DIY Homemade Face Serum Recipe For All Skin Types
This super fast and easy DIY Face Serum recipe is an easy and cost effective way to treat your skin to nourishing essential oils. Take your skin care routine to the next level with your very own customized homemade facial serum with essential oils and all natural ingredients.
This article covers how to choose essential oils to use in your custom homemade face serum to benefit your specific skin type. Whether you have dry skin, acne prone skin, sensitive skin, need anti aging wrinkle prevention or have normal skin you can use this homemade beauty serum.
Learn how to make your own DIY Face Serum in just minutes with essential oils that will give you beautiful, glowing skin. For example, Lavender oil and Frankincense essential oils are two of the best essential oils for your beauty serum for any skin type. Both can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and redness. Keep reading to find out how to make your skin glow!
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How to Save Money on your Face Serum
I cringe at the though of paying upwards of $50 – $100 for a high quality facial serum. This DIY facial serum works the same or better, lasts longer, and costs significantly less.
There are only 2 steps to make this homemade face serum. Super simple. And you’re going to save a ton of money with homemade serum! No need to spend your hard earned money on pricey bottles with fancy ingredients from a department store.
The essential oils you will be adding to your diy facial serum will cost only a few cents per drop. Yes, there are a few oils that cost a bit more than others, but what’s nice is you can choose which essential oils to use. This makes it easy to use oils that fit your budget.
Please note that I may receive commissions when you click my links and make purchases. This doesn’t affect your price in any way and helps offset the cost of running this website.
Supplies for your DIY Face Serum
You only need 3 items to make this DIY Face Serum.
The carrier oil is generally inexpensive as well, and can be used for other DIY projects.
All together, depending on the essential oils you use, this serum will likely cost under $10.
Another benefit 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 us.
1. Dropper Bottles
First, you’ll need a 2 oz glass dropper bottle.
Whatever your taste.You can order glass dropper bottles from Amazon.
If you don’t have an Amazon Prime account you can snag a 30 day trial here to take advantage of the free shipping!
Here is my go to basic glass dropper bottle that I use:
- 12 – 2 oz, Amber Glass Bottles, with Glass Droppers, and Black Caps
If you prefer something a little prettier, these frosted glass droppers are very pretty and come in multiple color choices:
- ★MEASURING EYE DROPPER: Our glass pipettes are compatible with the scale, the length is 3.6 inches, longer than other brands in the market to prevent wasting your precious oils, and thicker to prevent breaking easily.
- ★PERFECT FOR DIY AROMATHERAPY: Each Bottle Set comes with Droppers that conveniently enable you to fill in essential oils and make your own essential oil blends for massage, hair salon, aromatherapy, and enjoy your precious relaxing moments.
- ★LEAKPROOF DESIGN: The screw thread finish bottle mouth is matched with attractive gold plated aluminium alloy cap, which fits tightly and can effectively prevent any liquid leakage.
2. Carrier Oil for your Facial Serum
You’ll need a good quality carrier oil for your DIY facial serum.
Since this is going to be used on your face, you don’t want to skimp and use a cheap carrier oil.You’ll want to get the best carrier oil you can. It’s also important to choose the right carrier oil for your skin type.
While many people automatically reach for Fractionated Coconut Oil in their essential oil DIY Beauty Skin care projects, I do not recommend making your DIY Face Serum with coconut oil because coconut oil l can can clog pores. This is obviously not what we want in our skincare, especially if you have acne or oily skin.
Normal or Acne Prone Skin
Jojoba oil is closest to our skin’s natural oil and is the best choice for normal or acne prone skin. This is the one I buy and it can be used in many DIY projects, such as DIY essential oil rollers, Men’s Beard Oil and more.
- Certified Organic Jojoba Oil – Cliganic organic jojoba oil is proudly USDA organic certified to ensure ultimate quality and integrity.
- 100% Pure, Single Ingredient Oil – Cliganic organic jojoba oil is a single-ingredient product. No synthetic additives, ever.
