This formulation is a super simple, beginner-friendly vitamin C suspension. You don’t have to worry about oxidization or pH, you’ll only need three ingredients, and the finished product will help fade hyperpigmentation, increase collagen production, boost healing, and brighten your complexion. Heck yes! I’ve been working on this formulation off and on for about three years, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you 😄
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Post Overview
Why is vitamin C used in skincare?
Vitamin C is a fabulous, well studied skincare ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that helps brighten the complexion, increase collagen production, boost healing, and protect the skin from UV damage.
Learn more: Ultimate Vitamin C Skincare Guide Part 1: Ascorbic Acid (with video) from Lab Muffin
I first started using vitamin C regularly when I discovered The Ordinary back in 2016. Their Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% quickly became a holy grail product for me as I noticed brightening and accelerated healing within days of starting to use it. Daily vitamin C use is a huge part of why my skin has improved so much since 2016. I’ll never go back!
Why is formulating with vitamin C challenging?
The most common (and most studied) form of Vitamin C—L-Ascorbic Acid—is very prone to oxidizing once mixed with water. In a matter of weeks (or less) it’ll turn orange and become ineffective. Preventing L-ascorbic acid from rapidly oxidizing in hydrous formulation is a challenge that many experienced formulators have tackled.
“The difficulty for the cosmetic formulator is that L-Ascorbic Acid is very unstable in aqueous solutions, as it starts to oxidize immediately, gradually producing color changes (orange/brown shift) and a reduction in activity as it converts to dehydroascorbic acid. For cosmetic use, it is best stabilized in an anhydrous lipid or silicone base, although some have reported increased stability with the use of Ferulic Acid as part of aqueous formulations.” (Source: LotionCrafter)
The most famous formulation is probably Skinceuticals’ CE Ferulic serum, which sells for $169USD/oz (😳) as of 2022, and is patented. “And [the Skinceuticals formulation] does still eventually break down, it’s still not entirely stabilised. The brand says it’s fine for 6 months after opening, while the patent suggests it can stay stable for a year” (Source: LabMuffin). You can learn more about the patent, the formulation, and L-ascorbic acid in general with this awesome post from Lab Muffin!
Make your own: Fun with DIY: Skinceuticals-Dupe Vitamin C Tutorial from The Acid Queen
The Skinceuticals formulation gets great reviews, and the formulation from The Acid Queen looks awesome, but the investment for either option isn’t insignificant, so I’ve never tried either.
Another challenge when formulating with L-ascorbic acid and water is the pH; it’s quite acidic on its own, and will cause the pH of a formulation to drop. The desirable pH range for a L-ascorbic acid formulation is around 3–3.5, so you’ll need to test (and likely adjust) the pH of the formulation to ensure it falls in that range.
Learn more: Skin penetration of Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Part I from Kind of Stephen
How does this formulation avoid common vitamin C formulation challenges?
This formulation avoids challenges of oxidization and pH by not including any water. Instead, it uses an ultralight, water-free gel to dilute and suspend the vitamin C. Easy peasy! My inspiration for this approach was (probably unsurprisingly!) The Ordinary‘s Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%, but there are other anhydrous L-ascorbic acid formulations on the market.
Suspension vs. Solution
This formulation is a suspension, not a solution. The L-ascorbic acid is suspended (not dissolved!) in an anhydrous base.
L-ascorbic acid is water soluble; in order for it to dissolve, a formulation needs to contain water. The key to the stability of this formulation is the absence of water.
L-ascorbic acid will not dissolve in this formulation. It will remain solid and will be noticeable if you rub this suspension directly into the skin without mixing it with some sort of product that contains water first.
This is why I encourage grinding and smashing the L-ascorbic acid as finely as possible and mixing it with a product that contains water before application.
The ingredients
L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
This is our star ingredient—our skin-brightening, collagen-boosting, healing-accelerating, magic-maker 😄
L-ascorbic acid is the easiest to find and cheapest form of vitamin C. This is an ingredient that you can purchase the dietary supplement version of; just be sure it’s pure L-ascorbic acid powder and not a tablet that contains binding/pressing ingredients. The powdered L-ascorbic acid that The Ordinary sells will also work, and is reasonably priced for a small amount. Theirs works out to $0.29USD/g for 20g while Lotion Crafter’s 1oz package is $0.25USD/g.
