I talked about the exciting skin benefits of Squalane last week. Read all about it HERE. Today I’m sharing a DIY Squalane Serum perfect for most skin types. I have been using this serum for over a week now and am loving it!
I have very dry skin and this year it’s gotten away from me to where it’s hard getting rid of dry patches. The key to managing dry skin is to not let your skin get overly dry in the first place but once it is, consistent oil cleansing and a really good serum and facial oil will help but it’s not an immediate fix. Incorporating this serum has gone a long way for me.
This serum is different from a pure facial oil. It’s lighter then a facial oil and even when you add oils to the squalane, it soaks in quickly. It leaves my skin feeling very well hydrated and extremely soft. I find it works very well under makeup.
Ingredients:
Squalane has so many jobs it can do for the skin. First off, it’s a great moisturizer. It penetrates quickly and deeply, nourishing the skin and relieving dryness. Squalane is balancing and can relieve overly oily skin types as well. It is also antibacterial and non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores). Squalane also stimulates circulation encouraging blood flow and fights free radicals.
Have I mentioned it’s extremely affordable?!
I decided to add evening primrose to this serum. Evening primrose oil boosts circulation and is high in omega 6 fatty acids. It can be extremely helpful for skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Evening primrose can reduce inflammation and redness as well encourage cell growth and function. It is one of my favorite oils to use on my skin.
I added rose essential oil to my serum. Normally I would steer clear of an oil that is so expensive but I decided it was time to start trying it out for research sake. It’s a great oil for dry skin as well as aging skin. In fact, I think rose is THE beauty oil period. I have also read that it helps other ingredients penetrate deeper for better results. The smell is simply amazing too.
When using rose, you have to be careful to choose the pure, undiluted product. Many companies dilute rose since it is so expensive and you end up getting only 5%. I’m very happy I purchased rose and added it to this serum.
Vitamin E is an anti aging favorite. Since it is an antioxidant, it blocks free radicals from harming your skin. It also reverses free radical damage like brown spots, loss of collagen and elastin. It can be very nourishing, remedying a lack of moisture.
Feel free to customize this serum to fit your skin’s needs. If you are oily and trying to balance oil production and clear skin you might want to consider tamanu oil or jojoba instead of evening primrose. Also, I would go with tea tree, ylang ylang and lavender instead of rose.
DIY Squalane Serum:
- 1 tbsp. Squalane (find it HERE)
- 2 tsp. Vitamin E (find it HERE)
- Top off with Evening Primrose Oil (find it HERE)
- 5 drops Rose Essential Oil (optional) (find it HERE)
Directions:
- In a 1 ounce glass dropper bottle or treatment pump fill 1/2 way full with squalane.
- Add 2 tsp. of vitamin E.
- Fill to the top with evening primrose oil.
- Add essential oils.
- Replace cap and shake.
To Use:
- Use 5-8 drops morning and night.
- If needed, use before your moisturizer and apply moisturizer after serum has soaked into skin.
Find 1 ounce dropper bottles HERE and treatment pumps HERE.
As I always say, your DIY is only as good as the quality of your ingredients. Purchasing high quality essential oils and carrier oils can seem expensive but most of them have a long shelf life and will give you great results. Plus, you can make lots of different beauty products for months and even years to come. I have linked the ingredients I used in my serum throughout the post and in the recipe.
I hope you love this serum as much as I do! It’s so easy to make and my skin couldn’t be happier!
xx, Jenni
PIN IT!!!
Greetings, will you be adding this to your etsy collection soon? I too have noticed the need for extra moisturizing!
Cathy-I don’t plan too. It’s so easy to make though.
Are you serious???? Over $300 dollars for the basic supplies !!!!! granted you may get a lot of use out of them but honestly totally out of my pocket!
Iceni-You have a good point-it’s the rose essential oil. Omit it-I believe I indicate that it is an optional ingredient since it is so expensive.
Jenni,this sounds awesome! And yes to oil cleansing! It has made such a difference in keeping my skin balanced. I have the squalane in my amazon cart…can’t wait to try! I’m definitely finding that I can use a serum and some kind of oil now that it’s winter. Even though my skin gets oily in the summer right now it is just soaking everything up! I’ve also switched to cream foundation (from our fave 100% Pure) and I am totally LOVING it!)