- Multipurpose Oil, Best Benefits – for Face, Hair & Body. The Jojoba Carrier Oil has remarkable effects on the skin, scalp, beard and hair, and It can be used for all skin types. Light-weight, Unrefined and fast absorbing, it’s gentle enough to be used on even the most sensitive skin.
Dry Skin
You may decide you want to choose something even more hydrating for dry skin such as Sweet Almond Oil or Sesame Oil.
I’ve been using this Argan Oil for my facial Serum and I have extremely dry skin. This is what I’ve been using.
- Certified Organic Argan Oil – Cliganic organic argan oil is proudly USDA organic certified to ensure ultimate quality and integrity.
- 100% Pure, Single Ingredient Oil – Cliganic organic argan oil is a single-ingredient product. No synthetic additives, ever.
- Multipurpose Oil, Best Benefits – For Hair, Face, & Skin. Argan Carrier Oil has remarkable effects on the hair, scalp & beard, and It can be used for all skin types. Light-weight and fast absorbing, it’s gentle enough to be used on even the most sensitive skin.
Oily or Acne Prone Skin
If you have acne prone or oily skin, I recommend Jojoba Oil. You may also choose Grapeseed Oil, Argan, or Sunflower oil for your face serum.
RELATED POST: Carrier Oils for your Skin Type
For more help on choosing a carrier oil for your skin type, you may want to read this blog post on carrier oils and their uses
It is totally fine, and beneficial even, to combine carrier oils! Experiment and find out what your skin loves the most.
Be sure to avoid nut based oils if you have a nut allergy.
3.
A few words of caution
First, please be sure you are using a high quality essential oil, and do not use fragrance oil from the drugstore.
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, as I mentioned above, clogs pores.
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.
There are many choices when it comes to the essential oils to use in your DIY facial serum. You can customize this serum to your skin’s specific needs.
You may need acne fighting essential oils like Tea Tree, or perhaps you need anti-aging oils to fight those inevitable wrinkles, or like me, maybe you need moisturizing hydration.
I have extremely dry skin, and I live in the desert with about 8% humidity, so I really need to give my skin extra hydration PLUS I need some help with anti-aging.
And let’s be honest. 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.
Go with what your skin needs. I’ve got some more specific recommendations for different skin types below.
You can use as few as 1 or 2 essential oils in this, or as many as you like. Use what you have. There is no need to run out and buy a bunch of essential oils in order to make this.
These are general recommendations for all skin types
If you’re not sure where to start, Lavender and Frankincense would be good choices.
- Frankincense I consider this one a must in this recipe) – It has been used since the time of ancient Egyptians and Biblical times. They knew even thousands of years ago the amazing benefits of Frankincense.
- Blue Tansy – This essential oil is popular in many commercial beauty creams, lotions, and serums because it is full of calming, soothing benefits for our skin. It’s packed with anti oxidants and can calm inflammation and reduce redness, and can benefit many skin types including dry, irritated skin and acne. Blue Tansy is very popular in many commercial skin products these days – it is one of the pricier oils. However you’ll get MANY uses out of that bottle and it will still cost you significantly less than buying that expensive serum bottle from the store.
- Lavender Essential Oil 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. But if you love the smell, I highly recommend adding this one.
- Tea Tree – Tea Tree essential oil especially good for acne prone or oily skin. Check out Melaleuca on her list of beauty must haves in Allure Magazine. It is naturally cleansing and purifying and will help fight acne causing bacteria.
- 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.
- Roman Chamomile – Roman Chamomile essential oil is wonderfully moisturizing for great for dry skin.
- Wild Orange – Wild Orange essential oil has lots of anti-oxidants and is packed with vitamin C, which your skin will love. And you will fall in love with the smell! Use Caution with Citrus Essential Oils. Most citrus essential oils are photosensitive, so you do not want to apply this to your skin before going out in the sun. You can get a nasty sunburn.
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Not sure which essential oil to use for your skin type? Just refer to this cheat sheet to choose which ones complement your skin type.