L-ascorbic acid is a crystalline ingredient: yours might look like table salt, or could be a softer, fine white powder (more like icing sugar). If yours looks like table salt you’ll want to make it smaller for a smoother application. I ran mine through my DIY-only coffee grinder (wearing my dust mask!) and then further bashed it up with a mortar and pestle. I skipped one (or both) of these steps in earlier versions of this formulation and the end result was much rougher and slower to dissolve when mixed with watery products.
Isoamyl Cocoate
I’ve included a small amount of this lightweight, slippy liquid ester to thin the formulation out a bit. The finished suspension is still pretty thick, so I don’t recommend skipping this! You could definitely use a different lightweight liquid ester instead, though. Options include C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isoamyl laurate, Coco-Caprylate, and Neossance® Hemisqualane. I purchased my isoamyl cocoate from New Directions Aromatics; the per mL cost is pretty good ($0.07/mL), but the smallest bottle they sell is 473mL/16fl oz, so the initial investment is on the steeper side.
If you’d like the formulation to be a bit thinner you could use more isoamyl cocoate and less silicone gel—just be sure to keep things thick enough that the vitamin C will stay in suspension.
Silicone Gel
Silicone gel forms the bulk of the formulation, diluting the vitamin C and thickening the formulation so the powdered vitamin C stays in suspension. It’s a crystal clear, silky gel that is ultra lightweight and slippy, meaning the end formulation glides across the skin beautifully and doesn’t feel greasy.
My silicone gel is from TKB Trading, and it’s primarily ultra-light Cyclopentasiloxane that’s thickened into a gel with Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer. You could definitely use a different gelled cyclomethicone ingredient instead (Lotion Crafter and Making Cosmetics both sell some sort of gelled cyclopentasiloxane ingredient—refer the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia entry on Silicone Gel for links). If the gel you purchase is thicker than mine (watch the video to get an idea!) you may want to shift the ratio of silicone gel to liquid ester so your final product isn’t a stiff paste.
If you can’t get a silicone gel you’ll need some sort of ultra-lightweight, water-free gel/paste/soft solid to suspend the vitamin C in. I’m afraid I don’t have any readily available suggestions for this, especially if you want something natural. (Aloe vera gel is not water free—it’s almost entirely water and will absolutely not work for this formulation).
It looks like The Ordinary’s water-free vitamin C formulation uses Versagel® MN 750 T or Versagel® MN 1600 T. Those ingredients are part of the same line as the popular Versagel® gloss base (that’s Versagel® ME 750), but much lighter and less tacky. I’ve never seen Versagel® MN 750 T or Versagel® MN 1600 T for sale to home crafters. I did try a couple versions of this formulation using Versagel® ME 750 gloss base to thicken it and I was not a fan—it was heavy and sticky and (unsurprisingly) felt like I was spreading lip gloss all over my face. I don’t recommend taking that approach. All the ingredients in the Versagel® line are some sort of emollient that is gelled with a blend of Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer and Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer; the one I believe The Ordinary is using is based around Isononyl Isononanoate, a lightweight ester. Other Versagel® products that could work for this formulation (if you can find them) are: ML (C12-15 alkyl benzoate), HSQ (C13–15 Alkane), SQ (Squalane), MD (Isododecane), MC (Isohexadecane), and MP (Isopropyl palmitate). You can learn more with this helpful PDF from Penreco, the makers of Versagel®.
You could try a blend of lightweight esters thickened into a soft balm with something like C10-18 Triglycerides (Butter Pearls) and/or Cetyl Alcohol. I have not tried this approach. I recommend trying to keep the base as light and slippy as possible—I’ve made heavier, more occlusive versions of this formulation and really didn’t enjoy them. It is also very important that the base you use can suspend the vitamin C so it is properly diluted. Do not use a liquid that will let the L-ascorbic acid powder settle out and require shaking before each use.
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How can I adjust the concentration of vitamin C?
23% is quite a high concentration of vitamin C; if you are new to using L-ascorbic acid I recommend reducing the concentration of it in this formulation to reduce tingling and irritation potential. I don’t experience any tingling with this formulation, but I’ve been using a 23% L-ascorbic acid formulation regularly for over 6 years. I definitely experienced tingling when I first started using The Ordinary’s 23% product! I don’t recommend using more—23% is plenty!
