My natural homemade face serum recipe is easy to make, significantly more affordable than store-bought, and has zero synthetic or harsh chemicals. This essential oil facial serum is anti-aging, gentle on your skin, and works!
Taking care of my skin has felt like an uphill battle most of my life. Switching to natural soap and homemade sunscreen made a huge difference in clearing my acne and reducing blemishes and breakouts, but as I’m getting older, I’m seeing a few fine lines appear that weren’t there before.
I know the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles are signs of aging and are made from happy memories (and lower collagen production as my skin ages) but I also wouldn’t mind if my skin aged a little bit slower!
Best Face Serum for Women
Many over-the-counter skincare formulas and creams contain synthetic chemicals and toxins known to disrupt hormones. Our skin is our largest organ, and it’s important to bear in mind that what you put ON your skin is just as important as what you put IN your body.
The best face serum for women is going to be free of harsh chemicals, has no parabens or phthalates or fragrances, and encourages healthy skin no matter our age. Natural skin care has come a long way over the years, but I still try to save money and go the homemade route whenever I can.
Homemade Facial Serum
With homemade facial serum, you can control the ingredients for your current season of life. Add a bit more moisturizer during the winter, and a bit more sun protection in the summer when you need a boost of antioxidants to fight free radicals.
The result is a face oil serum that is gentle, effective, and much more affordable than what you’ll find in stores. It’s been wonderful for my acne-prone skin, and along with taking grass-fed collagen peptides daily, I believe it’s healed some of my acne scars over the years!
Homemade Face Serum Ingredients
Here are the 3 key ingredients you need for this hydrating serum. These are all considered carrier oils and together they create a “base” recipe.
- Vitamin E Oil
- Vitamin A Oil (in the form of Rosehip Seed Oil)
- Fractionated Coconut Oil*
*If you’re allergic to coconut oil, consider substituting it for sweet almonds, grapeseed, jojoba, or avocado oil. Any oil can cause irritation or inflammation, so it’s important to find one that works best for YOU.
Tip: Use what you have. While I chose to purchase vitamin E oil and vitamin A oil, you can simply start with any oil you have at home as your base for your serum. This keeps your budget low and lets you see if homemade face serum gives you the results you’re looking for.
Essential Oils for Skin
You’ll want to include the best essential oils for your skin, depending on your complexion, skin type, and skin concerns.
- Oily Skin Types: geranium, ylang-ylang, myrrh, lavender, lemon, Roman chamomile, patchouli.
- Anti Aging: lemon, rosemary, rose, clary sage, clove, lavender, pomegranate, frankincense.
- Dry Combination Skin: lavender, helichrysum, myrrh, frankincense, geranium, sandalwood, ylang-ylang.
- Dark Spots and Hyperpigmentation: tea tree oil, lavender, geranium, frankincense, chamomile, clary sage, and rosemary.
- Acne Scars: helichrysum, frankincense, geranium, lavender, carrot seed, cedar wood, hyssop, and tea tree.
- Normal Skin: frankincense, yarrow/pom, lavender, tea tree, helichrysum, bergamot, jasmine, sandalwood, rose, Roman chamomile.
- Sensitive Skin: bergamot, carrot seed, cedar wood, chamomile, lavender, melissa, rosewood, sandalwood.
Tip: Use what you have. You don’t need to run out and purchase all the oils in all the categories. Start with a few drops of essential oil or two and see what essential oils are best for YOUR skin. If you’re not sure where to start, lavender and frankincense are good choices. Many of the oils overlap in benefits for different skin types.
How to Make Face Oil Serum
Step 1: In a 2 oz glass dropper bottle, add 1 teaspoon each of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and fractionated coconut oil (or a suitable alternative). Then add one more teaspoon of whichever carrier oil you prefer. (I usually use Vitamin A because of my acne-prone skin.) This creates 4 teaspoons, or about 20 mL, or about 400 drops of carrier oil.
Tip: Using a small liquid funnel like this one makes it easier to pour the carrier oils into the dropper bottle.
Step 2: Add a total of 100 drops of desired essential oils from the list above. This will give you a dilution rate of 1:4, which is suitable for sensitive skin. For my skin type, I use helichrysum, frankincense, and a blend that contains geranium and rose. I’d recommend these same oils to anyone looking for the benefits of essential oils for the skin.