Essential Oils for All Skin Types
These are a great choice for everyone.
Essential Oils for Dry Skin
Essential Oils for Oily Skin
Essential Oils for Acne-Prone Skin
Essential Oils for Mature Skin
Consider these oils if you’re looking for an anti-aging face serum
Extras that your skin will love
You can also add a few extras that your skin will thank you for. These aren’t necessary but will really add some extra nourishment that you will notice.
Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil is a natural anti-oxidant to help protect your skin from free radical damage. This is a great way to help nourish and hydrate your skin. . I added a few drops to my serum to help with hydration for my dry skin. I love this Organic Vitamin E Oil from Amazon.
- ULTIMATE SKIN PROTECTION: Help fight free radicals and environmental damage with powerful 70,000 IU Vitamin E bath oil. Reap all the benefits of multiple oils in a single bottle: from long lasting strength and protection to cleansing and moisturizing properties.
- BATHE YOURSELF FOR FLAWLESS, MOISTURIZED SKIN: Can be used as a bath oil before, during and after bathing for smoother and velvety fresh looking skin.
- NATURALLY YOUTHFUL SKIN: Dry, unnourished skin will age fast compared to a well-hydrated skin. The combined antioxidants and nutrients provide extreme hydration to the skin to reduce the appearance of signs of aging.
Rosehip Oil
Rosehip Seed Oil – Can help smooth skin and appearance of scars by tightening the skin, keeps skin hydrated, and is rich in omegas to help with anti-aging. This is the one that I use and love it.
- Certified Organic Rosehip Oil – Cliganic organic rosehip seed oil is proudly USDA organic certified to ensure ultimate quality and integrity.
Gua Sha and Rose Quartz Roller
If you’ve never tried a Gua Sha Stone, you’re missing out! These are all the rage in skincare right now.
A rose quartz gua sha stone will transform your skin and can:
- help relieve tension in the face,
- reduce puffiness and inflammation,
- and it can even help reduce sinus pressure
*according to the Cleveland Health Clinic
The rose quartz roller can help to relieve muscle tension, reduce facial puffiness and help your skin look fresh, plus it can help firm your skin and improve fine lines.
Doing a gentle massage with the Gua Sha Stone and Rose Quartz or a Jade Roller for a few minutes every day can have a very positive impact on your skin!
I have purchased this one and incorporated it into my skincare routine. You can also get it in Jade, Amethyst, and a few other stone choices.
- [Radiant Revitalization] Face roller can muscle tension relief, reduce facial puffiness redness and help your skin look fresh; this pink gifts firm the skin and make it look dewy and lifted
- [Energized Skin] The at-home face massager is made of rose quartz. The face & eye roller is sturdy and no squeaky. The jade face roller is very smooth. It provides cooling and energizes the skin
- [Gua Sha for Lift and Sculpt] Gua Sha not only can lift your skin and improve fine lines with upwards pressure, but also it helps to shape your jawline, which can be used as a Jawline sculptor tool
Here is the base homemade face serum recipe you can use as a guide for making your own.
If you love this recipe, please click on the 5 stars and share it!
DIY Face Serum with Essential Oils
Equipment
- Mini Funnel optional
Ingredients
- 15 – 20 drops Essential Oil if using a combination of essential oils, you'll want to use a combined total of 15 – 20 drops. Not 15-20 drops of each.
- 2 oz glass dropper bottle
- 5 drops Vitamin E Oil optional
- 5 drops Rosehip Oil optional
- Carrier Oil such as Jojoba Oil
Instructions
- Add your essential oils to your empty dropper bottle
- Optional: Add a few drops each of Vitamin E Oil
- Optional: Add a few drops of Rosehip Oil
- Top off the bottle with carrier oil. Be sure to leave enough room to add your dropper to the bottle Don't want it to overflow and lose your precious essential oils.
- Add your dropper to the bottle
- Gently shake to mix all the ingredients together.
- Be sure to store your serum out of direct sunlight.
