Facial Serum

Face serums are a useful addition to your skincare regime and are generally lighter than creams and best applied to damp skin. The serum should be applied before your moisturiser as the ingredients in the serum won’t be able to penetrate a layer of moisturiser. Allow approximately 5 minutes for the serum to soak in before applying any further products. Place a few drops onto your fingertips and lightly tap, pat and soothe the serum out. Try not to tug the skin or rub it too hard

This homemade face serum is extremely popular with Dotty’s Oils customers and one which Sylvia uses daily after cleansing her face. It absorbs easily into the skin and doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. It’s easy to make, taking less than a minute to put together. Its light blue colour is due to the Blue Tansy and Yarrow/Pom but once on your face there is no trace of blueness.

Sylvia applies the serum in the morning after showering and before going to bed. You only need one or two drops, placed on your fingertips and massaged gently into your face. The serum has a pleasant aroma, is light and sinks into the skin easily. If you prefer a more substantial serum you could use the other carrier oils mentioned below.

The oils in the face serum are all nourishing, moisturising and have regenerative properties.

Lavender essential oil is frequently used in skincare and its fresh, delicate and floral fragrance is a staple ingredient of skin products such as moisturising creams and skin toners. It can help to lessen inflammation and acne prone skin due to its antibacterial properties.

Frankincense essential oil, known as the king of oils, is also referred to as ‘liquid gold’. It’s a natural astringent and helps regulate sebum production in oily skin. Frankincense can soothe and help reduce inflammation as well as helping to prevent acne forming, due to the boswellic acids it contains. It can help to stimulate cell regeneration and protect older cells in ageing skin.

Blue Tansy can help calm dry skin and has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s wonderfully moisturising and can be used on minor skin irritations and blemishes.

Helichrysum is praised for its skin-rejuvenating benefits and can promote a youthful, glowing complexion. It is known to have calming and soothing properties and is used in many anti-aging products. It’s expensive to produce as it requires approximately one ton of plant material to produce one litre of oil.

Yarrow|Pom is a blend of Yarrow essential oil and Pomegranate seed oil. It activates the skin-protecting proteins, promotes collagen production and revitalises ageing skin.

If you don’t have all the oils, just use what you have in your collection. Some of the oils are expensive in their own right but you only need a few drops of each.

This recipe is extremely easy to make and takes less than a minute to put together.

Ingredients

4 drops each of Lavender and Frankincense
3 drops each of Blue Tansy
2 drops of Helichrysum
2 drops of Yarrow|Pom

Method

Add the oils into a 2oz dropper bottle and top up with Fractionated Coconut Oil. You could also use other carrier oils such as Jojoba oil, grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil. Shake gently to mix the ingredients together

The Verdict

Sylvia says:

“I love it! It glides on smoothly and smells divine (I happen to love the smell of Yarrow| Pom). My skin is softer and not dry at all. You could use it under a moisturiser but I find that it works well without an additional layer. The price is comparable to other serums on the market but this is filled with 100% pure and natural essential oils”.