Make Your Own Antioxidant Serum

3:18 PM Posted by jo

You can easily make your own antioxidant serum for your face at home. The options are many, and you can switch out the essential oil if want to change the properties of the original serum recipe.

Clary sage, German Chamomile, rose, ylang ylang, and geranium have a superior ORAC value to most foods. For example, German chamomile's ORAC, antioxidant capacity, is 218,600 while blueberries' ORAC value is 2,400.

Here are some guidelines if you want to add the essential oil that fit your skin the best.

Mature skin:
frankincense, jasmine, carrot seed, lavender, neroli, rose, sandalwood, myrrh and pathouli

Sensitive skin:
lavender, neroli, yarrow, and German Chamomile

Normal skin:
German chamomile, geranium, lavender, rose, neroli, palmarose and ylang ylang

Combination skin:
geranium, sandalwood, lavender, and neroli

Dry skin:
German chamomile, jasmine, neroli, rose, geranium, lavender, sandalwood, and ylang ylang.

Serum recipe

Star by making an infusion of green tea by steeping tea bags or leaves in boiling water for some time. Let it cool.
Add 2tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice to the tea.
Spoon 1 tbsp aloe vera gel into a small glass bowl, add 20 drops of olive oil, I use extra virgin oil, and add the contents of one capsule of vitamin E oil. Stir together and add 2 tbsp of the green tea and lemon mix.
Add 6 drops of orange essential oils to the mix.( This what the original recipe calls for but I change it to geranium.) Put it in a dark glass bottle, shake it up and keep it in the fridge.

According to research the skin's ability to absorb active ingredients peaks between midnight and and 4 am in the morning. So to treat your skin to a nightcap of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins can work wonders for your skin.

You also have to nourish the face from the inside to make sure it gets all the nutrients it needs.

Your face needs antioxidants such as vitamin C, selenium and beta carotene to assist in minimizing the damage caused by sunlight and pollution. Foods to eat are berries, fresh mango, spinach. Make a salad with water cress, olive oil, or a carrot and orange salad with raisins; butternut squash soup; handful of Brazil nuts; dried apricots or pomegranate juice.

Zinc, iron and magnesium are key minerals involved in repairing and maintaining skin cells. I prefer to use spirulina since it is an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and amino acids. I also add it to smoothies and whey protein shakes. For a smoothie, add 1tbsp or a 2 capsules to about 1 cup of natural yogurt, blend with half a banana and a handful of strawberries.

Co-enzyme Q10 and B vitamins play a vital role in generating energy within the skin cells. Sardines and mackerel are sources of Q10 or you can start taking a supplement instead. Start taking a B-vitamin Complex.

Omega 3 and 6 are used in cell membranes and they help fortify the skin's natural barrier function. It may be hard to come by non toxic fish today, a general rule is to stay away from bottom feeders. If you purchase supplements make sure you buy from a company that has good reputation for testing their products. Here is a list of how toxic some fish oil supplements are: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/21/DDCR1CI52J.DTL
Of course pure filtered or distilled water and avoiding junk food is a must if you healthy skin.

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

Topical Application

Inhaling Essential Oils

Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?

How to Dilute Essential Oils

Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.

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