Why do I need a face serum?
Winter is fast approaching and it’s time to bring in the big guns to take care of our skin care. This time of year plays havoc with our skin – cold, dry air, wind, going from hot to cold environments, rain, snow, and being bundled up in hats, scarves, gloves. Skin can become overly dry, chapped or even oily. A deep moisturising serum is a necessity. Suffer from oily skin and think that a moisturiser is not for you? Perhaps you’re not aware that studies suggest that an oily or combination skin could be the result of sebum production overcompensating because the skin is not getting enough moisture. Regardless of age or skin type everyone needs a great moisturiser to protect against the elements, the environment and to keep the protective skin barrier in place to reduce irritation.
Why is custom blended better than a store bought serum?
There’s a multitude of products to choose from on the market whatever your budget or skin type. But what could be better than your own custom made serum carefully created by you with a range of natural oils and essential oils to cater for your exact needs? Ml for ml you’ll find the cost on par, or maybe even less than the average moisturiser, but when it comes to active ingredients your blend will win hands down as this serum will have 100% active ingredients – no added fillers to expand the amount and, more importantly, no harmful chemicals and additives.
When you look at the commonly available moisturisers you’ll find that they expect everyone to have the same needs, which just isn’t the case. Everyone’s skin is different and has different needs. For instance a serum for sensitive skin should be gentle and reduce irritation, a mature skin needs a serum to ultra hydrate, increase collagen and elastin and plump fine lines and wrinkles. But perhaps you have a combination of needs, and remember that your skin needs can change seasonally or even weekly, and hormones can also play a major part in how our skin is behaving. Natural oils are a panacea for skin concerns, so taylor-make your own blend so suit your exact needs at any particular time. Remember you can mix the carrier oils as well as the essential oils.
What natural oil is best for my skin type?
Carrier Oils:
| Acne | Argan oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil |
| Dry | Jojoba oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, wheatgerm oil |
| Normal | Jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, sweet almond oil |
| Oily | Argan oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil, jojoba oil |
| Mature | Carrot seed oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, wheatgerm |
| Sensitive | Argan oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba, sesame seed oil, sweet almond oil |
Essential Oils:
| Acne | Chamomile, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, patchouli, tea tree, rose, rosemary |
| Dry | Chamomile, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, lavender, myrrh, patchouli, rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang |
| Normal | Chamomile, lavender, fennel, frankincense, geranium, rose |
| Oily | Frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, patchouli, peppermint, rosemary, sandalwood, tea tree, ylang ylang |
| Mature | Jasmine, frankincense, fennel, geranium, lavender, myrrh, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, ylang ylang |
| Sensitive | Frankincense, geranium, jasmine, lavender, rose, sandalwood |
How to make a Custom Blended Face Serum
The recommended dilution rate for essential oils for your facial serum is approximately 20 drops per 2 fl oz (60ml) bottle of carrier oil.
Step 1: Add 60ml of carrier oil to a glass bottle (preferably dark glass) for your skin type.
Step 2: Add 20 drops of essential oils which work best for your skin type/ailments
Step 3: Place the lid on the bottle and gently roll in the palm of your hand for 30 seconds to blend.
Step 4: Store in a cool dark place
*Always make a patch test before use. Never apply essential oils undiluted to your skin.
How to use your Custom Blended Face Serum
Step 1: Remove makeup. Cleanse and tone as usual
Step 2: Apply a drop of the serum to the chin, forehead and both cheeks.
Step 3: Gently massage in using small, soft upward strokes. For under the eye area always work from the nose outwards, taking care not to pull the delicate skin, and making sure not to get any of the serum in your eyes.
Step 4: After ten minutes gently remove any excess oil with a cotton pad.
The optimum results use morning and evening.
Example Recipes
Here’s a few simple recipe for each skin type, just to get you started, but mix and match to find the perfect blend for you:
Acne-Prone Skin:
60 ml. Jojoba Oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
Combination Skin:
30 ml. jojoba oil
30 ml. grapeseed oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops sandalwood essential oil
Dry Skin:
60 ml. almond oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops jasmine essential oil
5 drops rose essential oil
Normal Skin:
60 ml. grapeseed oil
4 drops frankincense essential oil]
8 drops geranium essential oil
8 drops lavender essential oil
Oily Skin:
30 ml. argan oil
30 ml. jojoba oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
Mature Skin:
30 ml. sweet almond oil
30 ml. wheatgerm oil
5 drops chamomile essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops rose essential oil
Sensitive Skin:
30 ml. jojoba oil
30 ml. sweet almond oil
5 drops chamomile essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops sandalwood essential oil
So that’s it. Simple but very effective. Forget about paying for synthetic problematic ingredients in fancy packaging. Opt for the natural option with 100% active ingredients, and revive, protect and rejuvenate your skin today.