Elizabeth-it is totally awesome! Which foundation are your trying-I think 100% Pure has a few and I haven’t tried them yet. Did you have a hard time matching it to your skin?
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I have some Squalene and will make this up today. Iadded a prepared HA solutionI bought from Amazon to my routine and would like to skip an extra step by adding HA right to this recipe, I think it should be ok…
Would you recommend adding Hyaluronic Acid to this serum? I don’t want it to be thick like an oil I want it to be a thin serum that soaks in quickly! Or could I add water?
Emily-I don’t recommend it. It won’t mix with the squalane plus it will grow bacteria quickly! Sorry!
How long will this last. Shelf life?
Cheeri-It should last anywhere from 3-6 mos. Thanks!
Can it be added to a lotion?
I’m really not a fan of serums..
Mia-You for sure could-Just put it in place of one of the oils since it is oil soluble!
Jenni,
Can it be used on the hands as well? My hands really get dry in the winter.
Nan-It sure can!!
I enjoyed reading your blog I just came across it like some of the recipes in it, and I have a question I have about eight different oils that I want to use in my whipped Argan Oil shea butter body butter. How Will I Know how much of each oil I should use how do you figure stuff like that out?
Brenda-It’s al about creativity most of the time. Also, learning what your skin likes and responds too. I would concoct simple products though and not use all 8 oils in a DIY.
Hi there , I want to make a present for a friend and myself, for chirstmas. I have lots of the ingredients and dropper bottles ….your recipes look simple and effective.
I have 2 questions Do you think an oil clenser, a toner and a serum is a complete gift or am I missing something essential?
2, we both have oily combination skin so too much moisturizers can be a bad thing , actually I don’t really know the difference between a serum and a moistuerizer, If I used the above recipe can I add some hemp or tamanu oil so it is a light moisterizing serum????
3 I don’t have rose EO But I do have… roman chamomile, bergamot, sea buckthorn, carrot, lavander or frankensense??? If so which do you reccomend
4, I love how you formulate recipes without preservatives…I have some bee pollen that I was thinking of adding or infusing into one of the products…Do you think it will shorten the shelf life?
Thanks so much
Angela-I have taken a big break from working and am just now getting back on track so I’m sorry I missed this and it’s too late now! Did you end unmaking homemade gifts? I do think and oil cleanser, toner and serum are complete-I’m guessing your serum is oil based?
In the homemade world there usually isn’t much difference between a serum and a facial oil. I kind of think a serum is a fancy way to say facial oil!
Tamanu is a very thick oil so it won’t lighten your serum up at all. However, it is really great for oily skin. If you are looking for a light oil that will penetrate quickly, try THIS ONE.
All of you essential oils are great! Frankincense is great for sensitive types and does a lot. Lavender is also a great one to consider as well.
I have never worked with bee pollen in skin care so I don’t know. Sure am curious though!
As far as preservatives-If you are working with all oils (squalane included), you don’t need to worry about a preservative. Water based products are a bit trickier. I use hydrosols (like rose water), aloe from a store and witch hazels because they are already preserved which is why my water based recipes don’t tend to have a preservative. I will admit-adding a strong green tea is iffy and lessens the shelf life by quite a bit. I hope I mentioned that in the green tea toner post you previously commented on.
If I’m making a lotion, a preservative always has to be used or all that work is down the drain within a week or so. Water really tends to grow bacteria.
I hope this clears a few things up!
Can you add tamanu oil and turmeric extract
Sharon-You for sure could add tamanu oil. I’ve never worked with turmeric extract so I’m not sure if it’s oil soluble.
Hello!
I’m confused about how much squalane to use. You said fill 1oz bottle halfway , but only list 1Tb in the recipe. Am I missing something or a complete moron? Please Help!
Hi Gina! 1 ounce is the same as 2 tbsp. So I just thought it would be easier to fill up your 1 ounce bottle half way full which would be a tablespoon rather than measuring it out with a spoon-I can see that is worded tricky-You’re not a moron!! Hope this makes sense!