DIY Vitamin C eye serum/ cream--Does it dissolve into Vit E?
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Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:31 pm

Hello,

I'm interested in making an easy eye treatment/ moisturizing serum with vitamin C. I want vitamin E to be the base for it, because of its antioxidant and moisturizing properties. I know Vit C is a water-soluble vitamin, so it stands to reason that it won't dissolve into oil, right? If I mix vitamin C powder with vitamin E, and it doesn't dissolve, will it not be affective if I apply it under my eyes?

Do I need to buy an emulsifier? What are some inexpensive, easy to find, non-irritating emulsifiers? Also, what's the proper ratio of emulsifier to add?

Thank you and I apologize if this has already been discussed in the forum.

Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:34 am

free skin care · Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:59 am

Not all forms of vitamin C are water soluble - L-ascorbic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate are; ascorbyl palmitate is more soluble in oil or alcohol IIRC. Read the sticky at the top of this board, the one entitled "DIY skincare - recipe index ..."

free skin care · Sun Feb 19, 2012 6:56 pm

No, I think VC is water soluble, VE is oil soluble

free skin care · Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:10 am

I have not done DIY with isolated Vit C or Vit E, but Firefox is right. Since palmitic acid is a medium chain saturated fatty acid (C16:0), vitamin C in the form of ascorbyl palmitate is indeed fat soluble, so it would be probably easiest to use that, rather than using the water-soluble forms of vitamin C and either finding an emulsifier or making two different recipes.

free skin care · Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:35 am

confooseddesi89 wrote:

Hello,

I'm interested in making an easy eye treatment/ moisturizing serum with vitamin C. I want vitamin E to be the base for it, because of its antioxidant and moisturizing properties. I know Vit C is a water-soluble vitamin, so it stands to reason that it won't dissolve into oil, right? If I mix vitamin C powder with vitamin E, and it doesn't dissolve, will it not be affective if I apply it under my eyes?

Do I need to buy an emulsifier? What are some inexpensive, easy to find, non-irritating emulsifiers? Also, what's the proper ratio of emulsifier to add?

Thank you and I apologize if this has already been discussed in the forum.

Get yourself some of this;
http://cerave.com/our-products/cerave-moisturizing-lotion/

...And just make a nice antioxidant serum for eye/face/whatever like this;

15% Vit C Lotion, 1oz.

1 tsp L-AA powder (or adjust to 5 to 7% if you want to use the oil soluble alternatives ie; MAP, THDA.
1 TBS distilled water
1 TBS CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
3 or 4 drops of Vit E Oil

Dissolve the vit C in water. When fully dissolved add the CV to that and stir well. Now add a few drops of Vit E oil to that and stir.

Using the CeraVe lets you off the hook for emulsifiers and preservatives. What you don't use up in 4 or 5 weeks, just toss and make a new batch (just to be on the safe side.)

NOTE:

- This is a nice "antioxidant/ceramide" lotion. Whether it will get where it needs to go to encourage collagen synthesis is anybody's guess.. (I didn't check the pH.) What I can tell you though, is it absorbs quickly and totally, without leaving any residue at all.

- This recipe can be easily adjusted to make large quantities for head to toe use. Just double, triple or quadruple the ingredient amounts.

- I use this all around my eyes without issues, but everybody is different, so adjust accordingly if you have sensitive skin.

free skin care · Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:03 pm

I'd listen to Kassy_A. Wink

She's terrific with all this DIY stuff Smile

free skin care · Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:51 am

Here's another one with MSM that I just shared in a different thread, that you might like (very easy!)

15% Vit C Serum With MSM 1oz.

1 tsp L-Ascorbic Acid
2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel (any cheap brand you like)
1/4 tsp virgin coconut oil (it's loaded with vit E and other goodies)
3 1/2 tsp distilled water
3000mg MSM (for me it’s 3 capsules of Opti-MSM powder)

Use 2 shot glasses..

In 1st glass; measure in the water and nuke in the microwave a few seconds (warm) put in the MSM and vit C stirring in each, go on to next glass.

In glass 2 measure in your coconut oil, add aloe and stir well.

To combine, slowly add and stir the contents of glass 1 into glass 2 a little at a time. It combines pretty well, but you can always add a bit of emulsifier if you want to.. (I didn’t, and it’s just fine.)

Put into your 1oz bottle and shake well...
You can tweak this easily to suit your needs with the addition of FA or whatever you like. For me it was just a simple way to have a great and easy serum, that includes MSM, quickly. The coconut oil is loaded with beneficial fatty acids and loads of vit E.

When you apply it, it feels a bit tacky for 3 or 4 minutes, and then absorbs right in. So far I really like it.

NOTE:

For a more opague and quickly penetrating serum, you can use 1 tsp of CeraVe Lotion and 1 tsp of Aloe Vera Gel instead of just Aloe.. (Gives a nicer feel and texture IMHO.)

Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:24 pm

hey kassy - i know this post is over a year old, but i tried this recipe and wondered how you get the virgin coconut oil to stay liquid in this recipe? it keeps solidifying on top....thanks in advance for any advice, i really love coconut oil and would like to use it more in homemade lotions.

free skin care · Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:24 pm

Check out this recipe here:

http://www.skincare.boards.net/index.cgi?board=diy&action=display&thread=862

It contains emulsifier, oil, LAA, Vit E. etc.

You can alternatively use Tetra C sold at http://www.bulkactives.com/ascorbyltetraisopalmitate.htm

(attention: this one is expensive!)

Fri Oct 19, 2018 8:15 pm

What is MSM??

free skin care · Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:11 pm

Hi RussianSunshine, yes, textra-C is expensive. But you can substitute with sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

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