You can mix/match the essential oils to suit your preference. For example, if you want more healing properties (for scars or age spots), lean towards frankincense and helichrysum. If you want more hydration (for dry skin), count toward geranium and lavender.
Be sure to read the label of each oil and follow the suggested dilution rate. Some oils are more sensitive to the skin and need to be diluted more than others.
Step 3: Shake the bottle well and use 5-7 drops in the morning and evening.
Tips for Making the Best Face Oil
- Assure the proper dilution. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so it’s important to have the right ratio of essential oils to carrier oils to prevent adverse reactions. Follow the recommendations on the oil bottle.
- Make it easier to make. I prefer to buy each of these essential oils in 5ml bottles so it’s easy to create a brightening serum with the correct ratio. When I make a big batch, I can just pour the entire 5 mL bottle into the big dropper bottle and not worry about losing the count of drops.
- Save money with big batches. You can save money by purchasing larger bottles; just be sure to measure out the essential oils accordingly.
- Save money by reusing dropper bottles. You can buy your own dropper bottle (here’s a 2-pack of 2oz bottles on Amazon) or you can make 4oz at a time and not have to make the best face oil as often. I reused a 4 oz dropper bottle that once held liquid stevia just to save a little bit of money.
How to Use Natural Face Serum
Shake the bottle of natural face serum a couple of times and squeeze the dropper top to fill it up. Apply 4-6 drops to the palm of your hand, and then apply the natural face serum to your freshly washed and dried face. Use both hands to massage into your skin, using additional face serum as desired to massage the essential oils past the natural skin barrier.
This DIY face serum is gentle enough for your skincare routine in the morning and at night. I use goat milk soap from Bend Soap to wash my face and exfoliate with a washcloth, before applying the face serum. Washcloths are a natural way to improve the feel and look of your skin’s texture.
When you’re shopping at Bend Soap Company, you can stock up for the year! Use these codes:
- SOAP35 saves 5% on orders that are $35 or more
- SOAP65 saves 10% on orders that are $65 or more
- SOAP100 saves 15% on orders that are $100 or more
- Orders that are $65 or more after discounts are also eligible for free shipping!
Store-bought Facial Oil Moisturizer
If you want to skip the DIY route and try something done for you, I recommend InstaNaturals. I’ve tried a few of their products when I haven’t been able to make my own, and I really like them. Their ingredients are clean, their products are affordable, and they feel good on my skin.
Plus you can get great active ingredients recommended by a board-certified dermatologist like hyaluronic acid, ferulic acid, green tea extract, niacinamide, ceramides, and glycolic acid. They also have natural retinol serums and vitamin C serums. It’s the next best option for making your own facial oil moisturizer.
DIY Face Serum FAQs
What are the best oils for homemade face serums?
The best oils for homemade face serums will depend on your skin type, but I recommend using ingredients you already have (if possible) and making small batches to see how your skin reacts.
Most people have olive oil or coconut oil, and aloe vera gel at home. Mix a small amount of each and apply it to your inner arm to see if you like the way it feels on your skin.
From there, try adding lavender essential oil, since it’s the most gentle of the essential oils listed above.
What is the best vitamin for the skin?
Vitamins A and E are known for good skin care. They are helpful for every skin type. Using these vitamin oils in serums treatments can help improve your skin tone.
How do you make anti-aging face serum at home?
The essential oils in the DIY face serum recipe – lavender, helichrysum, and frankincense – all contain properties that are beneficial for aging skin. If you can find an oil blend that also contains rose essential oil, that’s icing on the cake.
Choosing a carrier oil that moisturizes (vitamin A and vitamin E) is necessary for making an antiaging serum.
More Skincare & Beauty Tips
- Homemade Face Wash
- How to Detox Your Armpits
- Natural Makeup Remover
- Homemade Sunscreen
- Detox Face Mask with Charcoal & Clay
I made and this serum
Vit A, E, coconut oil, helichrysum, frankincense, and rose (4:1 ratio) and I am happy to report that I am very impressed. What I love is that even 5 mins after putting this serum on, my face doesn’t feel oily. It dries and sinks in very fast. I use it in the am and pm. Thank you for posting these receipes, I will be trying different mixtures. I’m ready for what life throws at me!