Here are some variations on the formulation featuring lower concentrations of L-ascorbic acid and proportionately higher concentrations of the other two ingredients to keep the formulation in balance:
- 3% L-ascorbic acid, 21% isoamyl cocoate, 76% silicone gel
- 5% L-ascorbic acid, 21% isoamyl cocoate, 74% silicone gel
- 10% L-ascorbic acid, 20% isoamyl cocoate, 70% silicone gel
- 15% L-ascorbic acid, 19% isoamyl cocoate, 66% silicone gel
- 20% L-ascorbic acid, 18% isoamyl cocoate, 62% silicone gel
Does this formulation need a preservative?
No; there’s no water in this formulation, so it doesn’t need a preservative.
How long will this formulation last?
Thanks to the water-free nature of this formulation, and the fact that the base ingredients are very stable, this formulation should easily last more than a year.
How can I scale this formulation up or down?
Check out this post to learn how to scale this formulation up or down!
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Easy DIY Vitamin C Suspension
6.9g | 23% finely powdered L-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) (USA / Canada / UK / NZ / AU)
5.1g | 17% isoamyl cocoate (USA / Canada)
18g | 60% silicone gelUsing a precise scale, weigh all the ingredients for the base into a beaker. Stir thoroughly to combine. Once the mixture is uniform, package it up!
A 1 oz jar is a very easy way to package this formulation, but a soft squeeze tube makes for much easier dispensing. I packaged mine in 2-dram HDPE bottles with a pointed dropper top using a syringe, and that works well for dispensing. I ended up needing 3.5 of them for this 30g (1.06oz) batch; if you had a 1 oz version of this bottle (or something similar) that would also be a great option. A dark or opaque bottle would be the best choice if you have one, but as this formulation is anhydrous it’s not as important as it is with a hydrous L-ascorbic acid formulation.
You can also weigh the ingredients into a plastic bag; smoosh to combine, and then you can snip off a corner to pipe the suspension into its packaging.
To use this formulation, mix a small amount (about half of a pea-sized amount) in your palm with a mild skincare product that contains some water, and massage that mixture into your face.
Start with less than you think you need, especially if you’re new to using l-ascorbic acid in your skincare routine! The mixing product can be a lotion, serum, toner, or even just a splash of tap water—we just want to get the vitamin C to dissolve for a smoother experience. This also makes it easier to use less, reducing the potential for irritation, because you’ll have plenty of product to spread around your face without feeling like you have to go back for more. I’ve been using my Brighten & Boost Facial Serum lately and that works wonderfully! I wouldn’t use an AHA, salicylic acid, or retinol product for this step in the interest of keeping the irritation potential as low as possible.
I typically apply my vitamin C as the first step after cleansing, and then follow up with a lotion or oil-based serum. I usually apply my vitamin C in the morning (where it can help boost sunscreen performance), saving other potentially irritating products like my lactic acid solution for the evening.
Shelf Life & Storage
Because this product does not contain any water, it does not require a broad-spectrum preservative (broad spectrum preservatives ward off microbial growth, and microbes require water to live—no water, no microbes!). Kept reasonably cool and dry, it should last at least a year or two..
Substitutions
As always, be aware that making substitutions will change the final product. While these swaps won’t break the formulation, you will get a different final product than I did.
- As I’ve provided this formulation in percentages as well as grams you can easily calculate it to any size using a simple spreadsheet as I’ve explained in this post. As written in grams, this formulation will make 30g, which is approximately 25mL.
- To learn more about the ingredients used in this formulation, including why they’re included and what you can substitute them with, please visit the Humblebee & Me Encyclopedia. It doesn’t have everything in it yet, but there’s lots of good information there! If I have not given a specific substitution suggestion in this list please look up the ingredient in the encyclopedia before asking.
- Do not replace the l-ascorbic acid; this ingredient is absolutely key to this formulation!
- You can use a different lightweight liquid ester instead of isoamyl cocoate. Options include C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isoamyl laurate, Coco-Caprylate, and Neossance® Hemisqualane.
- You can use a different gelled cyclopentasiloxane ingredient; you may want to shift the balance between the ester and the gel if the gel you’re using is stiffer/thicker than mine.
- If you don’t have/can’t get a gelled cyclopentasiloxane ingredient, you’l need a different water-free, lightweight, gelled base ingredient(s). The skin feel of this ingredient (or blend of ingredients) is really important as it is 60% of the formulation! Please read the full post for more discussion and ideas.
