I grew up in the 70’s era where the only sunscreen around was the infamous zinc oxide slapped onto the nose long after the sun had already blistered it a few times. There might have been something call sea and ski that had a distinct smell but the memory of it is not super vivid. All I know is that this redheaded gal spent most summers with sunburns and blisters. As an adult I admit I was far from consistent when it came to sunscreen, until a few years ago.
Sadly, the damage of 50+ years in the very strong Colorado sun has taken its toll. I have had more basal cell cancers cut out than I can recall and a few squamous ones, too. A recent trip to the dermatologist resulted in yet another biopsy and the unexpected follow up call saying I need to have surgery to get the rest of it. Not fun. This particular spot is on my collarbone where the skin is super thin and fragile.
Most people who know me are surprised that I am a mom to a 32 year old and that I have a handful of grandkids because honestly, I do not look 52… at first glance anyway. Sometimes my son and I when out together get confused as siblings or worse, that we are a couple. (It helps that he is balding and looks much older than his 32 years and I can most days pass for 40-ish). Overall despite the decades of sun exposure my face has not taken too much of a beating and I have been taking really good care of it.
For the last 10 years I have been very diligent with what I put on my skin and besides sunscreen, the only thing I use on my skin is stuff that I make myself so I know the ingredients are pure. Our skin is after all our largest organ and it absorbs everything we put on it. I make my own foot salve, body butter, eye lash serum, cuticle and nail serum, and hand balm. Sure, it takes a little time but it is so worth it. I know exactly what I am putting on my skin and consider it to all be the cleanest and purest skin care. Plus, I cringe at the thought of paying upwards of $50 – $100 for a high quality facial serum. The DIY facial serum that I use works the same or better, lasts longer, and costs significantly less.
I have been making a face serum to offset the damage of the sun for quite some time and I think it is amazing. I use pure essential oils and rosehip oil as my carrier. I have found rose hip to work best with my aging skin, but I also know that jojoba is a great option, too.
You only need 3 items to make this DIY Face Serum.
These are my favorites— dropper bottle, carrier oils, and essential oils.
The carrier oil is generally inexpensive and can be used for other DIY projects. All together, depending on the essential oils you use, this serum will likely cost under $10 per bottle. The essential oils you invest in can be used for a variety of other uses, or you can just use them for serums and they will make about twenty-five 2oz serums. Can you imagine spending department store prices twenty five times??? Another benefit to this investment is that I know exactly what I am putting on my skin. There are no unnecessary fillers, synthetic ingredients, or preservatives that are not good for me.
A few words of caution when it comes to essential oils.
First, please be sure you are using a high quality essential oil, and do not use fragrance oil from the drugstore. Even though these are labeled as pure oils, they have been tested and they are synthetic. These will damage your skin! If your bottle of essential oil states fragrance oil anywhere on it, do not apply it to your face.
Second, be wary of ordering on Amazon because most of these have been tampered with. If you’ve ordered from there and your oil has smelled or looked “off”, then you’ve experienced this. These can damage your skin because you don’t know what’s in them. They are frequently diluted with low cost coconut oil which can sometimes clogs pores. Because of this, the essential oils I trust to use with my skin and my family are doTERRA essential oils because of their purity, testing standards, and commitment to sustainable practices.
You can customize this serum to your skin’s specific needs. Since I am targeting aging and sun damaged skin, I carefully selected the essential oils listed below. At my age, I need all the anti-aging wrinkle fighting help I can get. So I chose some specific oils to help with those needs, like Blue Tansy. You can use as few as 1 or 2 essential oils in this, or as many as you like. Use what you have or grab a few new ones.
If you’re not sure where to start, Lavender and Frankincense would be good choices. Of course grabbing these at wholesale makes the most sense and is easy to do! With wholesale pricing you get a 25% off retail cost and there is no requirement to make purchases.
- Frankincense – I consider this one a must in this recipe. They knew even thousands of years ago the amazing benefits of Frankincense. It can help with fine lines and wrinkles, reduction of the appearance of scars, and give an overall radiant and youthful glow.
- Lavender– The is one of the most popular essential oils of all time and with good reason. It has incredible benefits for the skin. It can help reduce redness, blotchy patches and reduce acne. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help your skin heal from irritations, sun burn, insect bites, or bacteria. It can also help detoxify the skin, heal, soothe, and prevent wrinkles. It’s a superstar!
- Helichrysum – This is a beautiful healing oil that is great for inflammation, cell regeneration, and can help diminish scars. It is called “The Everlasting Flower” because of its ant-aging rejuvenating benefits for the skin and ability to improve the complexion.
- Yarrow | Pom – This is so wonderful for skin all on it’s own that many people will slather this all over their face to reap the benefits. It has a beautiful blue tint to it that may turn the skin a bit blue at first, but will go away in a few minutes.
- Geranium – Geranium essential oil has fantastic benefits for the skin. It can help with acne breakouts, wrinkles, skin irritations, and skin infections. I highly recommend adding this one.
- Tea Tree – Tea Tree essential oil especially good for acne prone or oily skin. It is naturally cleansing and purifying and will help fight acne causing bacteria. A must for any serum.
- Copaiba – Copaiba essential oil is widely used in cosmetic products including soaps, creams, lotions, and perfumes. It is high in beta-caryophyllene which has been studied for its affects on skin. Perfect for any facial serum.
- Cypress– Cypress oil supports restoring skin’s hydration and eases oil and dry skin issues. The decongestant quality of cypress oil reduces skin pigmentation and puffiness. Skin-soothing properties calm the irritated and inflamed skin and accelerate the healing process.
- *Blue Tansy occasionally I add this special blue oil because it truly is amazing for the skin. While it is a pricier one, it has some amazing benefits and is a very popular essential oil in many skin care products you can buy anywhere. This one is the purest of the pure.
I apply the serum to a clean face at night and use the rose quartz roller to spread it all over my face and neck area. I smell amazing and while I sleep my face is getting restored by the essential oil benefits.
This gorgeous ebook has some great ideas and tips for how to use essential oils in your home. The investment goes way beyond this face serum!
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Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life. Stacie is currently contracted across the country in a variety of residential programs for adults with traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.
With over fifteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is a E-RYT 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.
Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes. In addition to teaching classes in her studio and in the community, Stacie also continues to offer Yoga and Wellness coaching individually to those seeking private sessions.
