In this post I’m going to teach you how to make three different hyaluronic acid serums; one with 3 ingredients, one with 5, and one with 8. Each formulation builds on the one before it so you can see how to modify and expand on (or, if done in reverse, simplify!) a serum formulation.
I’ve packed this post full of helpful links, so for the best learning experience please click through and read the ‘bonus’ material as well. Happy making!
Today we’re kicking off our holiday 2022 making with a silky, decadent Hot Chocolate Natural Body Butter 🍫 This formulation is part of our first theme—Hot Chocolate! This is a bit of a “Bee Better” of a theme I very briefly touched on back in 2013. It was just a soap, and I wanted to do the theme justice with a few more decadent formulations 😋
In today’s formulation we’re harnessing the skincare powerhouse that is salicylic acid with a simple formulation featuring a low-but-effective concentration of our star ingredient. Salicylic acid is commonly used in products for blemish-prone skin and has all kinds of fabulous skincare benefits, from brightening the complexion to cleansing pores. This formulation works out to about $0.35USD/oz (or $1.20USD/100g), making it a fraction of the cost of even the least expensive BHA products on the market right now. Let’s dive in!
Reveal even, smoother, glowing skin with this 5% Lactic Acid + Hyaluronic Acid Exfoliating Serum formulation. Gentle AHA lactic acid offers mild chemical exfoliation, backed up with a blend of skin-soothing and hydrating actives to reduce inflammation potential and keep your skin hydrated and happy. I’ve had a ton of requests for AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) formulations over the years, and today I’m finally sharing one—I hope you like it!
This cold-processed face serum does a whole lot of awesome things: it hydrates, brightens, reduces fine lines, evens out skin tone, boosts barrier function, soothes, softens, and might also know exactly which mango in that display at the grocery store will taste the best (no promises about that last one, though 😝). If you watched my recent ingredient deep-dive into niacinamide and have been thinking you should make something awesome with it, I think this Brighten & Boost Facial Serum is a fabulous choice!
This post (and pair of formulations) is a continuation of last month’s Super Simple Creamy Hair Conditioner with BTMS-25: 3 Ways. Today we are making two more creamy hair conditioners with BTMS-25; one is a lightweight conditioner that makes a good leave-in conditioner, and the other is much richer, better suited to rinse-out and mask applications, depending on the needs of the user. Each formulation is easy to customize and designed to help you learn even more about conditioner formulation. Let’s get conditioning!
Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care is now available at booksellers all over the world!