Hmmmm, I wonder if combining this with the oil soluble salicylic acid serum would work. Sort of making a combination of the two. I think I may try that.
I think it could! I’d try swapping the ester for the SA/Octyldodecanol solution 🙂
Could you suspend it in Cyclomethicone and clear Xanthan gum?
No; xanthan gum only thickens when water is present.
Gosh, I don’t even know how to begin to thank you! The level of detail that you provide here is stunningly thoughtful. I started down the road of making my own cosmetics because of chronic callus and foot issues (they are like bricks). I collected all kinds of stuff (Lactic, Glycolic, and Salicylic acid, Aloe Vera Powder, base creams etc. etc. etc.). Unfortunately, the PH strip balancing activity made my head spin so I just stored everything along with the scale. Now I’m back to it because of severe tear trough and not loving shelling out $2K for fillers that don’t last more than 6 months and no longer solve the issue.
This and the hyaluronic acid serum post have emboldened me to try again. Sadly, I only found this website today. I have only used recipes from “Making Cosmetics” website and it didn’t provide enough context for a beginner. I will also buy a proper PH meter once I get more advanced.
Just a comment on the Skinceuticals’ CE Ferulic serum which I previously paid $170 for and my dermatologist sells it for $100. I really hope to replace this item as well. Last year alone I went all in and spent $600+++ for all kinds of skin solutions (recommended by an online dermatologist. It was only after seeing my dermatologist this week for a glycolic peel that I decided to try again to DIM cosmetics. My MD actually encouraged me to do so since I have invested in such a large collection of DIY products.
You are the bestest!
Thank you. And my skin thanks you! Love your easy recipes I can make at home.
❤️ Thanks for DIYing with me, and happy making 🙂
How about using fresh aloe Vera gel instead of the silicon gel?
No; aloe vera gel is ~99% water, and it is SUPER important that this formulation is water free. Happy making!
Could dimethicone be used in place of the silicone gel?
I don’t recommend it; the L-ascorbic acid will settle out.
Hi I can’t get hold of silicone gell. If I use another silicone what can I use to thicken please ?
I’m afraid I don’t have any good suggestions. Silica Dimethyl Silylate (SDS) will work, but will feel like you’ve put climbing chalk on your face.
Oh dear ! Ok thank you.
Hi, can i use high molecular weight dimethicone instead of silicon gel, as silicon gel is not available.
I don’t recommend it as that will be very heavy/occlusive on the face 🙁
Can I add ferulic acid to this formulation?
There’s no need to 🙂 Ferulic acid is included in vitamin C solution to stabilize it, but that is unnecessary in this formulation because it doesn’t contain water.
So could you use 60% sqalene ? Or is it a special type of sqalene
You cannot replace the silicone gel with squalene. I’m not sure what you mean by “special type of squalene” as there’s no squalene at all in this formulation?
Can I dissolve the L Ascorbic Acid in Propanediol and use Cetyl Alcohol as the other base? Would adding Squalene or Dimethicone help? Aside the Vitamin C, I can’t find any of the ingredients in my part of the world.
Hi, Thanks a lot for this fab recipe. I’ve been looking for a recipe on a vitamin-c solution for quite some time 🙂
I’m wondering if I can swop the isoamyl cocoate with isopropyl myristate?
You mention the IM as a possible substitute for IC in your Encyclopaedia, but not in this recipe with ascorbic acid. Is there a reason for that?
You can, I just find isopropyl myristate (IPM) feels more oily than the options I’ve suggested here, which is why it wasn’t a top alternative for me.
Hi Maria,
I have read that vitamin C can make your skin go orangey red tone, especially as it can oxidise when in contact with heat (weather), or air. Would the silicones in this formula prevent that from happening?
Could niacinamide be added to this without affecting the stability and effectiveness of the gel?
That should work 🙂
Niacinamide requires a higher pH to work properly on the skin (around ph 5.5-6ish). Using it together with low pH Ascorbic Acid (around pH 3.5) would cancel out the benefits of both ingredients, and might produce unpleasant smelly results too.
Hi! Cosmetic chemists Kind of Stephen & Amanda at Realize Beauty have both debunked this myth; I’ve linked to their detailed posts in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia entry on niacinamide (Vitamin B3) 🙂
I have siligel powder, do you think that could work?