Using your DIY Facial Serum
Once you have made your DIY homemade face serum, you will want to apply it after washing your face, and before applying your moisturizer.
I always like to give it a gentle shake before using to make sure everything is mixed.
- Wash your face with your all natural cleanser of choice.
- Apply my favorite DIY Face Toner – use this recipe to customize it to your skin type.
- Add a few drops of the facial serum to your clean hands and smooth gently over your face and neck. Take care not to rub too hard as this is not good for your skin. Be sure to do this right away after washing your face while it is still damp.
- Gently apply your all natural facial moisturizer once the Serum has had time to soak in.
Have fun making your own DIY facial serum, and experiment to see what works best for your skin. You may find that certain essential oils work better than others.
I would love to hear how you made your own serum and what works for you!
Leave a comment on this post and let me know what you used for your face serum!
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More Essential Oil DIY Beauty Recipes you may Like
DIY Lilac Lotion Recipe
Matcha Green Tea Face Mask Recipe
DIY Oatmeal Body Butter Recipe
Easy DIY Natural Honey and Vanilla Beehive Soap Bars Recipe with Shea Butter
Best Essential Oils for Scars + DIY Healing Scar Roller blend
DIY Rose Sugar Scrub Bars
Before You Go, See What’s New On The Blog
Dawn Goehring
Dawn Goehring is the founder of Desert Naturals where she writes educational articles on essential oils, DIY’s on natural beauty products, homemade cleaners, and provides related essential oil accessories like planners, trackers, tshirts, and custom designed essential oil storage. She has been featured in articles on Porch.com, Redfin.com, MommyOnPurpose and more.
Dawn has earned an aromatherapist degree and has earned a doTERRA essential oil specialist certification which is a fancy way of saying she has learned a lot about the chemistry of essential oils and how they work in the body.
Thank you for highlighting the benefits of each ingredient in the face serum oil. Your article not only educates us but also help us to make wise decisions about our skincare routine.
Curious that you do not recommend buying oil from Amazon but have links to buy from them?
Hi Robin, I’m specifically referring to the essential oils. The essential oils are a known issue with adulteration and being replaced with carrier oil. I only share links for the carrier oils and containers.
Agreed!
I purchased some essential oils from Amazon as shown above a few months ago and I currently have white spots all over my body. And I have no idea how to get rid of them and get my pigmentation back.
saya suka semuanya
Toni Atchison
Although you specify to not buy EO’s from Walmart, they do in fact carry a limited selection of some very good ones. These are back in the pharmacy area where the vitamins are. You may have to look for them- our local store has a small display up on the top shelf.
Also, if you can’t afford doTERRA (like me!)NOWfoods is also a great source of high quality oils.
And finally, please be careful about certain commonly recommended oils. Frankincense is lovely, but the commercial harvesting for oils and wood is now endangering these trees.
And the lovely-smelling citrus oils can cause sun sensitivity.
Thanks for your feedback Toni. Just be careful and check the testing results. They are out there. So many oils use the term “pure essential oil” on their labeling, but there’s nothing regulating the use of this term and the oils are anything but pure. Msg me if you’d like more info on where to find test results if you’re not sure.
One of the reasons I love doTERRA so much is their commitment to sustainability. They have done so much for the Frankincense industry. doTERRA has eliminated the middlemen who are only out to make as much money as possible without regard to the longevity of the trees. They work with specialists and local growers who know how to ensure the trees will not be over-harvested and will be around for many many generations. ❤️
When you say 15-20 drop of essential oils, it that in total or 15-20 for each essential oil?
Hi Jen – You’ll want to use 15 – 20 drops total. Not each because that would be too much essential oils in the serum.
Will it be ok, if I use the essential oils available with me right now?
Absolutely. There’s no reason to run out and buy more. As long as they are a high quality oil and not a walmart or target oil because those are not true oils and only for fragrance. Those can actually be damaging to our skin.
Yes mine are good quality. Hope you are doing well ✨