you, so it’s time to come clean, stop holding back, and share my favorite DIY homemade facial serum. You’re going to love it!
Homemade facial serum sounds incredibly sophisticated and complicated, but it’s one of my favorite DIYs. Homemade serum is relatively inexpensive to make compared to the expensive cost of single-use serums (with many questionable ingredients) found in stores. This homemade facial serum combines two nourishing skin oils, argan and squalane, and essential oils.
Argan oil is produced from the kernels of the argan tree. It’s an edible oil from Morroco that is also known for personal-care benefits. Argan oil is known for moisturizing, healing, and softening properties; making it the perfect oil for the skin and hair. Thanks to the moisturizing properties of argan oil, this serum may also be used as a daily facial moisturizer.
Squalane oil was first discovered in shark livers (I know, yuck, but the story gets better). After investigating squalane and its healing properties in sharks, scientists also found squalane in olives (the good news!).
Squalane contains some amazing properties, but is often overlooked by more common nourishing oils (jojoba, almond, etc.). Squalane is known for many beneficial properties: antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-phlogiston (fights against inflammation). Squalane also penetrates the skin better than any other nourishing oil available. This simply means squalane oil doesn’t just sit on the surface of the skin, rather it penetrates the skin layers, making it the perfect oil for a facial serum.
Essential oils (geranium, bergamot, lavender, and tea tree) are added to help improve tired, aging, and even acne-prone skin. Geranium may help the skin contract (hello, tighter skin!) and regenerate, amongst many other beneficial properties. Bergamot may tone the skin and reduce infection (a key for acne-prone skin). Bergamot is light-sensitive, so during the summer, when I spend many hours outside, I skip this ingredient. Lavender and tea tree are two of my favorite “everyday” oils because they are so versatile. I use both for house cleaning and homemade beauty products.
My DIY facial serum is moisturizing and nourishing. It may be used as a special serum once or twice a week, or as a daily moisturizer. Thanks to argan oil’s moisturizing properties, lotion is not needed after applying this serum.
DIY Homemade Facial Serum
Ingredients
- 4 TB squalane oil 2 parts
- 2 TB argan oil 1 part
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops geranium essential oil
- 5 drops bergamot essential oil
- 3 drops tea tree essential oil
Instructions
- In a dark amber bottle (pictured), carefully add the nourishing oils: squalane and argan. I recommend using a small funnel.
- Add the essential oils.
- Secure the lid on the bottle and gentle shake to combine the oils.
Note: You’ll need to use teaspoons (and decrease the bergamot, geranium, and lavender to 3 drops each) for a 1-ounce amber bottle . My bottle for the tablespoons measurement is larger than 1-ounce. The important measurement is 2 parts to 1 part.
Aging doesn’t seem like something to hold back on after all. With a few drops of this homemade serum, I feel like a new, younger woman, but with the wisdom and grace (and a few swallowed words) that come with age. A win-win.
Hello the recipe that you have with
4Tb squaline-,2parts
2 TB argan oil -1 Part
5 drop lavender
5 drop geranium
5 drop bergamot
3drop tea tree oil
What does 2 part and 1 part mean I have to do ? And if I use this exact recipe do I have to get a 3Oz or larger bottle since it makes 3 oz??Also if I make the honey& ale one to use & the ACV astringent one to use & this serum in which order do I use? Also do u still use the vitamin C serum with all these too if so in what order?please help
Hello Christine!
2 parts to 1 part is how the recipe is written: 4 tablespoons, 2 tablespoons. If you wanted to make more or less you would just follow this formula. An 8 ounce bottle may be best or you could just cut the recipe in half and use a smaller bottle. A typical skincare routine looks like this: cleanser, toner/astringent, serum, then if you want a moisturizer. In this case I would trying this as a moisturizer/serum combo.
LS Team
Hi Kristen, is “Argan Oil, Deodorised – Organic” ok to use for this recipe?
Hi Misty, yes that should work!
I love your site and I have already tried your facial cleanser and I have taken your advice on moisturizer. My skin is already doing so much better. My question is this: fragrance(s) and I don’t get along to well. How essential are the essential oil(s), and which one(s) would you call most essential?
Hey Kimberly, I’m so happy to hear that. Essential oils aren’t essential at all. You can 100% leave them out of any recipe. Good nourishing oils and other ingredients are plenty effective. Many companies (like Marie Veronique and others) are actually reformulating these days to not include essential oils in their products because so many people are sensitive to scents and even the potency of essential oils. That said, fragrance (as found in the most conventional cosmetic products) is not just fragrance from a plant, it can contain hundreds of different chemicals (including many endocrine disruptors) so for many people the natural, real scent may not be as much of the issue as the other ingredients found in “fragrance.” But overall if any scent bothers, or any essential oil irritates you, you definitely don’t need them to make effective skincare products.
Hi, thank you for the recipe. Would rosehip seed oil work as a replacement for the squalane oil?
Hi Christina,
Kristin is away on vacation and will respond once she returns.
Love this serum!!I alternate with another dyi serum from another website and both are great but this is my favorite. Do you have any serum for eyes, I really missed your dyi beauty products. Thanks Kristin!!
Yay, Mabelee, So glad. I feel like I’ve hit on almost every DIY essential possible. Do you have any other suggestions for new DIY’s you’d like to see on the blog?
Dear Kristin! Your recipes are the best. Thank you for all your time! Could you please let me know if I can use jojoba oil in this serum? I read so many good things about this oil for mature skin. Thank you
Hello, Kristin. I’ve been looking for a DIY moisturizer for sensitive skin, but then the benefits described for this serum wouldn’t hurt either! Would it be effective to use your recipe for moisturizing lotion and then add the other oils from this recipe?
Hey Amy, Which moisturizing lotion on the blog? I would tend to keep the two recipes separate.
This one:
https://livesimply.me/2014/04/16/homemade-moisturizing-lotion-recipe-no-coconut-oil/
Hey Amy, I think you could play around with the oils in that recipe and use the ones used in this serum, but I haven’t tried it. I would tend to keep the two recipes separate and use both, if needed.
Gotcha. Thanks!
Thank you.
Hello,
Looking forward to making this recipe. What size bottle did you use?
Hey Susan, I believe it was a 4 ounce bottle.