Hello there. I used to use the previous formulation of the Kieh’s Vitamin C serum which worked very well for me and it was thick and creamy without any stickiness or oiliness,staying on almost like a powder. But ever since they changed the formulation,it is very watery,sticky & oily with no effects that the previous formulation gave which was a game-changer for me. Would you be able to advise on how I would be able to a achieve that in a diy formula?
No; siligel only works in water 🙁
Does silicon gel provide any other benefits to the skin health? Just curious
Hi Marie! Thank you for this formulation. I do have a question though, isn’t vitamin C water soluble? Would formulating it without water make it less effective?
Also, I found Making Cosmetic’s bio-jelly, would that substitute the silicone gel?
Hi Julieta! Yes, vitamin C is water soluble, but it doesn’t need water in a formulation to work in your skincare routine. Think about salt or sugar—both are water soluble, but don’t need to be dissolved in water in order to work 🙂 When eating, saliva does the trick so you aren’t just chowing down on pure crystals (mmm). In skincare, there’s other water in your skincare routine.
Formulating without water means the L-ascorbic acid will last long enough to be used; I like to mix it with something that contains water (see my application suggestions at the end of the formulation for details) for a smoother application, but I’ve also used it “dry” for years as part of my overall skincare routine. Either way works beautifully!
It looks like BioJelly would be a great alternative! Please let me know how it works if you try it 🙂
Happy making!
I saw that in your encyclopedia you suggest cyclomethicone as a substitute for the silicone gel but that it has reduced viscosity and something would need to be added to make up for that. What would you suggest as the “something?” The silicone gel from all three sources would make this far more expensive than the vitamin C serum I use w/ shipping factored in. Check out Lumene Vitamin C line. It’s awesome. Hyaluronic acid in it too. It’s about half the US price in Estonia so $12 an ounce.
Hi Laura! If I had a good suggestion it would be in the post 🙁 Sorry!
Thanks so much for your hard work and generousity. This is genious idea and such a detailed post! Unlike Laura, I’m not a huge fan of Lumene’s vitamin C line. I purchased some TO’s alternative as I’m pretty sure that I’ll like it and it’s more affordable than the one that I’ve used. Anyway, I made two different cetyl alcohol thickened batches today. Other has 20 % LAA and other 25 % sodium ascorbate. I’ll likely need to adjust the thickness a bit. I started from your cetyl alcohol experiments and used 16 % cetyl alcohol. I am a bit short in esters so I used MCT oil & SSO. I’ll keep you updated. My liquid blurring tint from last xmass needs shaking before usage but that doesn’t bother me much… it’s still doing okay and there are no crystals of beeswax or fatty alcohols or anything.
It’s a very simple and good idea formula. The L-ascorbic acid did settle out in my case. I used other silicone gel. Maybe Is it possible that the ester oil and silicone are separated?
I suspect this is because your gel was thinner than mine 🙂 What did you use?
Hello, Marie. What do you think about use Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate? I can’t find L-Ascobic Acid.
I wouldn’t make that swap in this formulation. I’m shocked you can’t find L-ascorbic acid, though—not even as a food-grade supplement?
Hi, i think I might have a suggestion for the silicone gel substitution, maybe EMOSMART™ L15 could work? or perhaps EMOGREEN L15 or EMOGREEN L19? (I’m a newbie so i don’t really know, sorry)
Thanks alot for every thing you published and for every thing you teached us.
Please i have question
Is the silicon gel the same same with silicone elastomer?????
No, they are not close at all. Please look them up in the free Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia to learn more!
Hi,
Can you pls show an alternative formulation with simple at home available ingredients – does Ascorbic acid + alkaline water + glycerin work?
Alkaline water + glycerin has high PH, would it balance the acidity of the vit C ?
Hi! Did you read this entire post? I explain WHY you can’t just mix L-ascorbic acid and water and end up with a stable formulation. This is as easy as I can make it while keeping the L-ascorbic acid stable.
Can l substite the silicon for glycerin? I really would like to know. Please.
Can this recipe be made using niacinamide instead of vitamin c?
Using only ascorbic acid and isoamyl cocoate won’t work? Like an “oil” based serum.
Hi all, can I use Cyclomethicone in lower % instead of Isoamyl Cocoate To also give it that luxury feeling?
Thank you all.
Follow up… do you see any reason why I can’t make retinol serum using this formula?